Animal-free fertilizers for the garden

  As an eco-friendly gardener, I have often mentioned substances to add to garden soil that I believe are less toxic to the environment. Many of them are animal by-products, such as animal waste and fish byproducts.

But there’s a blog post on Mother Nature Network which suggests ANIMAL-free choices, stating that,

“these days, a lot of people are choosing to grow their gardens without the addition of animal products, and for many reasons: They may be vegan or have an ethical objection, they may have religious limitations or they may have allergies, just to name a few.”

Here’s a synopsis of what they have listed as animal-free fertilizers. Head on over to the full article for more details.

1. Compost - It’s incredibly rich in myriad minerals, and it also provides important beneficial bacteria and other essential micro fauna. These organisms help to colonize the soil, keeping it “clean” and within a desirable pH range.
2. Liquid herbal infusions - Many of the most common plants, even some that are considered pests, can be full of important minerals such as nitrogen, iron, calcium, magnesium and sulfur.
3. Seaweed - Sea vegetables are an excellent source of trace minerals, like sodium, copper, zinc and more.
4. Mulch with straw - The benefit of mulching with straw is that the organic matter slowly breaks down and “feeds” the soil.
5. Nitrogen-fixing crops - Also called “green manure,” this is another technique that uses actual plants to create an organic fertilizer.

For all the details, visit: Animal-free fertilizers for your healthy home garden

Mulch Calculator

I'm almost done increasing the size of my front garden. During one of my rest breaks, I came in and did a quick internet search to find an online mulch calculator. Plenty of them showed up in my search, but I decided to share the one that I found on 1-800-Mulch-Pro, just because they have a lot of other great information about mulch on their website.

For instance, this is what their website says about the benefits of mulch:

What is Mulch used for?

• Mulch prevents weeds from growing.
• Mulch will maintain an even temperature in the soil. Warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
• Mulch protects the soil from soil erosion.
• Mulch will conserve moisture.
• Mulch provides a clean surface for accessing the garden.
• Mulch can make a garden look neat and finished.

They have some good photos of the different types of mulch and the mulch calculator page has some nice diagrams of how to measure your garden.

I've never purchased anything from mulch pro (and, in fact, I never heard of them before this morning's search). But their website looks like a great resource!

While writing this post, I realized that I forgot to add "Use Mulch" as one of the options in this month's survey about ways to conserve water. (Whoops!) But why not take a moment and answer the survey anyway! It's in the right hand column of this blog. I promise I'll add that option in future surveys.

Feathers, fur and flights of fancy – May is Garden for Wildlife Month

“Green” gardening and wildlife habitats go hand in hand. Some people learn the pleasures of sharing their gardens with wildlife after they have begun to create a more eco-friendly landscape and the birds, butterflies and other critters just start showing up in the native plants and chemical free, critter safe zone.
Other gardeners make a concerted effort to create habitat for wildlife, which by its nature and definition, results in a more environmentally friendly landscape.
Since May has been designated as Garden for Wildlife Month, now is the perfect time to learn how to make your own landscape more wildlife friendly.
To create a wildlife friendly landscape, a property should provide wildlife with food, water, shelter and places to raise their young. Other sustainable gardening practices which help to create a more environmentally friendly habitat are:

• the use of rain barrels
  
• water-wise landscaping
  
• mulch
  
• rain gardens
  
• integrated pest management
  
• removal of non-native plants
  
• use of native plants
  
• reduced lawn areas
  
• elimination of chemicals
  
• composting

You can learn more about creating wildlife friendly landscapes by visiting some of the links at the bottom of this post.
I would also like to thank Donna Williamson, a fellow wildlife lover who contacted me about the photo I used  of hornworms in a bowl of soapy water as a form of eco-friendly pest control. Donna, author of the book The Virginia Gardener’s Companion, pointed out that hornworms are the caterpillars of the sphinx moth, and instead of disposing of them, another option is just to grow enough plants to share with them! Donna said:

“I wanted to share some info about the sphinx moths/tobacco hornworms - it was disconcerting to see them drowning in a bowl on your blog which I usually enjoy so much and I applaud your effort to get folks to realize the danger of homemade pesticides! I grow lots of tomatoes so the hornworms and I can share, and I also support the wasp predators that lay their eggs in some of the caterpillars.”

Thanks Donna. I really appreciate it when our readers share what they have learned to do around their own eco-friendly gardens.
Now, for more information about creating eco friendly landscapes:
May is Garden for Wildlife Month (NWF website)
10 Tips for Creating a Wildlife Friendly Garden
The Proof is in the Planting

Butterflies help remind us to be good environmental stewards

Eco-friendly gardeners say "Let me tell you about my garden critters"
Gardening for Hummingbirds

No more plastic mulch bags

Here’s a neat idea I saw online and its so simple, it really makes you wonder why no one thought of it before.

The product is called Weed Recede and it is mulch that comes in its own, self-mulching paper bags. You just lay the bag on the ground, pull a couple of strings to open the bag, and spread out the mulch right on top of the paper bag. The video for the product says that “the landscape industry in the United States uses over 700 million and one billion plastic mulch bags each year”, most of which end up in our landfills.

Anyway, if you like this product, you can vote for it in the Walmart on the shelf contest (which will make the product available at Walmart stores).

The proof is in the planting

We just got the April/May issue of National Wildlife Magazine in the mail and I was excited to see that this issue is dedicated to Gardening for Wildlife.

If you have followed this blog for long, you probably know that my strong interest in eco-friendly gardening started because of my desire to attract more birds, butterflies and other creatures to my yard and gardens. AND my efforts to garden for wildlife became more focused after I learned about the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) Certified Wildlife Habitat (CWH) program. I really wanted to get my yard certified.

My favorite article in the issue is called Certified Success, and it is about a woman named Stephanie Widows who did a study, as part of her master’s program, to determine how successful the NWF Certified Wildlife Habitat program is in providing habitat.

For the study, Widows visited 50 homes that have certified habitats and evaluated them to see the quantity and quality of wildlife habitat that each yard had. She compared both the habitat elements and the number of wildlife species on these properties to nearby properties and to other, randomly selected properties in the same neighborhoods.

Her study concluded that the certified properties did, indeed, provide more beneficial habitat AND had more wildlife species than the neighboring yards which were used for comparison. In fact, the certified yards had more than TWICE as many species present as the other yards which were visited.

Most people who garden for wildlife can attest to the fact that their eco-friendly gardening definitely does bring in the wildlife. I am sitting outside while I am writing this and can see several species of birds and butterflies and even hear a hummingbird up chittering away in the trees. I know that most of that wildlife is here only because I have made a concerted effort to attract it.

I also know that there haven’t been many official studies done to PROVE that gardening for wildlife makes a difference. I’ve looked for research on the topic before and know it was very limited. So I was excited to read about Ms. Widows ' research.

Of course, you don’t have to have your yard certified in the NWF CWH program to attract wildlife. Certainly, anyone can create an eco-friendly landscape with wildlife in mind and provide the same benefits. But with almost 150,000 homes enrolled in the program (adding up to some 300,000 acres of habitat) the program did provide a great basis for Ms. Widows' study.

To qualify for certification in the NWF CWH program, a property must provide wildlife with food, water, shelter and places to raise their young. Other sustainable gardening practices which allow a property to earn certification are:

• the use of rain barrels
  
• water-wise landscaping
  
• mulch
  
• rain gardens
  
• integrated pest management
  
• removal of non-native plants
  
• use of native plants
  
• reduced lawn areas
  
• elimination of chemicals
  
• composting

Related Posts: Does eco-friendly gardening help local wildlife?
10 Tips for Creating a Wildlife Friendly Garden
How I Became a Bird Nerd

Disposing of Christmas Trees in Metro DC Area

If you are looking for the best way to dispose of your Christmas tree, first consider some of these ideas for using your tree in your garden.

If none of those ideas appeal to you, there are different rules for tree disposal depending on where you live. Also, keep in mind that many of these trees are ground into mulch, which is later available to you for little or no charge.

This effort has many beneficial results and also conserves space in the landfill.

Mulch is good for:

• Soil temperature moderation
• Moisture/water retention
• Reduction of competition (weeds)
• Recycling of nutrients through decomposition
• Conserves government funds through a reduction of purchased mulch

For more information about the benefits of mulch, read Mulch Helps Your Plants Snuggle in for the Winter

In Fairfax County, if your tree is less than 8 feet, you can put it out by the curb during the first two weeks of January for no additional cost. If your tree is larger than 8 feet, contact your trash hauler for collection details. Mulch created by Fairfax County is available to residents free of charge at these locations.

The Montgomery County solid waste website says: We will collect Christmas trees on your recycling day from Monday, December 26, 2011 through Friday, February 3, 2012. Please put your Christmas tree at the curb by 7 a.m. on your collection day. After February 3, 2012, you may still recycle your tree through their curbside yard trim collection. Please note that the tree must then be cut into smaller pieces. Mulch created by Montgomery County is available to residents free of charge at these locations.

For District residents, the DC.gov website says:  Holiday trees and wreaths will be picked up curbside from January 3 to January 14. Remove all decorations and place the greenery in the treebox space in front of your home between Monday, January 2, and Monday, January 9. Please do not put the trees in plastic or cloth bags. Trees collected between January 3 and 14 will be recycled. Any trees not collected by January 14 should be set out with your trash to be picked up as space in the trash trucks allows over the following weeks. Residents also can bring trees to the Ft. Totten Transfer Station weekdays, 1 pm-5 pm, and Saturdays, 8 am-3 pm, for free tree chipping.

Arlington Virginia tree pickup info: Christmas Tree Collection will be from January 3-17, 2012 on your regular refuse day. Since trees will be ground into wood mulch, please remove the tree stand, lights, and decorations. Please do not place the tree in a plastic bag. During the first two full weeks in January, Christmas trees are collected curbside for residents with curbside refuse and recycling service. Residents are reminded to place the tree on the curb no later than 6 am on your regular trash collection day and to remove all decorations, nails, stands, and plastic bags. After the trees are collected, they will be ground into wood mulch for garden use. Special unbundled brush or metal pickups will be suspended during this time. More Info
Information about getting free mulch from Arlington Virginia is available here.

In Frederick County, Md., residents can drop off their trees at the following drop off points starting Dec. 26 and ending on Jan. 25, 2012.

• Reichs Ford Road Yard Trimming Area
  9031 Reichs Ford RD, Frederick, MD 21704

• Ballenger Creek Park (second parking lot on the left)
  5420 Ballenger Creek Pike, Frederick, MD 21703

• Kemptown Park (lower left parking lot)
  3456B Kemptown Church RD, Monrovia, MD 21770

• Middletown Park Recycling Center (area next to maintenance shop)
  7628 Coblentz RD, Middletown, MD 21769

• Point of Rocks Ruritan Club (left side of parking lot)
  1637 Ballenger Creek Pike, Point of Rocks, MD 21777

• Eyler Road Park Recycling Center (fenced area on right)
  30 Eyler RD, Thurmont, MD 21788

• Heritage Farm Park (yard trimmings collection site)
  9224 Devilbiss Bridge RD, Walkersville, MD 21793

Information about mulch from Frederick County is available here.

The City of Frederick, Maryland Christmas Tree Drop Off and Recycling program will begin on Tuesday, December 27, 2011 and continue through Tuesday, January 31, 2012. The four drop off points will be:

• Harry Grove Stadium in the Lower Lot
• Husky Park (Yard 2) - Highland Street
• Max Kehne Park  -  West 7th Street
• Taskers Chance Park - Key Parkway behind Westridge Shopping Center

Autumn Honey-Do List for the Garden

Good morning honey! Happy first day of Autumn. Why don't you take a few minutes to relax while you revisit my post from last year and think about the beautiful time of year that starts today.

And now, put on your gardening gloves because I have a nice little honey-do list for you to get the gardens ship shape for Autumn. (Excerpts from the Maryland Home and Garden Newsletter)
 

Make more Compost - Fall is a good time to start a compost pile by mixing together spent plants, kitchen scraps, fallen leaves, old mulch and grass clippings. Shred your materials with a lawnmower, string trimmer or machete to speed-up the breakdown process. Keep twigs, branches and other woody materials out of the pile. Related Post

Keep the critters happy - Keep birdbaths cleaned and re-filled. Don’t remove the large seedheads of black-eyed susans, coneflowers, and other perennials for birds to feed on over the winter. Leave hummingbird feeders up through October. Related posts: Autumn in the Garden, Great Time for Backyard Birds

Mulch the leaves - Leaves that fall onto the lawn can be shredded with a lawnmower and left to decompose naturally. Run over the accumulated leaves several times with the mower to break them into small pieces. The decomposing leaves release nutrients and add organic matter to the soil; they will not hurt the turf. Remove deep piles of leaves or turf crowns may smother and die. Related Post

Move some trees - Remember those trees that were really scary because they seemed a little too close to the house during all the wind from hurricane Irene? Now is a good time to plant or transplant trees. 

However, dogwood, tulip poplar, pin oak and evergreens should not be dug up and moved (transplanted) in the fall; these species will usually fail to establish a root system in the fall. Related Post

Deal with the poison ivy - Poison ivy leaves turn red in the fall. Now is a good time to walk around the property and find where all of the poison ivy is. Deal with it as you see fit. Related Post

Cover your bald spots - Bare soil is prone to erosion especially over the winter and should be covered with mulch, groundcovers or turf. Related Post

Dispose of the chemicals - Avoid storing pesticides over the winter in sheds and garages. Cold temperatures can cause these materials to become ineffective. If you have questions about the efficacy of your pesticides call the manufacturer, using the phone number listed on the label. Related Post

When you are done with your other chores, you can. 

Have a beer with the slugs - The three types of slugs found in this area are the spotted garden slug (3-5inches), the tawny garden slug (2-3 inches) and the gray garden slug (2-3 inches). They cause damage (large holes in leaves) to a wide variety of annuals and perennials. Set out shallow saucers of beer or yeast mixed in water and a teaspoon of soap to attract and drown the slugs. ( Read more...)

   

Eco-friendly gardens are "no-sweat"

Every summer at about this time, I sit back, relax with an ice-cold drink, and think about some of the added benefits of eco-friendly gardening. In many ways, eco-friendly landscapes require less work, meaning that I can have more of a “no-sweat” summer than some of my friends and neighbors with more labor-intensive landscapes.

Below are some great reasons to think about turning your traditional landscape into an eco-friendly, “no-sweat” one:

1. Eco-friendly gardeners work WITH Mother Nature, not against her: choosing plants that fit the site means plants are better adapted to survive with minimal care, which means Mother Nature takes care of the plants, not you.
2. Eco-friendly gardeners leave part of their landscape natural: Why tear out existing, native species only to replace them with more labor-intensive exotics? Native plants, which are present on a property, will require less work and will provide an immediate benefit to local wildlifespan>
3. Eco-friendly gardeners plant trees with energy conservation in mind: Shade trees can significantly reduce air temperatures in and outdoors in the summer, as trees intercept and absorb the sun’s heat while transpiring cooling moisture into the air.
4. Eco-friendly gardeners incorporate drought tolerant species, which means less work watering. Drought tolerant trees drought tolerant perennials
5. Eco-friendly gardeners group plants by their care requirements : plants that do require extra water or fertilizer are all in one place, rather than scattered throughout the property.
6. Eco friendly gardeners include beneficial plants: beneficial plants attract bugs and birds that help cut down on insect pest populations, eliminating the need to apply pesticides.
7. Eco friendly gardeners have their soil tested to determine the right mix of fertilizer for their lawn rather than applying fertilizers that aren’t needed.
8. Eco-friendly gardeners identify weeds and pests rather than spending time indiscriminately killing them all. Some bugs are good bugs. And a weed-free lawn is not necessarily a healthy one.
9. Eco friendly gardeners replace lawn with ground covers : Most ground covers need little or no maintenance once they’re established.
10. Eco friendly gardeners use plenty of mulch : adding mulch helps cut down on both weeding and watering
11. If they do have lawn, eco-friendly gardeners mow less oftenMowing grass to the proper height is the single-most important thing you can do to improve the health of your lawn.
12. Eco-friendly gardeners don’t rake their grass clippings : Leaving grass where it falls adds nutrients back to the soil. However, be sure to sweep up your sidewalk, driveway or street so clippings don't pollute nearby lakes or streams.
13. Eco-friendly gardeners create compost : why lug bags of trash to the curb and bags of purchased soil enhancers to your landscape? Composting your yard and kitchen scraps saves time and money.
14. Eco-friendly gardeners water less: Plants should be watered only when they begin to droop and in the early morning hours before 10 a.m. Grasses naturally grow slower in the summer, so brown grass usually means your lawn is just dormant, not dead.
15. Eco-friendly gardeners use hardscapes creatively: Hardscapes, the landscaper’s term for paving and built features in a garden (think patios and walkways) reduce garden work and extend your home’s living space. Using permeable surfaces also allows water to percolate into the ground, rather than

Eco-Friendly Tips for the Summer Landscape

I thought this great scarecrow that my friends Jim and Glennie Duke made was a fitting illustration for my first day of summer post.

Jim and Glennie also created the cute scarecrow couple in my post about Scarecrows and Other Natural Bird Control.

For Summer tips, I've chosen some from The University of Maryland Extension Home and Garden Information Center e-newsletter and added links to some of my previous articles on the subjects.

The entire Extension Center Newsletter can be downloaded here, in pdf format.









Tips for Summer Landscape Care
• Follow proper mowing techniques to help your lawn through the dog days of summer.

• For crabgrass and other summer weeds, try eco-friendly options for weed control or try some Zen weeding.

• Mid-August through mid-October is the best time to start new lawns and renovate or overseed existing lawns. Maryland Extension recommends a turf-type tall fescue cultivar at a rate of 4 lbs. of seed per 1,000 sq. ft. of area for overseeding, or 8 lbs. per 1000 sq. ft. for new lawns. If your lawn area contains more than 50% weeds, consider a total lawn renovation. Newly seeded turf must be watered regularly. (HG 102) . Click here to learn more about Selecting Turfgrass. This post on the University of California website will allow you to find more detailed information on each species: Information about Turfgrass Species.

• Keep newly planted trees or shrubs well watered through dry weather this summer. Thoroughly soak the root ball every few days. A 2-3 inch layer of mulch is helpful. Keep mulch away from the trunk or stem.

• Attract beneficial insects to your landscape by planting a wide variety of flowering annuals and perennials that will bloom over the entire growing season. Good choices are plants in the following families: daisy (marigolds, daises, asters, mums), carrot (dill, fennel, anise, yarrow, parsley) and mint (all mints and thymes).

• Slugs are found on all types of flowering plants. Feeding damage ranges from just a few holes to the entire plant stripped of its foliage in a few nights. Slime trails are a definitive sign of slug activity. Trap with shallow pans of yeast added to water or beer, then discard. Diatomaceous earth, sharp sand or ground crab and oyster shell can also be applied around plants as physical barriers.

• Control weeds by laying down entire sections of newspaper covered with straw or last fall’s mulched leaves.

• Cut back herbs through the summer to keep plants bushy and productive. Essential oils are most concentrated right before bloom. Don’t fertilize herbs as it encourages succulent growth and dilutes essential oils.

• It’s time to begin thinking of fall vegetables. Plant broccoli and cauliflower seed in containers the 3rd to 4th week in June for transplanting into the ground mid July through mid August.

• Earthworms are a sign of healthy soil and are normally seen in the greatest numbers in fall and spring. Adding organic matter in the form of composted leaves, manure, grass clippings, etc. will improve soil structure and attract earthworms.

• Select shredded pine bark or hardwood mulches, not wood chips, for use around your home to minimize the possibility of attracting termites. Avoid any mulches that contain chunks of wood.

• Summer is snake mating season, their most active time of year. Snakes are beneficial creatures and should not be harmed. The most likely encountered large snake is the Black Rat Snake. It can grow to be about 5 feet long and is found in both rural and suburban areas.

• Rabbits can be a destructive nuisance in flower and vegetable gardens, feeding on young and tender plants. They can be excluded with a low, 2 ft. high fence that is secured to the ground. You can also repel them with commercial repellents, bloodmeal, or by sprinkling hot pepper flakes around plants. Or, you can just accept them for the great organic weed control that they provide.

• Prevent deer from feeding on garden and landscape plants, by applying a repellent, such as “Deer-Away”, “Liquid Fence”, “Deer-Off”, “Hinder” or “Ro-Pel” to vulnerable plants. Polywire fencing connected to an inexpensive, solar-powered charger can successfully exclude groundhogs and deer.

• As the summer progresses and temperatures rise and rainfall decreases, cool season lawns usually become dormant. Dormancy is a normal plant response causing them to stop growing and turn brown. Established lawns will not die and watering is not recommended. Newly seeded or newly sodded areas will still need watering.

• Late crops of beans, beets, carrots, Swiss chard, and cucumbers can be direct sown through the end of July.

• Bare soil is very prone to erosion from summer thunder storms. Prevent this by covering the soil with mulch, groundcovers, or turf.

• Mosquitoes are always a summer time nuisance at any outside activity. Reduce mosquito populations by eliminating standing water. Change bird bath water frequently, and empty buckets, lids, garden furniture and toys. The Asian tiger mosquito requires very little water for breeding. Back yard ponds stocked with fish or moving water (fountains or filters) should not contribute to a mosquito problem. However, to be certain, B.t. dunks can bin the pond for mosquito control.

• August is frequently dry. Water deeply by allowing water to soak the soil directly underneath and around newly planted trees and shrubs. Check the depth of water penetration into the soil by digging a small hole after watering. Hard-crusted mulch will repel water and needs to be broken up with a rake or hoe to help the rain and irrigation water to penetrate the soil.

• Late August through September is usually a good time to transplant, divide and plant perennials such as daylily, liriope, and Echinacea. Be sure to keep them well watered during dry periods. If hot, dry conditions persist wait to divide your perennials.

• Do not fertilize shade trees, fruit trees or shrubs in late summer. Fertilization in August is very likely to stimulate new growth at a time when plants are beginning to enter dormancy and could result in excessive winter damage.

• Many kinds of interesting invertebrates live in a compost pile including manure worms, centipedes, millipedes, pill bugs, and pseudoscorpions. They are part of the composting ecosystem and should be appreciated, not feared. Do not attempt to spray or otherwise kill these beneficial critters.

• Ruby-throated hummingbirds continue to visit flowers and nectar feeders. Keep nectar feeders clean and change nectar solution frequently during hot weather to prevent spoiling.

Free and low-cost compost and mulch

In response to a request for a good place to find low-cost soil or compost, Dodie Butler, DC area realtor and gardener, provided this info on a local forum:

Here is a link to the page in College Park's website that describes it's 'Smartleaf' Compost, likely some of the prettiest 'dirt' around. It can be picked up or they will deliver, and it may not seem cheap, until you picture what a couple of cubic yards looks like compared to a few bags of 'soil.' While Takoma Park's composted leaves are chopped up, good for 'mulch' but not really 'compost,' College Park really manages its composting by mixing leaves and grass and turning their piles and producing true compost. Super clean (no glass or paper bits), rich compost. 

I would start with a pile of the good compost and maybe mix in some sand to better approximate 'dirt.' Or add some dirt, but not much. Don't just buy bagged garden soil, it's not nearly as good as this compost. 

(BTW, while many of us find the smell of fresh compost to be lovely, when first delivered it can be pretty strong. First time I had it dumped in my driveway it didn't occur to me that there would be a smell. I had neglected to engage my neighbors in the plan and the smelly mountain of compost sat right under their kitchen window. I was mortified, but fortunately persuaded them to take a bunch of the compost. So aroma at initial delivery is a good reason to try to engage neighbors in compost purchases. The compost smell goes away quickly with exposure to the air.)  

To also pitch Takoma Park leaf mulch — anyone can go dig at their mulch piles and take the chopped leaves away for free. (I went into the public works office there a few years ago and asked a human before I believed that my D.C. plates wouldn't cause me to be challenged for taking mulch, but was assured it was OK.) Their chopped leaves are also quite clean and superb as mulch. If you really want to kill weeds, surround the plants you want to keep with sheets of newspaper and then cover with the leaf mulch.  

Takoma Park's website tells how much they charge for filling people's trucks with mulch and has the following prices for out-of-TP deliveries:  

Outside The City Price

3 yards delivered $65

7 yards delivered $105

10 yards delivered $105 

With either the College Park or Takoma Park deliveries, consider doing a group purchase with nearby neighbors, then the cost goes down to almost nothing.

Dodie Butler, Realtor

Long and Foster Real Estate, Inc.

Dodie, thanks for giving me permission to reprint this great info. I've got a few more locations listed on the Links and Resources page.

Selected Winter Garden Tips

The Home and Garden Information Center of the University of Maryland puts out a great e-newsletter. Here are a few of the gardening tips that they list for January in the home landscape.

Lawns
• Hand pull winter annual weeds to keep them from going to seed this spring. Some common annual weeds include chickweed , henbit , and dead nettle . Here are more tips for eco-friendly weed control.
• Avoid excessive walking on your grass when it is frozen to avoid damaging the crowns of your grass plants.  

Woody Ornamental Tips
• Protect shrubs from winter winds by surrounding them with burlap or cardboard, or constructing small, solid windbreaks located 18 inches from the plant on the windward side.
• Try to prevent snow and ice from building up on gutters and eaves above shrubs. Gently sweep snow loads off of shrubs to prevent breakage.
• Prune damaged branches.  


Fruit
• Fall bearing raspberries can be cut down to the ground. The spent fruiting canes of June bearers can also be removed now.
• Consider covering your strawberry patch with a piece of floating row cover. This material can help prevent winter injury and promote early growth in the spring.  

Vegetables and Herbs
• Plan for spring seeding now. Check the germination rate of old, questionable seed (see newsletter to learn how)  

Fertilizer
• Keep all ice melting materials away from landscape plants. Do not attempt to melt ice with granular garden fertilizers.

Mulch
• If you have not mulched your garden, apply mulch now to perennial beds, trees and shrubs. This will help to protect plant crowns and shallow root systems from severe cold weather.

Wildlife
• Keep bird feeders and baths cleaned and replenished throughout the winter months.

For more tips from this excellent newsletter, download the winter edition here.

Green New Years Resolution - More Bare Naked Gardening

I always make a LOT of resolutions each year. It's a great practice for me, and although I don't always keep every single resolution, I do find that having a list helps keep me on track. I make resolutions about money, health, relationships and, of course, about how I want to take care of the planet.


For the coming year, I resolve to practice more BARE NAKED GARDENING!

Be kind to the planet - everything you do in your garden affects all others  
A void overwatering - it's a waste of money and bad for the environment  
Reduce storm water runoff - it pollutes local waterways
Enhance your soil naturally - use organic fertilizers and soil additives Bare naked gardening in DC  
Nix the noxious products- choose eco-friendly options  
Add some mulch - mulch retains moisture while adding nutrients  
Keep a compost pile - it's a valuable and free source of fertilizer  
Encourage beneficials - worms and pollinating insects are good  
Determine your site conditions - work with mother nature, not against her Bare Naked Gardening in DC  
Get outside! - gardening is good for the body and good for the soul.  
Avoid indiscriminate pesticide use - choose eco-friendly options  
Raise your mower blade to 3 inches- you'll have a healthier lawn  
Don't sweep clippings or fertilizer into storm drains- they pollute waterways  
Eliminate weeds by hand pulling, hoeing and spot treating  
Nurture local wildlife - provide food, shelter and safe conditions for local wildlife  
Install rain barrels - rain barrels conserve water and prevent runoff  
Naturalize your landscape - choose native plants  
Grass-cycle - mulch your grass clippings and return them to your yard

Mulch helps your plants snuggle in for the winter

When the temperatures start to drop, I love curling up in my "nest" with a nice, warm snuggly blanket. Providing a layer of mulch to your plants is a great way to allow them to snuggle up for the winter, too.

Benefits of Mulch
Mulch retains moisture in the soil and moderates soil temperature while it adds nutrients, and reduces erosion and weeds. But another great benefit of mulch is that it helps to protect plants from frigid winter temperatures. Mulch can be purchased, by the bag or truckload; created by recycling "green waste" in the yard; and is even available for free from many cities and municipalities. Leaves, bark, wood chips, pine needles and straw all make wonderful mulches and are a great way to recycle your garden "extras".

For best results, mulch should be spread 2--4 inches thick over the roots of trees, shrubs and plant beds. Keep the mulch several inches away from the plant stem or trunk to prevent rotting.

Add new mulch as needed, usually once or twice a year, stirring the old mulch to promote air and moisture circulation to avoid matting.

Inorganic mulch such as gravel or colored rocks will not hold moisture and can even reflect heat, which is stressful to plants..

Create self-mulching areas under trees by allowing leaves to stay where they fall.

The Soil Workbook (pdf file), from the Landscape for Life website, provides these additional tips about mulch:

Consider what happens in a deciduous forest, one of nature’s champion mulchers. The leaves shed in autumn are transformed by the soil’s natural food web into plant food and the rich organic matter called humus that is the key to maintaining healthy soil. The blanket of organic matter protects plants from extremes of temperature, prevents soil erosion, and conserves soil moisture that otherwise would evaporate. 

• Mulching provides your garden with these same benefits and more.
• It also suppresses weeds, making life easier for you. And because mulch keeps the soil loose, there’s no need for regular cultivation with hoe or scuffle. Mulch conserves water—no small matter given that the proportion of municipal water used for garden irrigation is 30 percent in the eastern U.S., and can be 60 percent or more in the West.
• By creating the conditions that help them thrive, mulch makes your plants less vulnerable to pests and diseases.
• Mulch keeps the soil around plant roots from frying in summer and in winter helps prevent alternate freezing and thawing, which causes root damage.
• Over time, organic mulches decompose and add nutrients and organic matter to your soil, improving waterretention and nurturing the soil fauna that promote fertility.
• By cushioning the impact of downpours, mulch also helps prevent soil compaction, allowing water to penetrate and plant roots to breathe. 

Landscape For Life is based on the principles of The Sustainable Sites Initiative™ (SITES™), the nation's first rating system for sustainable landscapes. This is the perfect time of year to be reading up on these principles to get a head start on next spring's landscape.

For Free mulch in the area, see: Free mulch and other garden goodies

Landscape Hints from an Eco-Cool Remodel Tool

I found this really cool....I mean ECO-Cool...Remodel Tool through an article on Treehugger.com.

The Eco-Cool Remodel Tool is one of several green tools on the website for King County, Washington's Solid Waste Division's website.

This neat web-based Tool lets you select an area of a model green home to reveal ideas and tips for environmentally-friendly renovations.

Here are some of the tips listed when you select the landscape area of the drawing (I have provided some links to local, related articles):

Yard
Patios, walkways and paths
•Use permeable materials for patios, walkways and paths such as clay brick, rock or concrete pavers, broken concrete, recycled glass pavers, crushed rock, wood chips, nutshells, and tumbled recycled glass to help minimize runoff and flooding. Impermeable (non-porous) surfaces such as concrete patios and paths do not allow rainwater to naturally percolate into the soil.

Landscape
Designing your landscape to match its conditions, such as climate, shade and moisture levels will save you money and time, and will look natural and beautiful. Design your landscape so it requires minimal water and maintenance:

•Select native plant species. They are adapted to your area, many are drought-tolerant, and most do not need additional fertilizer.
•Certify your backyard as a Certified Wildlife Habitat through the National Wildlife Federation. Create a backyard habitat that will attract beautiful songbirds, butterflies, frogs, and other interesting wildlife for viewing from your very own window.
•Install water-wise or drought-resistant plants.
•Use pest- and disease-resistant plant varieties.
•Put the right plant in the right place (e.g. installing shade plants in the shade, not the sun)
•Use mulch to protect plants and conserve water.
•If your house is on top of a hill or other breezy location, plant trees or shrubs to block the prevailing wind. This will help reduce cold air infiltration.
•Minimize the amount of lawn in your yard.

Irrigation systems
•Automatic sprinkler systems waste about 30 percent of the water they deliver. It is possible to design a landscape that minimizes the need for regular supplemental watering once the landscape is established.

◦Soaker hoses and drip irrigation are good alternatives to permanent in-ground irrigation systems. Soaker hoses are made from recycled plastic and are inexpensive. Drip irrigation systems apply water directly to the soil through tiny emitters so they allow for more precise watering to match the needs of specific plant types.

◦If you choose to install a permanent in-ground irrigation system, look for piping made from polyethylene, as opposed to PVC.
•Install a weather-based irrigation controller that automatically adjusts the watering schedule according to the weather.
•If your garden hose leaks at the spigot threads, try to install a rubber, round-edged washer instead of a flat-edged washer.

Rainwater harvest
You can minimize potable water use by storing roof rainwater for later use in the yard. Whichever system(s) you choose, you will be helping to reuse water that would normally go to waste in a storm drain. First, reduce your water consumption, then invest in harvesting systems.

•Water can be stored in rain barrels, cisterns or rain gardens.
•Cisterns are large tanks that can store hundreds to thousands of gallons of water, enough to significantly reduce or eliminate the need to use municipal water for landscape purposes.
•You can also put roof water directly to use in your yard with a rain garden. Rain gardens feature plants that thrive in wet conditions coupled with soils that allow safe ground percolations. Rain gardens must be carefully designed and located to avoid flooding.

Protect the groundwater

Everything that goes into the ground at your home has the potential of finding its way to local groundwater supplies. This is called nonpoint source (NPS) pollution and is one of the country’s leading causes of water pollution. Fertilizers and pesticides are the two worst offenders, but other elements such as soaps used for car washing and animal wastes are picked up by rain and irrigation systems and are washed out into the storm water lines. Follow the guidelines about fertilizer and pesticides on this website to help prevent NPS pollution. Here are some other tips for preventing storm water runoff.

• Yard Waste - Avoid blowing lawn clippings into the street or piling them on storm drains.
• Mulching - Mulch allows rainwater to seep into the ground and forms a firm ground cover, filtering pollutants and holding soil in its place.
• Sprinklers and Downspouts - Turn downspouts of rain gutters into planted areas instead of toward paved surfaces such as driveways.
• Pet Care – Collect pet waste and dispose of in wastebasket or toilet.
• Use permeable surfaces such as wood decks, bricks, and concrete lattice to let water soak into the ground.

For more information about protecting the groundwater: Looking closer at NPS Pollution Pick up after your pet

Conserve Water

An American family of four can use 400 gallons of water per day, and about 30 percent of that is devoted to outdoor uses. More than half of that outdoor water is used for watering lawns and gardens. Nationwide, landscape irrigation is estimated to account for almost one-third of all residential water use, totaling more than 7 billion gallons per day.

As populations increase, demand on our water resources will grow. Conserving water can prevent or postpone the expense of building or renovating new water supply facilities.

By making changes to some of our landscaping practices, we can all make a difference in water conservation.

Here are some suggestions to reduce the amount of water used for your home landscape:

• Group plants by their water requirements
• Use drought tolerant plants
• Cut down on the amount of lawn in your landscape. Turfgrass is a water hog.
• Water only when plants begin to droop. Then, water before dawn.
• Monitor irrigation systems. Are you watering the street or driveway?
• Use a rain sensors, soaker hoses and drip irrigation.
• Mulch to retain moisture.
• Use rain barrels.

For more information

Find a Watersense Irrigation Specialist
Wise Water Use
Conserving Water Outdoors
10 Tips to Conserve Water Outside
Waterwise Landscaping Guide

Nice article about mulch

I found this nice article about mulch this morning. The writer reminds us of the benefits of using mulch.

Mulch reduces water loss from soil, which means less time spent watering your garden, and less water used. The use of mulch will minimize germination of weeds, so there’ll be fewer weeds to compete for water and nutrients, and fewer for you to pull. It improves soil aeration and drainage, and reduces soil erosion. Mulch insulates the soil, keeping it warmer during the winter months (which, shockingly, are just around the corner!). Mulch can also give your garden a well-groomed and professional appearance and keep your plants from becoming dirty. Click here to read the full article entitled Responsbile Gardening: Mulching

As a reminder, there are several places to get FREE or very low cost mulch in the Metro DC area. For details, visit our post on Free Mulch

10 Tips to Conserve Water Outside

1) Mulch your gardens - Mulch is great for retaining moisture, helping your plants through times of heat and drought.

2) Mow your grass to the right height - The taller the grass blade, the deeper the root system becomes. Grass with deeper roots is more drought-resistant.

3) Water at the right times - Watering in the early morning or late evening when temperatures and wind speeds are the lowest will reduce water loss through evaporation.

4) Calibrate your irrigation system - A few tuna cans can help you calibrate your irrigation system so you know how long to irrigate

5) Install micro-irrigation - Install a drip or other water conserving irrigation system. Slow drip and deep root watering systems can save up to 60% of all water used in garden care. Professionally installed and maintained irrigation systems will further help conserve water.

6) Install rain barrels - Rain barrels collect and save rain, which provides wonderful pure fresh water for plants and landscapes. A rain barrel will save most homeowners about 1,300 gallons of water during the peak summer months

7) Use permeable surfaces- pavers, gravel and other permeable surfaces help keep the water where it belongs - in your yard!

8 ) Choose an eco-friendly landscape company- a good eco-friendly landscape company can help you save water and prevent stormwater pollution

9) Find a WaterSense Irrigation Contractor- All too often, landscape irrigation wastes water—up to 1.5 billion gallons every day across the country. WaterSense irrigation partners can help you reduce your water consumption, save money, and maintain a healthy and beautiful landscape.

10) Shower outside! - I've known for a long time that my friend Paula has an outdoor shower. I always thought she added it because they have three people living in a one bathroom home. But yesterday she told me the wonderful added benefit of allowing all the water from her shower to soak into her lawn and landscape!

Eco-Friendly Landscaping Quiz

Whether you do your own landscaping or hire a professional, having a basic understanding of environmentally friendly principles will help you make the right choices for an eco-friendly landscape.

©2010 Metro DC Lawn &Garden Blog, Created by Betsy S. Franz 

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1) The best plant choices for your landscape are:

A. All native plants

B. Selected for your particular site conditions

C. Drought tolerant

D. Beautiful and exotic

2) You can save water in a landscape by:

A. Using rainbarrels

B. Adding mulch

C. Grouping plants by their maintenace needs

D. All of the above

3) At what height should you mow your lawn?

A. It depends on the grass species

B. 1"-2"

C. 3" -4"

D. As short as possible

E. I do not mow my lawn

4) If plants or lawn look yellow, you should always add fertilizer:

A. True

B. False

5) How should you clean up fertilizer spills in your driveway?

A. Rinse it off with a hose

B. Sweep it back into the landscape

C. Blow it into the street

D. Leave it for the next rain

6) Which of the following is a benefit of using mulch?

A. Keeps soil temperature uniform

B. Inhibits weed growth

C. Retains moisture in soil

D. All of the above

7) Which of the following help create a wildlife friendly landscape?

A. Plants that provide seeds and berries

B. A water source

C. Elimination of pesticides

D. All of the above

8 ) You should apply pesticides at the first sign of insect damage.

A. True

B. False

9) Which of the following help control pest insects?

A. Keeping plants healthy to better withstand attack

B. Insectidical soap

C. Handpicking

D. Beneficial insects

E. All of the above

10) Gutter downspouts should NOT be directed to:

A. Rain barrels

B. Lawns

C. Your driveway

D. Plant beds

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Free mulch and other garden goodies

I was just standing in line at the local dollar store listening to a couple of women talking about how they just MUST bring home toys for their dogs every time they go shopping so that Bowzer and Fido don’t get their feelings hurt.

I thought it was kind of amusing that people would admit to being so well-trained by their pets.

Then I looked at what I was buying and realized that I am the same way with my gardens.

Today I was buying ten-for-a-dollar packages of flower seeds, a small misting bottle and a watering can. But truth be told, I rarely come home from running errands without bringing SOMETHING home for the garden. This could get pretty costly, but some of the things that I bring home are free (or pretty close to it).

Take compost and mulch, for example. Compost and mulch are both great for putting nutrients back into the soil and for retaining moisture, helping your plants through times of heat and drought. And there are plenty of ways to get free compost and mulch.

Many gardeners already know that Starbucks introduced Grounds for Your Garden back in 1995, which offers customers complimentary five-pound bags of used coffee grounds to enrich garden soil. Even if you aren’t a coffee drinker (is there still anyone out there that DOESN’T drink coffee) you can stop by your nearest Starbucks to pick up a bag of these garden goodies (and maybe just ONE little sweet goodie for yourself, too, while you are there.)

Another thing that I’ve learned to do is to ALWAYS buy the largest produce, when it is sold by the piece rather than the pound. I used to be on the lookout for the smallest cucumbers or packages of Romaine because I didn’t want to be wasteful and then I realized “Ooooooh. The leftovers are free compost!”

I’ve also been known to ask my neighbors for piles of leaves they just raked up or the grass I see them emptying after they mow their lawn (although I don't know why anyone uses a grass catcher when it is so much healthier to just let the grass fall where it may.)

You can also get mulch from various waste management departments in the area. It is always best to call ahead of time to make sure that mulch is available.

Frederick County offers low cost single ground and double ground mulch as well as premium compost for as little as $8.00 a ton. They’ll even load it into your open bed truck for you. This mulch is made from collected yard trimmings, brush, landscape debris and other valuable organic matter. More information about this low-cost mulch, including where and when it can be picked up, can be found on the Frederick County Government site or you can call 301-600-2960 for more information.

Residents of Arlington Virginia can get free mulch or even have the mulch delivered. More information can be found on their Brush, Mulch and Fill Dirt page or call 703-228-6570.

The City of Falls Church also has free mulch available. The do not provide delivery, but their website includes a Residential Mulch Hauling Referral List to help you find someone who will deliver the mulch for you. For more information call 703-248-5176.

Do you know of any other great sources for free or low cost garden goodies? If so, let us know!