Have you ever been just fed up about hearing environmental warnings and are ready to actually do something about it. Then consider converting your yard or property to sustainable landscape. Sustainable is best described in the dictionary as ” using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged ” or ” capable of being sustained “. That means no additives. That explanation refers to the use of toxic herbicides, pesticides, and man made fertilizers that you place on your lawn. This does not sustain your lawn, it actually depletes the soils natural nutrients and composition. It also includes using lawn mowers that use fossil fuels, a resource that is depleting and harmful to the atmosphere. 

Sustainable landscape is something that requires low maintenance, is all natural, and returns the ecological balance between animals, insects, native plants, and the atmosphere. It sounds good, doesn’t it? Then why has society strayed so far away from this simple concept? Is it too late to reclaim our natural heritage?

Top 5 Steps To Making Sustainable Landscaping

1. Decide If The Work Is Going To Be Done By You Or A Contractor?
2. Decide If Your Going To Remove Existing Lawn Or Just Cover It
3. Research Native Plants Including Trees, Shrubs, Flowers & Ground Cover
4. Make A Design On Paper Of Where Everything Will Go
5. Measure Area To Be Converted & Get Quotes For Materials Needed

There are two main reasons why you should grow your own organic potatoes. Taste and variety. Doesn’t sound like a good enough reason does it? Considering you can go down to the local supermarket and get regular potatoes ( not organic ) dirt cheap. ( just kidding ) Just remember, they don’t have the same taste, and they don’t have many varieties.

You just can’t beat fresh, and growing organic potatoes is very fresh. You can still smell the fresh earth they have just vacated as you carry them to the kitchen. It’s organic, that means you don’t have to worry about any pesticides or other toxic chemicals saturating your potatoes. Have you ever eaten a potato that was picked just a few minutes ago?

Does variety matter to you? When you grow your own organic potatoes you can sample varieties you’ll never see in your local supermarket. Here are just a few varieties you can try: Yukon Gem, Chiefton, and Cortland. Here’s your chance to experience a new taste in an organic potato.

If your a potato lover you deserve to reward yourself with the best, organic potatoes. No matter how you like to eat your potatoes, whether it be mashed, fried, baked, or boiled, you can experience a new world of taste. Do a little research and find out the best way to grow organic potatoes, and enjoy.

Many organic gardener has experienced frustration from insect and pest infestations. Have you come close to throwing in the towel and giving up? Well, it might be time to protect your organic garden from insects and pests the natural way.

You see, many herbs and flowers have a distinct quality or aroma about them that annoys certain insects and pests. This is a built in deterrent, genetically. You can strategically plant these herbs and flowers in your organic garden to protect what your growing naturally. It’s just a matter of doing a little research to find out which herbs and flowers are best suited to protect what you have planted in your organic garden.

List Of Herbs & Flowers That Protect Your Organic Garden

• Anise 
•  Asparagus 
•  Aster 
•  Basil 
• Borage
• Catnip
• Celery
• Coriander
• Fennel
• Flax
• Geranium
• Lavender
• Lemon Verbena
• Marigold
• Nasturtium
• Parsley
• Sage
• Thyme

As you can see from this partial list there are many choices when it comes to using herbs and flowers to protect your organic garden from insects and pests naturally. All you have to do is match up the plant in your organic garden, to the insects and pests it might attract, and then to the herb or flower that will prevent that insect or pest from attacking that particular plant. Isn’t it great that you can add beauty to your garden, use the herbs that are there, and create an eco-friendly space you can be proud of?

Every organic gardener is looking for something new, rare, and flashy each year. But this year, less is more. That’s right, pure eco-friendly native plants are the new trend for organic gardens. It’s hard to believe that some of these native plants that have grown in your region for thousands of years are becoming extinct. Conservation efforts are popping up in an attempt to hang on to the last thread of each communities natural heritage.

So, how did this near extinction and complete apathy for beautiful regional native plants occur? Well, basically it’s just plain and simple vanity. People strive to have the most rare and exotic plants in their organic gardens. They ignore what is bountiful and right before their eyes, because it’s not exotic or rare. Unfortunately most exotic and non-regional plants rarely look like they do in pictures, or how they grow in their own climates. You see, these plants are being uprooted, shipped thousands of miles, and are forced to live in climates that are not suitable for them.

Biological diversity is important to create rich, vibrant, and sustainable habitats and landscapes. This is your time to discover the native plants of your own particular region, and use your organic garden to resurrect part of your fading natural heritage. Search online for your local wildlife and conservation groups to find out which native plants are available for your organic garden.

Sustainable landscaping is essential to the environment. It must include native plants to be effective. Native plants use less water and require less maintenance. You, as an organic gardener have to take the next step. You see, sustainable landscaping will reduce and prevent pollution, conserve natural resources,  is ecological friendly, and looks attractive. It also reduces the need for lawn fertilizers and pesticides.

We must reduce the amount of mowing, which means we have to reduce the amount of manicured lawns that are installed with the use of non-native grasses. According to government studies 1 hour of mowing with a gas mower equals 20 miles driven in a car. Did you know it was that bad? I didn’t. It also emits 5% of ozone forming VOC’s. Using native plants to expand your organic garden makes sense. No lawn, less pollution.

 5 Reasons To Use Native Plants To Expand Your Organic Garden

1. They Support The Evolutionary Links Between Native Plants & Native Wildlife
2. They Support The Evolutionary Links Between Native Plants & Local Soils & Climates
3. They Preserve Strong Genetics & Biodiversity
4. Naturalized Gardens Require Less Water & Maintenance
5. Native Plants Display An Identity For Your Region

The plants in my organic garden aren’t getting along. There weak looking, ugly, and just stressed out. What happened? Maybe they just don’t like their neighbors.

I talked about “ Companion Planting ” in a previous post, but believe it or not, some plants in your organic garden have enemies too. They just don’t get along, in fact it’s so bad that they would prefer to just shrivel up and die. So, spend so time now and plan who’s going to living beside who in your organic garden this year. The correct companion planting will give your better yields, and stronger plants in your organic garden.

Like most people you’ll probably have tomatoes in your organic garden next year. Do you know who the enemies of the tomato plants are? These are the plants that just don’t get along with tomatoes: dill, fennel, pole bean, and potato.

It’s essential that you don’t upset the natural balance of companion planting’s benefits by planting an adversary. Make your organic garden stronger, and more beautiful by creating the right synergistic partnership between your plants. To learn more about companion planting CLICK HERE.

You have an organic garden, and every once in a while you go out and buy a new plant. But wait, it may be an non-native invasive species. So, you plant it in your organic garden, but down the road you decide you don’t like it, dig it up, and dispose of it. No problem, right? Wrong, very wrong and here’s why.

According to Evergreen.ca some natural areas are beginning to be dominated by invasive species that are non-native to that region. Because of this they are taking away valuable space from valuable native species. How did this happen, and why are all organic gardeners responsible. Ask yourself this, how did these non-native plants get in our natural habitat?

They have been dumped there, that’s how. Irresponsible organic gardeners have thrown their unwanted species in the dump, allowing for rampant wild growth to occur. Invasive species have also spread from residential neighborhoods to bordering parks and woodlots because of lack of attention and apathy.

The first step in being a responsible organic gardener and genuine environmental practitioner is to identify the non-native invasive species that are causing the problems. These plants include Yellow lamiun, English ivy, Cherry laurel, Butterfly bush, Dead nettle, Goutweed, English ivy, English holly, Periwinkle vinca minor, Scotch broom, Spurge laurel, and Yellow flag iris. To learn more about these invasive species CLICK HERE. 

Organic gardeners have pride, so let’s band together and prevent the spread of non-native invasive species. Recognize any invasive species you have and make a decision about keeping it, controlling it, or disposing of it. Talk to neighbors and friends to see if they have any of the above non-native invasive species. Educate them on the dangers of these plants. Let’s enjoy organic gardening, but we must keep an eye on the future.

Wouldn’t it be great if all the plants and vegetables in your organic garden just got along? There’s expert opinion that states that some plants grow stronger, have increased bounties, and have superior taste just because their sharing a intimate space together in your organic garden.

It’s called ” Companion Planting ” and you have total control over who sits next to each other in your organic garden. You see, some plants just thrive being next to that special plant they like, and that’s the magic of companion planting. Stop fighting this natural ecological situation and match up plants that appreciate spending time together. You won’t get the results you want when you try to force a relationship between two unwilling plants in your organic garden.

 There are many reasons why this mysterious relationship works in companion planting, and why this is essential for a successful organic garden. One reason is that one plant’s aura or smell will repel insects and predators that are seeking their companion plant. In other words, they have each others back.

One example of companion planting in your organic garden is the tomato. This is probably the most popular plant grown, but do you know who it’s friends really are? These are tomatoes best friends: pepper, head lettuce, basil, onion, cabbage family, marigold, carrot, chive, celery, bush bean, parsley, mint, asparagus, garlic, nasturtium, bee balm, and cucumber.

Not every plant in your organic garden will have this many helpful companions, so research will play a key role in matching up the perfect couple. To learn more about successful companion planting and how to give your organic garden an edge CLICK HERE.