The document discusses how to garden in an environmentally friendly way. It provides tips for reducing waste and using sustainable materials. Some key points include using compost and mulch to nourish soil instead of chemicals, collecting rainwater for watering, planting drought-resistant species, and creating habitats for beneficial wildlife like ladybugs and lacewings to naturally control pests. The overall message is that small actions like these can significantly benefit the environment while gardening.
Companion Plantings and Growing Voluptuous VegetablesFairlee3z
Growing voluptuous vegetables requires planning your garden layout, soil preparation, choosing crops, and maintaining the garden. The document provides tips for each step, such as creating a planting plan with vegetables grouped by season, testing your soil, using drip irrigation for better watering, and practicing succession planting to maximize harvests. Organic methods like companion planting and crop rotation are recommended to build healthy soil and reduce pests without chemicals. With the right planning and care, home gardens can produce bountiful vegetable crops.
A group of 25 gardeners in Pend Oreille County completed training to become Master Gardeners. They must now volunteer 40 hours over the next year. The document introduces the new Master Gardeners and discusses several gardening topics like growing spinach and arugula over winter, an annual plant sale, a survey of county residents, the Pend Oreille Valley Farmers Market, information on kale as a superfood vegetable including recipes, and a food bank garden project that provides produce to those in need.
Alice Springs Vegie Garden Companion: A Handbook for Growing Food in Arid Aus...Aliki85w
This document provides tips and instructions for gardening in Alice Springs, Australia. It discusses choosing a garden location with sun exposure, preparing the soil, controlling weeds like couch grass, creating no-dig garden beds, using pots and containers, hardening off seedlings, transplanting, pruning fruit trees, and planting times. Watering recommendations are provided for different seasons, including summer when established gardens need 3 waterings per week with adequate mulch and organic soil. The document aims to inspire and assist people to grow their own food in the arid climate of Alice Springs.
Sustainable Gardening in the Mildura Region, AustraliaDanousis85z
This document provides information about sustainable gardening practices in the Mildura region. It discusses designing sustainable gardens, composting, caring for soil, no-dig gardens, water-wise gardening techniques, plant selection, and more. The goal is to help residents create beautiful gardens that suit the local climate and soil while minimizing environmental impact. Sustainable gardening practices like using mulch and compost can reduce water and fertilizer needs while improving the health of soils and plants.
This document provides information about sustainable gardening practices for residents of Frankston City, including garden design, soil care, composting, water conservation, plant selection, and more. It includes checklists for readers to self-assess their sustainable gardening practices. The document was produced by Frankston City Council to educate and encourage more environmentally-friendly gardening. It suggests replacing non-native plants with local species that require less water and chemicals, improving soil health through composting and mulching, capturing rainwater and greywater for irrigation, and designing water-wise gardens. The overall goal is to help local residents garden in a way that benefits the environment and reduces negative impacts on water and other resources.
1. Growing your own vegetables is healthier, more convenient, and kids enjoy watching them grow.
2. A "no dig" vegetable garden requires low maintenance by building layers of compostable materials like pea straw and manure instead of digging.
3. Growing your own vegetables means they retain more vitamins since they don't lose nutrients during long-distance transport and storage like commercially grown produce.
Biodiversity in Community Gardens, Orchards and Allotments - Dundee, ScotlandAliki85w
This document provides information about starting and maintaining community gardens, orchards, and allotments to promote biodiversity. It discusses the benefits of these spaces for healthy eating, exercise, and wildlife habitat. Case studies from Scotland are provided on starting community gardens and orchards. Tips are given for sustainable practices like soil management, planting for wildlife, boundaries, ponds, and other considerations. Tables list plants and flowers that benefit biodiversity.
A How to Guide for Creating Your Own Easy Care Garden - Clarence City, TasmaniaAliki85w
1) Mulch protects the soil from erosion, adds nutrients, and reduces weeds by blocking light. Effective mulches are 5-15cm thick.
2) Composting takes 2-6 months and involves layering green and brown materials and turning the pile regularly. Mature compost is dark and crumbly.
3) Involving children in all aspects of the garden and cooking encourages learning.
Companion Plantings and Growing Voluptuous VegetablesFairlee3z
Growing voluptuous vegetables requires planning your garden layout, soil preparation, choosing crops, and maintaining the garden. The document provides tips for each step, such as creating a planting plan with vegetables grouped by season, testing your soil, using drip irrigation for better watering, and practicing succession planting to maximize harvests. Organic methods like companion planting and crop rotation are recommended to build healthy soil and reduce pests without chemicals. With the right planning and care, home gardens can produce bountiful vegetable crops.
A group of 25 gardeners in Pend Oreille County completed training to become Master Gardeners. They must now volunteer 40 hours over the next year. The document introduces the new Master Gardeners and discusses several gardening topics like growing spinach and arugula over winter, an annual plant sale, a survey of county residents, the Pend Oreille Valley Farmers Market, information on kale as a superfood vegetable including recipes, and a food bank garden project that provides produce to those in need.
Alice Springs Vegie Garden Companion: A Handbook for Growing Food in Arid Aus...Aliki85w
This document provides tips and instructions for gardening in Alice Springs, Australia. It discusses choosing a garden location with sun exposure, preparing the soil, controlling weeds like couch grass, creating no-dig garden beds, using pots and containers, hardening off seedlings, transplanting, pruning fruit trees, and planting times. Watering recommendations are provided for different seasons, including summer when established gardens need 3 waterings per week with adequate mulch and organic soil. The document aims to inspire and assist people to grow their own food in the arid climate of Alice Springs.
Sustainable Gardening in the Mildura Region, AustraliaDanousis85z
This document provides information about sustainable gardening practices in the Mildura region. It discusses designing sustainable gardens, composting, caring for soil, no-dig gardens, water-wise gardening techniques, plant selection, and more. The goal is to help residents create beautiful gardens that suit the local climate and soil while minimizing environmental impact. Sustainable gardening practices like using mulch and compost can reduce water and fertilizer needs while improving the health of soils and plants.
This document provides information about sustainable gardening practices for residents of Frankston City, including garden design, soil care, composting, water conservation, plant selection, and more. It includes checklists for readers to self-assess their sustainable gardening practices. The document was produced by Frankston City Council to educate and encourage more environmentally-friendly gardening. It suggests replacing non-native plants with local species that require less water and chemicals, improving soil health through composting and mulching, capturing rainwater and greywater for irrigation, and designing water-wise gardens. The overall goal is to help local residents garden in a way that benefits the environment and reduces negative impacts on water and other resources.
1. Growing your own vegetables is healthier, more convenient, and kids enjoy watching them grow.
2. A "no dig" vegetable garden requires low maintenance by building layers of compostable materials like pea straw and manure instead of digging.
3. Growing your own vegetables means they retain more vitamins since they don't lose nutrients during long-distance transport and storage like commercially grown produce.
Biodiversity in Community Gardens, Orchards and Allotments - Dundee, ScotlandAliki85w
This document provides information about starting and maintaining community gardens, orchards, and allotments to promote biodiversity. It discusses the benefits of these spaces for healthy eating, exercise, and wildlife habitat. Case studies from Scotland are provided on starting community gardens and orchards. Tips are given for sustainable practices like soil management, planting for wildlife, boundaries, ponds, and other considerations. Tables list plants and flowers that benefit biodiversity.
A How to Guide for Creating Your Own Easy Care Garden - Clarence City, TasmaniaAliki85w
1) Mulch protects the soil from erosion, adds nutrients, and reduces weeds by blocking light. Effective mulches are 5-15cm thick.
2) Composting takes 2-6 months and involves layering green and brown materials and turning the pile regularly. Mature compost is dark and crumbly.
3) Involving children in all aspects of the garden and cooking encourages learning.
Gardening with Native Plants - Eastern WashingtonRetiz16x
Native plants are plants that were present in a region before European settlement. They are adapted to the local climate and soils and provide benefits like requiring less water and maintenance than non-native plants. Using native plants in gardens can help support local biodiversity while providing shelter and food for native wildlife. When landscaping with native plants, it is important to choose plants suited to the existing conditions in your yard in terms of soil, light, and water to reduce maintenance needs.
Gardening with Native Plants - Urban Areas of the Pacific NorthwestFujita64g
This document provides guidelines for using native plant communities in urban landscaping in the Pacific Northwest. It suggests assembling plants into simulated successional communities representing different stages of natural forest development. This approach responds well to urban constraints. The document emphasizes the importance of mycorrhizal fungi in establishing most native plants and improving their drought and nutrient tolerance. It recommends introducing mycorrhizae either via inoculated soil, plant roots, or liquid application to support transplanted native plants in the urban environment.
Tasmanian Planting Guide - Sustainable Living TasmaniaFayina19z
Gardening is rewarding and reduces one's ecological footprint. Growing your own food supports local communities by reducing transportation emissions and is more nutritious. Water efficiently by mulching, using drip irrigation, and watering in the evening. Group plants according to water needs. Use compost to improve soil water retention. Consider greywater systems and native drought-tolerant plants.
This document provides gardening tips for the West Kimberley region of Australia, which has an arid climate with high temperatures, seasonal rainfall, and wind. It recommends using local plant varieties adapted to the conditions, designing gardens to reduce evaporation through windbreaks and shade, improving soil with compost, and using mulch and efficient irrigation to minimize water use. Key techniques include grouping plants by water needs, retrofitting existing gardens, adding soil conditioners, and choosing appropriate mulches and watering systems.
Healthy Garden Soils and Drought Mitigation - Oklahoma State UniversityFujita64g
This document provides information on healthy garden soils and soil improvement methods, including adding organic matter, composting, cover crops, and fertilizers. Some key points:
1) Organic matter such as composted plant materials and manure enrich the soil, improve drainage and nutrient/water retention, and increase beneficial microorganisms.
2) Cover crops planted when the garden is idle increase organic matter, absorb nutrients, and some legumes fix atmospheric nitrogen when tilled under.
3) Composting yard and garden waste returns nutrients to the soil and can be done through slow or fast methods following guidelines for proper ingredients, carbon-nitrogen ratios, structure, moisture and temperature.
Garden Care of A Sustainable Garden - Brisbane, AustraliaFujita64g
This document provides information on caring for a sustainable garden, including composting, mulching, fertilizing, pruning, watering and caring for trees. Key points include alternating nitrogen-rich and carbon-rich materials for composting, using mulch to suppress weeds and retain water, choosing organic or low-impact fertilizers, properly pruning plants and disposing of prunings, conserving water through practices like mulching and grouping plants, and protecting tree roots within the critical root zone. Residents' tips throughout offer additional gardening advice.
Gardening with Water - Waitakere, New ZealandFujita64g
This document discusses gardening techniques that reduce water usage. It provides information on choosing drought-resistant native and exotic plants, improving soil quality through mulching and composting, and practicing good lawn management. The document emphasizes using plants suited to a site's natural conditions to minimize watering needs once established. It also discusses managing irrigation systems and harvesting rainwater to supplement garden watering during dry periods. Overall, the document promotes gardening approaches that conserve water resources.
Sustainable Gardening Helps to Ensure HealthBenBeckers
Sustainable gardening practices promote environmental health, mental well-being, and respect for all life. Such gardens use native plants, foster biodiversity, and nurture the soil. Conservation gardening considers the broader ecological community and shifts from a human-centric to holistic view.
This document provides guidance on planning and designing a water-efficient garden. It emphasizes choosing plants suited to the local climate and soil conditions, using permeable paving and mulch, and minimizing lawn areas which require a lot of water. Specific design principles discussed include considering the property's sun exposure, slope, views and intended use; understanding microclimates; and matching the garden style to one's lifestyle and home. The overall message is that with proper planning, gardens can thrive on natural rainfall without excessive watering.
Coastal Gardens: A Planting Guide for the South West Capes Coastal Region - Y...Kardatou54a
This planting guide provides advice for gardens in the south west capes coastal region of Western Australia, from Augusta to Yallingup. It suggests using water-wise local native plants as attractive replacements for introduced plants that can harm coastal landscapes. The guide discusses how to incorporate local plants into different garden styles and maintenance practices to create water efficient gardens suited to the region's tough climate.
Water-Wise Coastal Gardens: A Planting Guide - Sustainable AustraliaKaila694m
This planting guide provides advice for coastal gardens in Adelaide and beyond. It suggests using water-wise local native plants as attractive replacements for introduced plants that harm coastal landscapes. The guide shows how to design different garden styles like formal, Japanese, and contemporary using resilient coastal plants. It discusses specific plant species to use or avoid and provides tips for growing and sourcing local coastal plants.
Gardening with Native Plants - Victoria, British ColumbiaFujita64g
This guide provides information on creating gardens using native plants that attract birds and butterflies on Vancouver Island. It lists the top 10 native plant picks that are beautiful, hardy and readily available including oceanspray, tall Oregon grape, broad-leaved stonecrop, and woolly sunflower. The guide also includes a plant table with information on 40 native species, their characteristics, compatible plants and suggested uses.
Gardening in Drought Conditions - Parker County, TexasFujita64g
While planting during drought conditions makes success more difficult due to high evaporation and limited root growth, it is possible to establish new lawns and plant trees/shrubs if done properly. The article provides a three-week plan for establishing sod or Bermuda grass seed with daily watering amounts decreasing each week to develop a deeper root system. When planting trees or shrubs, the hole should be dug wider than the root ball and filled with native soil, pressed firmly and soaked to eliminate air pockets before mulching. New plants will need regular watering of at least 5 gallons when the soil is dry to help roots become established during their first summer.
Gardening with New York City Native PlantsFujita64g
This document provides information about gardening with native plants in New York City. It defines what a native plant is, explains why using native plants is beneficial, and lists some common native plant species that are suitable for sunny window boxes or other dry sites. Native plants are adapted to the local climate and provide habitat for wildlife. They require less maintenance than non-native plants once established. The document recommends using native species to create a sense of place, ease gardening tasks, support pollinators and other wildlife, enhance beauty, and preserve the region's natural heritage.
This document provides guidance for growing food in Alice Springs, Australia's arid central region. It discusses the importance of planning garden location and layout, preparing soil, managing weeds, and creating no-dig garden beds. Tips are provided on planting techniques like hardening off seedlings, pruning fruit trees, and hand pollinating crops. The document encourages community involvement in local food production projects and emphasizes that homegrown food has nutritional, environmental, and cultural benefits.
Lasagna Gardening: Tips from Local Experts - City of Bloomington, CanadaFayme4q
1) Lasagna gardening is a no-dig method that layers organic materials like leaves, compost, and yard waste to create a nutrient-rich soil for planting.
2) Leaves make a good mulch layer that will break down into rich soil by spring. Newspaper layers can prevent weeds while grass clippings and yard waste provide nutrients without needing yard waste stickers.
3) The document provides tips on building lasagna gardens including soaking newspaper ahead of time, using cardboard as an alternative, and placing a top newspaper layer for extra weed protection.
Coastal Gardens: A Planting Guide for Kangaroo IslandKardatou54a
This planting guide provides advice for coastal gardens on Kangaroo Island, suggesting water-wise local native plants as alternatives to introduced species. It discusses the benefits of local plants, which are well-adapted to the harsh coastal conditions. The guide outlines various garden designs and provides information on specific plant species that can tolerate coastal exposure or require some protection, along with their characteristics and growing needs. It also identifies common garden plants that have become invasive weeds.
This document provides guidance on organic terrace gardening using containers and limited space. It warns that gardening is highly addictive and may cause jealousy from others. Several myths about lack of space, time, and experience are addressed. Details are given on suitable container materials and sizes, potting mixes, plant sunlight needs, caring for plants, organic pest control, and a planting calendar. Starting steps include planning, preparing containers and soil, and planting seeds maintaining spacing. Resources for supplies are also listed.
Gardening with Native Plants - Texas Native Plants Container GardeningFujita64g
This document provides guidance on container gardening with native Texas plants. It discusses selecting plants suited to the container's conditions, such as sunlight exposure and soil type. It recommends choosing a variety of plant textures, forms, and bloom times for visual interest. The document also provides tips on assembling the container garden, such as layering plants and leaving space for growth. It suggests using a well-draining soil mix and optional mulch. Proper watering and protection from weather extremes are also discussed.
Hawaii Backyard Conservation: Ideas for Every HomeownerFujita64g
This document provides homeowners with ideas and practices for conserving natural resources in their backyards. It discusses topics such as attracting beneficial insects, composting, managing nutrients and pests, mulching, planting native plants, and other landscaping techniques. Most of the practices promoted are easy for homeowners to implement and can help protect the environment, support wildlife, and beautify outdoor spaces. The document encourages consulting local experts and resources for help developing an effective backyard conservation plan.
This document provides information about sustainable gardening practices in the City of Stonnington. It discusses sustainable garden design principles, plant selection with an emphasis on local indigenous plants, and other topics like composting, water conservation, and avoiding pesticides and herbicides. A Stonnington Local Plant Guide is included that lists suitable native plant species with details about their requirements, features, and habitat value for wildlife. The document aims to educate and inspire residents to create low-impact, wildlife-friendly gardens.
This document discusses least-toxic methods for controlling weeds, including cultural practices like maintaining healthy soil, using native plants, and mulching. It also covers mechanical methods like hand-pulling and flame weeding, biological controls using goats or geese, and least-toxic chemical options like horticultural vinegar or herbicidal soaps that can be used as a last resort. Recommended retailers for organic and natural weed control products are also provided.
Gardening with Native Plants - Eastern WashingtonRetiz16x
Native plants are plants that were present in a region before European settlement. They are adapted to the local climate and soils and provide benefits like requiring less water and maintenance than non-native plants. Using native plants in gardens can help support local biodiversity while providing shelter and food for native wildlife. When landscaping with native plants, it is important to choose plants suited to the existing conditions in your yard in terms of soil, light, and water to reduce maintenance needs.
Gardening with Native Plants - Urban Areas of the Pacific NorthwestFujita64g
This document provides guidelines for using native plant communities in urban landscaping in the Pacific Northwest. It suggests assembling plants into simulated successional communities representing different stages of natural forest development. This approach responds well to urban constraints. The document emphasizes the importance of mycorrhizal fungi in establishing most native plants and improving their drought and nutrient tolerance. It recommends introducing mycorrhizae either via inoculated soil, plant roots, or liquid application to support transplanted native plants in the urban environment.
Tasmanian Planting Guide - Sustainable Living TasmaniaFayina19z
Gardening is rewarding and reduces one's ecological footprint. Growing your own food supports local communities by reducing transportation emissions and is more nutritious. Water efficiently by mulching, using drip irrigation, and watering in the evening. Group plants according to water needs. Use compost to improve soil water retention. Consider greywater systems and native drought-tolerant plants.
This document provides gardening tips for the West Kimberley region of Australia, which has an arid climate with high temperatures, seasonal rainfall, and wind. It recommends using local plant varieties adapted to the conditions, designing gardens to reduce evaporation through windbreaks and shade, improving soil with compost, and using mulch and efficient irrigation to minimize water use. Key techniques include grouping plants by water needs, retrofitting existing gardens, adding soil conditioners, and choosing appropriate mulches and watering systems.
Healthy Garden Soils and Drought Mitigation - Oklahoma State UniversityFujita64g
This document provides information on healthy garden soils and soil improvement methods, including adding organic matter, composting, cover crops, and fertilizers. Some key points:
1) Organic matter such as composted plant materials and manure enrich the soil, improve drainage and nutrient/water retention, and increase beneficial microorganisms.
2) Cover crops planted when the garden is idle increase organic matter, absorb nutrients, and some legumes fix atmospheric nitrogen when tilled under.
3) Composting yard and garden waste returns nutrients to the soil and can be done through slow or fast methods following guidelines for proper ingredients, carbon-nitrogen ratios, structure, moisture and temperature.
Garden Care of A Sustainable Garden - Brisbane, AustraliaFujita64g
This document provides information on caring for a sustainable garden, including composting, mulching, fertilizing, pruning, watering and caring for trees. Key points include alternating nitrogen-rich and carbon-rich materials for composting, using mulch to suppress weeds and retain water, choosing organic or low-impact fertilizers, properly pruning plants and disposing of prunings, conserving water through practices like mulching and grouping plants, and protecting tree roots within the critical root zone. Residents' tips throughout offer additional gardening advice.
Gardening with Water - Waitakere, New ZealandFujita64g
This document discusses gardening techniques that reduce water usage. It provides information on choosing drought-resistant native and exotic plants, improving soil quality through mulching and composting, and practicing good lawn management. The document emphasizes using plants suited to a site's natural conditions to minimize watering needs once established. It also discusses managing irrigation systems and harvesting rainwater to supplement garden watering during dry periods. Overall, the document promotes gardening approaches that conserve water resources.
Sustainable Gardening Helps to Ensure HealthBenBeckers
Sustainable gardening practices promote environmental health, mental well-being, and respect for all life. Such gardens use native plants, foster biodiversity, and nurture the soil. Conservation gardening considers the broader ecological community and shifts from a human-centric to holistic view.
This document provides guidance on planning and designing a water-efficient garden. It emphasizes choosing plants suited to the local climate and soil conditions, using permeable paving and mulch, and minimizing lawn areas which require a lot of water. Specific design principles discussed include considering the property's sun exposure, slope, views and intended use; understanding microclimates; and matching the garden style to one's lifestyle and home. The overall message is that with proper planning, gardens can thrive on natural rainfall without excessive watering.
Coastal Gardens: A Planting Guide for the South West Capes Coastal Region - Y...Kardatou54a
This planting guide provides advice for gardens in the south west capes coastal region of Western Australia, from Augusta to Yallingup. It suggests using water-wise local native plants as attractive replacements for introduced plants that can harm coastal landscapes. The guide discusses how to incorporate local plants into different garden styles and maintenance practices to create water efficient gardens suited to the region's tough climate.
Water-Wise Coastal Gardens: A Planting Guide - Sustainable AustraliaKaila694m
This planting guide provides advice for coastal gardens in Adelaide and beyond. It suggests using water-wise local native plants as attractive replacements for introduced plants that harm coastal landscapes. The guide shows how to design different garden styles like formal, Japanese, and contemporary using resilient coastal plants. It discusses specific plant species to use or avoid and provides tips for growing and sourcing local coastal plants.
Gardening with Native Plants - Victoria, British ColumbiaFujita64g
This guide provides information on creating gardens using native plants that attract birds and butterflies on Vancouver Island. It lists the top 10 native plant picks that are beautiful, hardy and readily available including oceanspray, tall Oregon grape, broad-leaved stonecrop, and woolly sunflower. The guide also includes a plant table with information on 40 native species, their characteristics, compatible plants and suggested uses.
Gardening in Drought Conditions - Parker County, TexasFujita64g
While planting during drought conditions makes success more difficult due to high evaporation and limited root growth, it is possible to establish new lawns and plant trees/shrubs if done properly. The article provides a three-week plan for establishing sod or Bermuda grass seed with daily watering amounts decreasing each week to develop a deeper root system. When planting trees or shrubs, the hole should be dug wider than the root ball and filled with native soil, pressed firmly and soaked to eliminate air pockets before mulching. New plants will need regular watering of at least 5 gallons when the soil is dry to help roots become established during their first summer.
Gardening with New York City Native PlantsFujita64g
This document provides information about gardening with native plants in New York City. It defines what a native plant is, explains why using native plants is beneficial, and lists some common native plant species that are suitable for sunny window boxes or other dry sites. Native plants are adapted to the local climate and provide habitat for wildlife. They require less maintenance than non-native plants once established. The document recommends using native species to create a sense of place, ease gardening tasks, support pollinators and other wildlife, enhance beauty, and preserve the region's natural heritage.
This document provides guidance for growing food in Alice Springs, Australia's arid central region. It discusses the importance of planning garden location and layout, preparing soil, managing weeds, and creating no-dig garden beds. Tips are provided on planting techniques like hardening off seedlings, pruning fruit trees, and hand pollinating crops. The document encourages community involvement in local food production projects and emphasizes that homegrown food has nutritional, environmental, and cultural benefits.
Lasagna Gardening: Tips from Local Experts - City of Bloomington, CanadaFayme4q
1) Lasagna gardening is a no-dig method that layers organic materials like leaves, compost, and yard waste to create a nutrient-rich soil for planting.
2) Leaves make a good mulch layer that will break down into rich soil by spring. Newspaper layers can prevent weeds while grass clippings and yard waste provide nutrients without needing yard waste stickers.
3) The document provides tips on building lasagna gardens including soaking newspaper ahead of time, using cardboard as an alternative, and placing a top newspaper layer for extra weed protection.
Coastal Gardens: A Planting Guide for Kangaroo IslandKardatou54a
This planting guide provides advice for coastal gardens on Kangaroo Island, suggesting water-wise local native plants as alternatives to introduced species. It discusses the benefits of local plants, which are well-adapted to the harsh coastal conditions. The guide outlines various garden designs and provides information on specific plant species that can tolerate coastal exposure or require some protection, along with their characteristics and growing needs. It also identifies common garden plants that have become invasive weeds.
This document provides guidance on organic terrace gardening using containers and limited space. It warns that gardening is highly addictive and may cause jealousy from others. Several myths about lack of space, time, and experience are addressed. Details are given on suitable container materials and sizes, potting mixes, plant sunlight needs, caring for plants, organic pest control, and a planting calendar. Starting steps include planning, preparing containers and soil, and planting seeds maintaining spacing. Resources for supplies are also listed.
Gardening with Native Plants - Texas Native Plants Container GardeningFujita64g
This document provides guidance on container gardening with native Texas plants. It discusses selecting plants suited to the container's conditions, such as sunlight exposure and soil type. It recommends choosing a variety of plant textures, forms, and bloom times for visual interest. The document also provides tips on assembling the container garden, such as layering plants and leaving space for growth. It suggests using a well-draining soil mix and optional mulch. Proper watering and protection from weather extremes are also discussed.
Hawaii Backyard Conservation: Ideas for Every HomeownerFujita64g
This document provides homeowners with ideas and practices for conserving natural resources in their backyards. It discusses topics such as attracting beneficial insects, composting, managing nutrients and pests, mulching, planting native plants, and other landscaping techniques. Most of the practices promoted are easy for homeowners to implement and can help protect the environment, support wildlife, and beautify outdoor spaces. The document encourages consulting local experts and resources for help developing an effective backyard conservation plan.
This document provides information about sustainable gardening practices in the City of Stonnington. It discusses sustainable garden design principles, plant selection with an emphasis on local indigenous plants, and other topics like composting, water conservation, and avoiding pesticides and herbicides. A Stonnington Local Plant Guide is included that lists suitable native plant species with details about their requirements, features, and habitat value for wildlife. The document aims to educate and inspire residents to create low-impact, wildlife-friendly gardens.
This document discusses least-toxic methods for controlling weeds, including cultural practices like maintaining healthy soil, using native plants, and mulching. It also covers mechanical methods like hand-pulling and flame weeding, biological controls using goats or geese, and least-toxic chemical options like horticultural vinegar or herbicidal soaps that can be used as a last resort. Recommended retailers for organic and natural weed control products are also provided.
Conservation Gardening: Sustainable Practices for a Healthy Landscape - Unive...Kardatou54a
Sustainable gardening practices promote environmental health and human well-being. Gardening reduces stress, improves mental health, and aids recovery from illness. It also fosters respect for the interconnected web of life shared in backyards. The North Carolina Botanical Garden employs conservation techniques like composting, mulching, limiting lawn size, planting natives, and water-wise practices to create low-maintenance, multi-seasonal gardens beneficial to people and ecology.
Vegan - Organic Growing: The Basics; by Vegan Organic Network
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For more information, Please see websites below:
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Organic Edible Schoolyards & Gardening with Children
http://scribd.com/doc/239851214
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Double Food Production from your School Garden with Organic Tech
http://scribd.com/doc/239851079
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Free School Gardening Art Posters
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159`
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Companion Planting Increases Food Production from School Gardens
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159
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Healthy Foods Dramatically Improves Student Academic Success
http://scribd.com/doc/239851348
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City Chickens for your Organic School Garden
http://scribd.com/doc/239850440
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Simple Square Foot Gardening for Schools - Teacher Guide
http://scribd.com/doc/239851110
This document provides guidance for vegan-organic growing methods that do not use animal products or exploit animals. It discusses preparing the soil naturally through mulching, green manures, and composting organic materials. It also addresses obtaining organic matter sources, making liquid feeds, managing pests and diseases through crop rotations and habitat protection, and choosing perennial food crops. The overall message is that vegan-organic growing preserves soil and environmental resources for future generations through sustainable, ecologically-benign practices.
A Guide for Less Toxic Yard and Garden - City of Chula VistaKama158x
This document provides tips and information for creating a less toxic yard and garden through alternatives to pesticides and chemical fertilizers. It discusses how homeowners' use of chemicals can pollute local water sources and harm the environment. The tips include upgrading soil with compost, using mulch, planting native drought-resistant plants, companion planting to attract beneficial insects and deter pests, and grasscycling to naturally fertilize lawns. The overall message is how residents can care for their outdoor spaces while protecting natural resources and public health.
This document provides practical tips for organic gardening in 3 sections: How to get started, How to keep going, and Recommended resources. It emphasizes the importance of soil microbes and feeding the soil with organic matter like compost and mulch. Tips include stopping pesticide use, mulching beds, sheet mulching to create new beds, and organic lawn care practices like leaving clippings and using compost. Recommended books and the Society for Organic Urban Land Care are provided for further resources.
This document provides tips for adapting gardens for climate change, focusing on soil health, water conservation, and plant selection. It recommends improving soil fertility through composting and adding nutrients naturally rather than using chemicals. Techniques include green manures, biochar, mycorrhizal fungi, and plant-based liquid feeds. It also stresses water conservation through water butts, drip irrigation, mulching, and choosing drought-resistant plants. The overall message is that small adaptations can help gardens thrive with less water and more extreme weather.
Mulching Your Garden - Think Water, AustraliaFaizah68w
Mulch is an essential garden tool that provides protective soil covering. It helps conserve water, prevent weeds, cool soil, and improve soil quality when applied and maintained properly. The document discusses different types of mulches and their properties, and provides tips for applying and maintaining mulch effectively. It also summarizes the Think Water, Act Water strategy and water efficiency programs and workshops offered by the ACT government.
Tips for a Sustainable Garden - Scholastic Australiasodj49v
This document provides information for teachers on creating a sustainable garden at their school as part of the Score Points for the Environment Challenge run by Keep Australia Beautiful Week from August 25-31, 2008. It outlines the environmental benefits of sustainable gardens, design tips for planning the garden, key considerations around plants, water conservation, and recycling organic waste. Further resources and terminology are also included to support teachers in developing their sustainable garden project.
Waste :The hidden treasureby Vansh, Dipanjan and Manavshwetagarg50
This document discusses composting as a way to manage organic waste. It explains that composting is a natural process where microorganisms break down organic materials into nutrient-rich compost. Making compost reduces waste sent to landfills and produces a material that improves soil quality and supports plant growth when used in gardens. Data on compost production from food scraps and yard waste over two dates is presented, showing about 44% of the total waste was converted to compost.
Basic presentation that can be used for schools interested in school gardens aimed for Qld Australia extensive national grants links,feel free to use and improve
Water Efficiency: An at Home Guide - Water for Tomorrow, Ontario, CanadaFrida85y
The document provides guidance on designing a water efficient landscape. It discusses factors to consider when planning such as how the space will be used, soil type, sunlight conditions, and maintenance preferences. Various groundcover, plant, and container gardening options are outlined that require minimal watering once established. Tips for caring for lawns and gardens with limited water use, such as watering in the morning or evening and installing rain barrels, are also presented.
Compost is simply decomposed organic material. The organic material can be plant material or animal matter. While composting may seem mysterious or complicated, it’s really a very simple and natural process that continuously occurs in nature, often without any assistance from mankind. If you’ve ever walked in the woods, you’ve experienced compost in its most natural setting. Both living plants and annual plants that die at the end of the season are consumed by animals of all sizes, from larger mammals, birds, and rodents to worms, insects, and microscopic organisms. The result of this natural cycle is compost, a combination of digested and undigested food that is left on the forest floor to create rich, usually soft, sweet-smelling soil. Backyard composting is the intentional and managed decomposition of organic materials for the production of compost, that magical soil enhancer that is fundamental to good gardening. Anyone can effectively manage the composting process.
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Top 10 Tips Saving Water in the Garden - Western AustraliaDanousis85z
Pot plants dry out faster than in-ground plants because they are more exposed to the sun, wind, and have less stored water. It is best to only keep pot plants that are truly loved and group them in a shady, cool area out of the wind. The document provides tips for landscaping and watering gardens to use water efficiently, such as using mulch, collecting rainwater, installing drip irrigation, and watering deeply but less frequently.
This document discusses organic farming and companion planting. It explains that organic farming focuses on building healthy soil, using crop rotations for prevention of pests and diseases, and avoiding artificial pesticides and fertilizers. Companion planting involves mixing certain plants together that can help confuse or repel pests from other plants through odors or attracting beneficial insects. The document provides several examples of companion planting and natural pest control methods used in organic farming.
Water Smart Gardening - Fresh Food People, AustraliaKaila694m
This document provides tips for water smart gardening. It discusses choosing drought tolerant plants, gardening in containers, proper watering techniques, using greywater, maintaining healthy soil with compost and mulch, and garden design tips to reduce water use such as selecting drought tolerant lawns and providing plant protection from sun and wind. The document contains links to state water restriction guidelines and composting information.
Similar to Companion Planting: Greenfingers Environmentally Friendly Gardening - Leicestershire County, United Kingdom (20)
Companion Planting and Crop Planning - Agricultural Training Institute, Phili...Fairlee3z
The document discusses crop planning for family nutrition, including which crops to plant to provide proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals; when to plant different crops throughout the year; and companion cropping to make efficient use of space and provide benefits from plant interactions. Proper seed collection and storage is also covered to preserve heirloom varieties and ensure a supply of seeds. The summary focuses on the key aspects of crop planning, varieties, timing, companion planting, and seed saving.
Companion Planting for Roses - the New York Botanical GardenFairlee3z
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Companion Planting: Growing Together Organic Gardening - South East Essex Org...Fairlee3z
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This document provides a companion planting guide for various vegetables and herbs. It lists which vegetables and herbs should be planted together because they benefit each other, as well as which ones should not be planted together because they inhibit each other's growth. The guide includes vegetables like beans, cabbage, carrots, corn, cucumbers, peas, potatoes, and tomatoes. It also includes many herbs and specifies how each herb affects growth and deters certain pests when planted with other vegetables.
This document provides a companion planting guide that lists plants and indicates other plants that make good companions as well as plants that should not be planted together. It lists various vegetables, herbs, and flowers and recommends pairing them with other plants that help support their growth, improve flavors, deter pests, or act as a trellis. The guide also identifies plants that are incompatible or should not be planted near each other. It was created by Melanie White of Healthkick and contact information is provided to learn more.
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- Beans grow more strongly when planted with summer savory and are beneficial when planted with cucumbers, potatoes, corn and more.
- Carrots are repelled by carrot fly when planted with sage or onions.
- Marigolds should be planted everywhere as they deter many insects and slugs.
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Companion Planting: Greenfingers Environmentally Friendly Gardening - Leicestershire County, United Kingdom
1. DIGGING FOR THE FACTS Community Services
a
Find out about your impact on the environment.
Peat (used in many composts) is organic and natural, but its use in
gardening is responsible for the destruction of many of the UK’s
Greenfingers
peat bogs. This is a delicate habitat that regenerates very
slowly – so with the loss of the peat, you also lose the wild flowers
Environmentally
and specialist wildlife that depend on them. 96% of
native peat bogs have now disappeared and the Friendly Gardening
remaining 4% are under threat due to demand for peat
from gardeners and growers. This demand is now
threatening to cause damage to peat bogs in Europe as
well.
Similarly, damage is being caused by moss collection
from the wild, for hanging baskets, rather than from
managed sources.
If considering furniture in the garden, an eco-
friendly gardener would ensure that furniture is not made using
hardwoods taken from the wild, but those grown in a sustainably
managed forest.
Consideration also needs to be given to the chemicals in
preservatives and paint used to treat and colour the furniture and
the implications these may have in contaminating the surrounding
environment.
For more information contact:
Leicestershire County Council's Environmental Resources Centre, Heritage Services,
Holly Hayes, 216 Birstall Road, Birstall, Leicestershire LE4 4DG or (0116) 267 1377
Or Stepping Stones C.M.P., Environmental Action, Sustainable Development Services,
Community Services Department, Leicestershire County Council, County Hall,
Glenfield, LE3 8TE or (0116) 265 7264
Or Sustainable Development Office on (0116) 265 7242
address at County Hall as above With support from:
20
2. WILD PATCHES MORE FUN, LESS STUFF
Remember the simple environmental chant "reduce, re-use, recycle".
Gardening is a favourite pastime, with a growing number of A gardener can do much to follow this rule!
people turning their hand to creating a small pocket of paradise in
•If you create a rockery, use reclaimed stone or stone substitutes.
their own backyard, and for many it gives a rare opportunity to
Quarrying causes severe damage to the countryside. Many limestone
connect with nature. products are taken from limestone pavements (rocky areas that have lots of
cracks running through where many wild flowers grow).
Now, more than ever before, it is important that gardeners turn •Use recycled timber where you can. For example, old joists to build a
“green” and become eco-friendly, thinking about how pergola, recycled railway sleepers to make raised beds, or old wooden
their every action could affect their own mini-nature pallets for fencing. If you do have to use new timber, avoid tanalised or
reserve and the wider pre-treated timber and ensure it has come from a sustainable timber
environment. producing source which is accredited with the FSC logo.
•Think about using recycled plastic fencing materials. This new product is
Eco-gardening is all about generating a healthy available ready coloured - so you won't need paint either!
balance and working with nature to conserve the world’s resources, •Go to a salvage yard. Old chimneys or wheelbarrows can make great planters.
minimise pollution and encourage wildlife. •Think about product miles – these are the miles your purchase has travelled
to reach you. Support the local economy, by buying local products to help
Eco-friendly gardening encompasses many of the beliefs of reduce transport energy.
wildlife gardening (managing the garden to attract a variety of •To reduce the miles that food travels, shop at Farmer's Markets or, better
wildlife) and organic gardening (avoiding chemicals). Eco-friendly still, grow your own food such as herbs and tomatoes.
gardening also shows how local action can help to protect the global •If you have garden lighting, ensure minimal wattage to avoid light pollution.
environment for the benefit of current and future Consider using lights that are solar powered. Solar powered water features
generations. are also now available, helping reduce the use of non-renewable fuel as
energy sources.
This leaflet aims to highlight some areas of •Send your unwanted gardening tools to charities. Many are sent to the Third
gardening that can produce significant benefits for World or used at charity gardening groups.
the environment through small and simple steps. •Use cut down plastic drink bottles to make mini-cloches for seedlings.
Every gardener will have their own personal
•Use buckets made from recycled car tyres, ground tumbled recycled glass
preferences and priorities, which will govern their for mulch and paths, reclaimed timber bird boxes or planters and recycled
choices on how they garden, but it is hoped that the plastic plant pots.
information here will help to guide you through those •Think how you can recycle things you use in the garden, such as old flower
decisions. pots, compost used for seeds, or prunings from shrubs that could act as next
year's plant supports.
2 19
3. WATER, WATER GO ORGANIC
Water is essential to life in the garden. There are simple steps you Avoid using chemicals, such as pesticides, in the garden. Many of
can take to help save water. these are applied repeatedly and can begin to affect the food chain
of the animals that feed on the pest species. Many birds and insects
• Collect rainwater that runs off the roof of the shed and then use are natural predators of the pests that chemicals are primarily used
this to help water your garden. Target specific plants and areas, against, and stopping use can
rather than using it freely across the whole garden. immediately result in an increase in garden visitors.
• Avoid watering in the midday sun, as the water will • Soft soap sprays, such as diluted washing up
evaporate in the heat. The best time to water the garden is early liquid or purpose bought solutions, can be used for
morning, or evening, and when not windy. the organic control of many pests, for example
red spider mite, a common pest of greenhouses and
• Use washing-up water to water roses. garden flowers, such as fucsias and carnations. The
The washing-up
best solution to stop colonies forming is to keep the
detergent can help combat aphids.
air damp and spray regularly.
• Stop watering the lawn. Even when grass looks dead, with the
• Larger pests, such as caterpillars, can be handpicked from plants,
first heavy rain it will return to green.
or tolerated!
• Remember to mulch to help reduce evaporation from the soil.
• Biological controls are available to treat pests such as vine
• Water less frequently, but deeply and thoroughly. This will also weevil and whitefly. Often the biological control is a
help plants to develop healthy, deep root systems. predator or parasite that affects the target species and
reduces, or controls, populations. To control slugs a parasitic
• Grow drought tolerant plants such as those from nematode is “watered into the soil”. This attacks them and
Mediterranean countries, for example, thyme and rosemary. eventually kills them. To control whitefly in green houses a
More drought resistant plants often have silver and grey parasitic wasp, Encarsia formosa, is used. It is harder to use
foliage, for example, lamb's ear and lavender. this type of control in the garden and better to attract
beneficial wildlife to achieve a harmonious balance.
• Use a watering can whenever possible, rather than a hose. If you
do use a hose buy a trigger nozzle.
18 3
4. CHEMICAL CONCERNS BE HEAP HIP – CREATE A COMPOST CORNER
Chemicals used in the environment have been All households generate organic waste, like vegetable peelings, and
shown to seep into ground water supplies. Others garden waste, which is normally disposed of via the bin to a landfill
have been shown, over time, to affect people’s site. Waste analysis suggests that there are at least 4 tonnes of
health. Many garden chemicals are now being household waste a year that could be composted.
banned and safer alternatives recommended.
• By creating a compost heap, the waste in your
• Timber treatments and preservatives should bin is reduced. The end result is a product you
be avoided where ever possible as, by their can use to mulch your
very nature, they are persistent, toxic flower-beds and enrich your soil.
products. It is best to choose the right wood
for the right job. • A compost heap is also a valuable habitat.
Locate it in a shady corner of the garden. Garden waste, grass
• Untreated wood, like oak and sweet chestnut, will last for 20 clippings and household vegetable matter can all be added and
years, even in contact with the ground. allowed to rot down and decay. Shredded newspaper and
cardboard can also be added. Plants such as nettles and comfrey
• Fence posts can be given metal supports to reduce rot. can be grown and then mixed in to the heap to act as a compost
activator.
• Linseed oil can be used to protect wood that is not
in contact with the soil, thus avoiding harmful • Healthy compost should be dark brown, crumbly and smell sweet.
chemicals. It is essential to keep your compost heap aerated, so regularly
fork over the pile.
• Be careful when you come to
empty your bin, or turn the
compost, you may find it has
become a residence for small
mammals and amphibians.
4 17
5. ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS ATTACK OF THE APHIDS
The soil is the essential ingredient for healthy plants in every
garden. Soil needs nourishment. One of the commonest garden pests are
aphids, which attack many plants, especially
• Decaying organic matter, such as leaves, well- the garden rose.
rotted manure or home-made compost, being
dug in or added as mulch, adds nourishment to Aphids are small, soft-bodied, insects which can range in colour,
the soil. Soil conditioners and non-chemical between species from pale green through to brown, purple and
fertilisers also include extracts from seaweed. black, depending on the time of year. They form dense colonies and
Alternatively, a “green manure”, or cover crop produce sticky honeydew to act as a deterrent
such as clover, can be grown. This is then dug to the ladybirds, that feed on them. This
in to improve and enrich the soil. honeydew is favoured by ants, which harvest it.
Aphids also act as a staple in the diet of birds
• Mulches can be spread over flowerbeds to reduce weeds and be like the blue tit. Aphid attacks weaken plants
made from shredded bark, lawn clippings, or and the sticky honeydew can attract diseases
composted leaves. These often help reduce water such as sooty moulds.
loss from the soil – plus they attract beneficial
earthworms which, over time, work the mulch into • Aphids can be treated organically by
the soil. spraying with water containing a soft soap
solution. Alternatively, regularly spray plants
• When growing vegetables, use crop rotation to with water, to knock the aphids off. Attacks
avoid the spread of disease and can also be reduced by ensuring that plants are
depletion of nutrients from the not over-fed, causing the lush growth that
soil. aphids love.
• Avoid using peat pots for
seedlings. Use recycled,
bio-degradable, paper pots that can be planted straight into the
ground. These breakdown and add to the soil.
16 5
6. COMPANION PLANTING FEEDING STATIONS
Companion planting is the art of growing plants • It is best to leave seed heads as a source of
together, which have a beneficial effect on food during winter. The hollow stems of many
each other. It has been practised since Roman perennials can also offer over-winter shelter for
times and can be a useful way to combat pests. garden insects, larvae and pupae.
• For example, • Trees and shrubs provide food in the form of buds, berries and
greenfly detest members of the onion seeds, nesting and (later in the year) hibernation sites. They are
family so, if you grow plants such as also vital breeding grounds for insects and spiders which, in turn,
chives or garlic, under roses, you will are eaten by larger animals.
have less of these pests. Members of
the onion family also have fungicidal • For example the native hawthorn, often used in countryside
properties, so growing them can help hedgerows, supports over 300 different types of insect.
combat blackspot on roses.
• A bird table is a valuable asset for the garden. It offers a
• There are many plants that act as natural insecticides, great reward in terms of being able to watch our feathered
for example parsley will deter greenfly and carrot fly, whilst friends. You need to put out food at regular times each day, and
marigolds and nasturtiums repel aphids. Plants such as tansy keep the table clean of debris or droppings. Consider a variety of
and spearmint deter ants. food types to support the widest range of birds.
Remember not all species will use a table, some
species such as sparrows and wrens prefer to
feed on the ground.
• If you have a pet cat, put a bell on the collar.
Domestic pets are responsible for
many deaths of garden wildlife.
6 15
7. CREATURE COMFORTS BEAT THE BUGS NATURALLY
The best pest control is to attract natural predators.
There are about 250 species of bird that breed in Britain each These include many ground beetles, centipedes and
year. flying insects such as lacewings. Lacewings feed on
aphids and can be attracted by providing suitable
• Nest boxes are useful to encourage birds to breed and roost in shelter.
the garden. The size of the hole has a
great influence on what uses it. Tits use • Rotting log piles and undisturbed ground are
boxes with the smallest holes (30mm), important habitats, providing nooks and
whilst a 50mm hole will allow usage also by crannies for many of these insects, and should
sparrows and robins. Bird boxes should be considered in the garden. A log-pile also
always be cleaned out in the autumn to help provides cover and damp hollows for frogs,
stop the spread of diseases. toads and other amphibians.
• Consider having a birdbath. Ideally you • Hoverflies also feed on adult and young aphids. Hoverflies look
should regularly change the water and keep like wasps, due to their yellow and black markings, and can often
it topped up. be seen hovering over open flowers within the garden. They are
excellent pollinators and are attracted to plants with white and
• Many catalogues include bat boxes, a yellow colours, such as the pollen rich poached egg plant
variety of bird boxes, as well as wooden (Limnanthese douglasi), or native flowers such as the ox-eye
butterfly and bee shelters. Alternatively, daisy.
you can often buy these from many
environmental charities – helping spread
your “green” influence.
• A pipistrelle bat can eat up to 3500 insects
a night and will often hunt over a pond to
feed on midges and moths attracted by the
water.
14 7
8. • In Britain there are 43 types of BOUNTIFUL BUTTERFLIES AND BEES
ladybird whose colours include yellow, as
well as red. In the springtime, ladybirds Many features that are beneficial to wildlife are plants that we
lay their eggs next to greenfly colonies often choose for our gardens, such as the Buddleia, often known as
and the young larvae then feed on these. the "butterfly bush". This was introduced from China, but supports
over 20 different British butterflies - more than any native plant.
• Many gardening catalogues now include
• Butterflies are popular visitors to the garden and are generally
“ladybird lodges or lounges” (wooden shelters for hibernating
attracted by purple, pink and mauve flowers. Many plants are
insects), since the ladybird can live for over a year and
labelled as butterfly plants, such as the ice plant, aubretia, sweet
hibernates in winter.
williams and cranesbills. All are nectar rich.
• Leave crumbling stones, bricks and • By leaving the lawn to grow and seed, many wildflowers will be
walls. These provide hiding places for given the opportunity to grow and spread in. A flowering lawn will
insects and spiders. Stonework and bare attract butterflies such as the meadow brown. Often,
soil patches also provide areas for cuckooflower (lady’s smock) will appear, which then attracts the
basking insects to warm in the sun, and orange-tip butterfly whose larvae feed on them.
hunting areas for spiders.
• Consideration needs to be given to plants upon which butterflies
• When cleaning your shed in winter, lay their eggs, as well as food plants – so butterfly favourites,
leave hibernating lacewings, queen such as stinging nettles, should be considered. A nettle patch
wasps, spiders, and rodents, which may supports four types of butterfly in the garden - red admiral,
have taken up residence. Do not put small tortoiseshell, peacock and comma.
insects outside – they will die.
• Bees regularly visit pea type flowers such as vetches, broom and
gorse. These flowers have lips, which are
pushed open by the weight of the bee to
release the nectar. If you wish to attract
bees to the garden avoid commercially bred
double flowers.
All of the above help maintain a healthy balance in the garden and
pollinate the plants that we enjoy.
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9. FLOWER POWER MERRY MOLLUSCS
To attract the widest variety of beneficial wildlife, the garden In a Royal Horticultural
should aim to provide natural food for a long period each year. Society survey of gardeners in
2003, slugs and snails were the
• A mixed herbaceous border can be planted with many number 2 top garden pest
wildflowers, or herbs, that provide nectar throughout the
(after the domestic cat!)
seasons. They also offer a spectacular sight in high summer.
There are many options to control slugs and snails in the garden,
• When buying wildflowers and bulbs consider "provenance"
from chemical pellets, which are thought to have damaging affects
- i.e. where the plants have come from. Some wildflowers, bulbs
and shrubs come from Europe and, when grown in this country, on wildlife; copper collars for plants; through to beer traps and
their genetic form can mean you have, for example, flowers that grapefruit skins to attract the pests, or simply just collecting slugs
should be a few inches tall, growing to over a foot in height. and snails by torchlight and then
removing them from the garden.
• Herbaceous flowers, combined with small shrubs, Research has shown that slugs and snails
annuals and ferns, can be planted to benefit tend to avoid coffee granules when put
wildlife and provide interest throughout the year. around plants.
• By selecting native wildflowers and shrubs, • A way to reduce slug damage is to grow young seedlings on before
combined with ornamental varieties, chosen for planting them out.
their value to wildlife as nectar, seed and berry producers, you
can develop a valuable wildlife habitat, providing food, shelter • If your garden is plagued by slugs and snails, try growing plants
and nesting sites for many species, including butterflies, bees, that seem less palatable to them such as cranesbills and hardy
insects and birds. geraniums; plants with hairy leaves such as lady’s mantle; plants
with essential oils in their leaves such as lavender and rosemary;
• Never transplant plants or bulbs from the wild – this is illegal.
waxy-leaved plants such as aquilegias; or plants with acid sap,
Also do not collect seed from the countryside.
such as euphorbias. Many of these are traditional cottage garden
plants and are great for attracting wildlife!
• Don’t be too tidy - accept a few weeds. These are native wild
flowers who have “volunteered” to grow in your garden! Poet
Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “What is a weed? A plant whose
virtues have not yet been discovered.”
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10. MOLLUSC MUNCHERS
• Male frogs hibernate at the bottom of garden ponds so, in winter
Gardens cover more than one million acres of land and, with our when icy, ensure holes are made to stop the pond from becoming
countryside under increasing threat, every garden has the potential depleted in oxygen and suffocating them. To keep the pond for
to be a haven for wildlife. It is therefore no surprise that many wildlife don’t stock with goldfish, as they will eat their way
species, which are in decline in the countryside, have begun to through all the insect larvae and frog spawn in future years.
thrive in our gardens. Species such as the common frog, whose
populations were decimated with the loss of field ponds, and the
song thrush whose numbers fell due to changes in the rural
landscape, have seen an increase in numbers thanks to our gardens.
Frogs, hedgehogs and birds like to feed
on slugs and snails, so encouraging
• Hedgehogs also eat slugs and can be lured
wildlife into your garden is one of the
to a garden where shelter is provided by a
most effective ways of reducing the
log pile with a suitable sized gap and
damage done by these and other
covered with leaves. Alternatively, you can
“pests”.
provide a hedgehog hibernation box.
• Ponds are vital sources of water – even an old sink suitably filled
• If in winter you build a bonfire, be careful before lighting it.
will be a habitat for frogs and dragonflies. A wildlife pond can
Quite often such woodpiles attract hibernating wildlife– so
also attract an array of aquatic insects and other wetland
always check for animals, such as hedgehogs, before you strike
wildlife. When considering a pond, remember to have a shallow,
the match. Be aware that garden
sloping side to allow access for wildlife.
bonfires are not permitted in some
areas, which are smokeless zones.
To stock your pond with wildlife, ask a friend with a pond if you can
This is part of a policy to reduce air
get a few buckets full of sludge and, in this way, introduce hundreds
pollution and smog – so check with
of pond creatures.
your local council first.
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