Late spring is the time of year many people start beautifying their yards and patios. Here are some simple tips to keep this tradition
green – and not just by blooming trees, grass, and flowers.
Green your yard, or at least your patio!
Non-native plants (plants that don’t grow naturally in Maryland) require more water, fertilizer, and pesticides than native plants. To find out more about which plants belong in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, check out the Chesapeake Bay Foundation website – www.cbf.org. Even container gardens on small rowhome patios can affect what goes down the drains and into our ecosystem.
Rain, rain, come today…
Rain barrels are just what they sound like – barrels used to collect the rainwater that would otherwise just go through your downspout and into the storm sewer near your home. By collecting rainwater for use in your garden, you not only reduce runoff and erosion, you also dramatically reduce your water usage. Saving water, protecting the ecosystem, and saving money – what a
combination!
Skip the chemicals, add the compost
Chemical fertilizers are as bad for you as they sound. If you’re unable to use native plants which need no fertilizer, how about using something natural to help your garden grow? Vegetable compost, made from your very own kitchen scraps (you can find odor-free and bugfree countertop composting buckets online) can green your garden without toxic chemicals. Compost can be used on big gardens, as well as small container gardens. In addition, you’re keeping those kitchen scraps from filling up the landfill or polluting the fragile Chesapeake Bay ecosystem.
Meghan Lockman has a Masters of Science in Environmental Management from Vanderbilt University and a Masters of Business Administrat ion from Loyola University. she i s owner of EcoConsults, a local EcoConsult ing firm. [www.ecoconsults.com]
