Green living is not new to gardeners
“Green living” is the modern catchphrase to describe an approach to life that promotes sensitivity towards environmental concerns. What’s the big deal? Organic gardeners were sensitive to the environment long before it became fashionable. Even not-so-organic gardeners had a special feeling towards the land, air and water so closely tied to an activity they love.
You’ll be hard pressed to find a gardener who hasn’t been composting their garden waste in some way. Gardeners used natural products such as blood meal, bone meal, cottonseed meal, fish emulsion, greensand and rock phosphate long before organic fertilizers became so readily available. Many discarded household objects commonly ended up recruited to garden duty.
Today, though, the ‘green’ message is being applied to all aspects of our lives. We’re encouraged to have green homes, green vehicles, green everything. Hopefully gardeners take their natural care for the environment from the garden to the other parts of their lives too.
It may be fun to say we (gardeners) thought about it first but the green living objective really is good news for all of us. The best news for gardeners is that there are some extra perks. Now that everyone is on the bandwagon, natural, organic and eco-friendly products are more readily available. We no longer have to seek out special suppliers or obscure sources. In many cases, the natural products like bone meal and blood meal have been formulated into blended products avoiding all the mess and fuss of measuring and mixing.
The significant feature of natural or organic products isn’t that they’re less lethal or pest selective. It’s the fact that they break down very quickly when exposed to light. They leave very little residual impact.
However, don’t fall into the trap of ignoring the application instructions because you think they’re benign. Even the most seasoned gardeners need occasional reminders to read the instructions. Pesticide is only safe when applied in appropriate quantities.
Much has been said about composting lately. It’s one of the first suggestions offered for reducing waste. With communities developing kitchen waste recycling programs even non-gardeners are doing it. Gardeners, be on the look out for communities that collect compost at the curb. They often sell the end product in bulk.
Are you composting everything you could be? It doesn’t hurt to be reminded of all the things that could go into your composter. Did you know that junk mail (a fitting demise), confidential papers, glossy magazines, cardboard tubes, egg cartons, cereal boxes, natural fibers like wool and cotton can be composted? They’re rich in carbon and slow to break down so they should be shredded before being added to the composter. Mix some into your green stuff, which will help the carbon break down.
Grass cuttings and soft young weeds mixed in will rot quickly and act as activators to get the compost working. Wood ash, wood shavings and sawdust should be used in moderation. Crush eggshells before adding them. Don’t compost meat, fish, dairy items, cooked food, kitty littler, dog faeces or disposable diapers.
Gardening pots are getting a green makeover too. Peat pots have always been available but they’ve also been a cause for concern due to the fear of depleting the peat bogs. The new alternatives are rice and bamboo pots. They’re recyclable, renewable and come in many decorative styles and colours.
Here’s an even better suggestion. Plant more perennials. Remember all those pots and flats that you have to get rid of from the annuals you plant each year? Perennials come back every year, spread and can be divided to make more plants – for free.
And don’t forget seeds. A small packet that fits in the palm of your hand can fill a garden with colourful plants.
Have you noticed the new reel mowers on sale next to the high tech, self-propelled, mulching, bagging power mowers? They run on muscle power. What a novel idea.
Green living isn’t something that can be achieved overnight. It’s a long-term commitment that means changing your expectations and accepting that it’s not going to give you perfect results. Gardeners have an advantage because they’re already part way there.
As spring approaches and we start to think green, look beyond the garden and spread the thinking throughout your life.
Elaine Vida is a horticulturist and a landscape designer with an Ontario Diploma of Horticulture from the University of Guelph. She can be reached at evdesign@vianet.ca.
