Environmentally friendly gardening — which boils down to working with Mother Nature rather than against her — has never felt more important.
From wildfires and floods to declining wildlife species, we’re clearly not tending to our planet. Equally clearly, many of us want to do better, often starting in our own backyards.
“的re has definitely been an uptake in eco-friendly and organic gardening products and customers over the last couple of years,的迈克·里奇说 里奇饲料 & 种子. “Many manufacturers are moving towards more products that are eco-friendly (such as) organic fertilizers.”
How do you bring environmentally friendly gardening to your own home?
Lana Doss of 的 Fine 花园er says we must first eliminate pesticides, even organic ones. “If you have a specific problem with aphids, you spray the aphids. But did you know you’re spraying the junior ladybugs that are eating them for you, 所以你就消灭了它们的天敌?”
而不是杀虫剂, 她说, try old-school strategies like interplanting onions with tomatoes, broccoli and certain other vegetables to keep destructive bugs at bay.
She also recommends native species that are adapted to our climate and are recognized by feeding insects that, 反过来, 传粉者是鸟类的食物吗. Oak, maple and willow trees, for instance, are an early-season food source. 莳萝, parsley and other small-flower herbs attract the black swallowtail butterfly, and the showy red monarda flower is beloved by hummingbirds.
Doss also reminds gardeners to “leave the leaves.” Letting at least some of the leaf litter and plant stalks remain in the fall and early spring gives birds food and hibernating insects shelter until warmer weather arrives. 的n use a small corner of your yard to turn the debris into valuable compost.
Other experts offer their own ideas on environmentally friendly gardening.
“Modern gardens need to reflect our new (environmental) reality,园艺专家布莱恩·明特在 最近的一篇文章. That means making “an environmental statement” by ensuring our plants sequester carbon and are more heat, 耐旱耐湿, 我们的土壤充满了有机物, 我们的花园对野生动物更友好.
He recommends planting low-maintenance ornamental grasses that look lovely, are drought hardy and provide nesting material for birds.
Minter also suggests new varieties of perennials and annuals, 包括向日葵, 在这个季节开花时间更长, not only delighting the eye but serving as food sources for wildlife.
的 加拿大野生动物联合会网站 是另一个有价值的资源. It has tips on improving soil quality naturally, 节约用水，为野生动物留下更多的水, 堆肥, and other eco-conscious gardening strategies for a changing planet.
When Mike Ritchie is asked about making a garden even greener, he suggests applying organic fertilizers such as hen manure and bone meal, adding plants like milkweed that attract butterflies and using products such as Japanese beetle traps to help control pests.
Environmental sustainability on our property extends beyond just gardens.
托姆伯恩, 渥太华营养草坪的老板, says the ban on pesticides in many jurisdictions means lawn care has become even more of a partnership between companies like his and homeowners wanting a healthy lawn.
“We will apply the correct products at the correct rates, and provide the advice needed based on the lawn’s condition, but now the homeowner has to be more invested in the process. 削减高, 两英寸半到三英寸, and watering properly to a depth of one inch every five to seven days is crucial to the lawn’s health.”
在雇用草坪护理公司时, he recommends ensuring the service is aware of the agronomic history of your area. “Different issues arise in different parts of the city. 例如, chinch bugs can be more active in the suburban lawns of Orléans or Barrhaven, while grubs are more prevalent in the outlying areas of Manotick, 格里利或坎伯兰.”
And if you think environmentally friendly gardening means drab, Doss suggests a stroll through the Experimental Farm’s Fletcher Wildlife 花园, where native plants support wildlife while offering a colourful treat for the eye.
“I’m on a mission to show people how attractive it can be. 只是去了解这些植物.”
