Downtown Homestead

Tips for Eco-Friendly Landscaping – When we give to the earth, the earth gives back to us. We all know that it is very important to be ecologically conscious by not wasting resources and keeping our land clean. A positive way to give back to the earth and help yourself too is to have an eco-friendly plan in mind when you plan to do your landscaping. 3 Tips for Landscaping Eco-friendly Landscaping #1. Compost! Compost is a very good way to feed your plants and make sure they have all the necessary nutrients to grow, while responsibly disposing of certain materials from your home. Compost is a form of recycling that is very beneficial to plants. To begin, you can make a compost using any old vegetables and fruits, tea bags, grass clippings, pine needles, wood ashes (in small amounts), hay, cardboard, newspaper, leaves, sawdust, or manure. Mix this into your garden and landscape soil, and your plants will thank you for it!   #2. Keep ’em safe! Use only eco-friendly fertilizers...

Organic garden fertilizers consist of decomposed plant and animal compounds that are broken down by microbes into a form that living plants can use, usually dissolved in water and taken up through the roots. They are naturally occurring chemical compounds, unlike chemical fertilizers that are compounds created in a lab. Some organic fertilizers contain mostly one main nutrient, for example bat guano has high nitrogen content and very small amounts of phosphorus and potassium. Organic fertilizers also contain other nutrients and trace elements. When you select an organic fertilizer, you need to know where it falls on the N-P-K range so you know on what plants it should be used and when in the plant’s life cycle it will offer the most benefit. What makes good fertilizer? “N” = Nitrogen, “P” = Phosphorus, “K” = Potassium. Represented in that order, these are the numbers you find on fertilizer packages. 10-5-5 is an example. Some plant based organic fertilizers are Compost , Humus, Alf...

Chives are a perennial so once you get them started there is no need to replant each year. They are very bountiful and will take over a larger area if left to go to seed in the winter time. There are common chives and there are garlic chives which to me have a stronger flavor. Both are a great addition and if you do not have space for them outdoors, they are easily grown inside using containers. Chives can be found growing wild in yards, along road sides, and pastures and several other places. They spread easily and are very hardy. Chives thrive best if grown in soil that will drain well and should have ample supply of sunlight. If using a container choose a potting mix rich in Hummus. The container should have adequate holes for drainage and you will need to provide a sunny windowsill or other appropriate place for it. If preparing a site outdoors for direct seedling keep in mind you don’t need a large area for a continuous supply of chives. The soil however must be well fertilized...

Spring means that the garden centers are packed with people, and car trunks are packed with plants. Everybody has dirt on their knees, dirt under their nails, and is excited about gardening. To make certain that this excitement yields positive results, let’s discuss the basics in this article of spring planting tips. Installing new plants and having them grow successfully is not difficult, nor is it as complicated as some would have you think. Is it as easy as just digging a hole and setting the plant in? Yes, it certainly can be. I won’t get into bed preparation, as I have covered that in other articles. Let’s start with B&B plants. B&B is short for balled in burlap. Closely examine the ball on the plant that you have purchased. Did the diggers wrap twine around the ball to hold the plant secure? If they did, you should at least cut the twine and lay it in the bottom of the hole, or remove it completely. Pay close attention around the stem of the plant where it emerges from ...

It doesn’t take a lot of time or money to start living green, and with a few simple changes, you can start small and build new habits that will lead to a more eco-friendly life. In honor of Earth Month, here are a few easy and inexpensive ways to tread lightly on the earth this year. Protect both the environment and your pocketbook with these 22+Tips for a greener life: Inside the Home 1) Install a Programmable Thermostat A programmable thermostat allows you to decrease run times when you are away or asleep. This way energy isn’t wasted. 2) Set the Thermostat Higher in Summer, Lower in Winter When you are home, set your thermostat a little higher in summer or lower in winter. Lowering the thermostat in winter can reduce energy usage by 3 percent, for instance. http://www.pnm.com/save/energy_tips_winter.htm http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/consumptionbriefs/recs/thermostat_settings/methodology.html http://www.ccetompkins.org/energysavings/factsheets/thermostat.html http://www.warma...