Sustainable Gardening Tips

Sustainable landscaping solutions are designed to provide long term answers to common landscaping problems, while at the same time eliminating some of the issues that plague gardeners and landscape designers. By taking a natural approach to issues such as weeds and insect control, a natural landscape is created, and that natural landscape will be much hardier and less prone to problems in the future.

Of course any number of factors will affect any landscape, and it is important for the sustainable landscape design to take these factors into account. Things like local weather conditions, the lay of the land and the amount of rainfall received each year will have an affect on the landscape you design, so it is important to take those factors into account when designing your landscape.

It is very important that this sustainable outdoor landscape be provided with plenty of the nutrients it needs to grow and thrive. Just as people cannot survive without the right nutrition, plants and flowers must take the nutrients they need from the soil in which they live. If these plants do not receive the proper nutrition they will fail to thrive. It is important, therefore, to provide plenty of organic materials, in the form of good quality compost and topsoil, to get the landscape off to a great start.

Providing this natural compost will allow your plants to grow and thrive, by providing the soil with lots of beneficial microorganisms and other forms of life. Proper care of the soil the plants call home will also help to promote the growth of beneficial insects, who will in turn keep the harmful insects at bay and eliminate the need for chemical based pesticides.

Of course compost is not the only way to create a sustainable garden landscape, nor should it be the only approach. It is important to incorporate a number of complimentary techniques into your garden landscape, including:

• Using mulch to reduce the growth of weeds and help the delicate root systems retain moisture

• Creating a “ring” around existing trees to help prevent damage to the trunk and bark structure. Apply a top coat of quality aged compost, then a layer of mulch to provide this important protection.

• Use soaker hoses for irrigation instead of less efficient drip methods. These soaker hoses help the plants get the deep watering they need to look their best.

• Using the proper pruning methods to avoid overgrown plants

• Choosing only the healthiest plants for your garden, and avoiding any that show signs of disease or insect damage