Natural and Sustainable

There are many sustainable ideas and practical ideas at that, you can use in your own garden right now. Even thought the growing season is just about over, you can still hang onto these ideas for next year’s growing season as well. Here are 5 ways to help you be a better gardener for the earth and yourself.

1. Conserve the water: If you seek out plants that don’t require watering everyday you can help cut back on water waste in a drastic way. If you do choose plants that require watering everyday consider putting in a rain water irrigation system or a rain garden. Which catches the rain and the plants water themselves.

2. Don’t go overboard: Don’t put in exotic plants that require a lot of maintenance and a lot of water and your time. You want to enjoy your garden by looking onto what you have created not, regret putting them in in the first place.

3. Lay off the sprays: Never you commercial pesticides in your garden, no matter what. A lot of the pesticides leach into our foods and plants such as herbs that we eventually carry into our house and we can end up ingesting that in the long run. Instead use a mixture of olive oil and neem oils. You can even find organic neem oil at many garden suppliers or online. It can help control mealy bugs, aphids and other plant harming insects.

4. Go Native: If you pick out native plants for your specific area you will have little effort to keep them growing and making your garden look wonderful. Ask your smaller local nurseries which have a better selection and a better knowledge of what native plants grow where for your particular area than a large retailer would have or be knowledgeable about.

5. Be plant happy: Try adding recycled pots with organic matter with a smaller plant rather than adding a lot of smaller plants to one pot. Your plants will be a lot happier in a lot of soil than being crowding in all that soil and not a lot of growing room. Keep things small on top and large on the bottom. Once the plant is established, you will see it take off and the pot and the plant with both compliment each other over all.

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: There is plenty of gardening information on the 451 Press gardening site called Earthly Garden. Once you are done gathering information here at Natural and Sustainable, head over the Earthly Garden and learn about some great garden advice, tips and knowledge.

Five Steps To A Greener Yard: (Source: Conscious Choice Magazine)

• Go Native: Native vegetation requires less water (if any) and attractsbeneficial bugs, butterflies and birds, and because native plants are adapted to the area, they are more resistant to disease and pesky insects, negating the need for pesticides. The EPA’s web page Green Landscaping with Native Plants and The Washington Native Plant Society’s page are great places to start in looking for great native plants that will work in your garden.

• Eat Your Estate: You have head the stat: grocery store produce travels and average of 1,5000 miles before reaching your plate. But what could be more local than replacing your front with food for your family and your neighbors maybe. Start at these sites to give you the push in the right “gardening path”. How to Turn your Yard Into a Garden and Your Neighborhood into a Community; The Edible Estates initiative, a national project designed to replace ther American lawn with fruit and vegetable garden.

• Keep The Rain: Growing in popularity, rain gardens are depressed areas of a yard that collect runoff instead of letting the water be carried to storm drains, collecting pollution along the way. In turn, the garden feeds native wetland plants, wildflowers and animals. Try Pond Appeal under their Eco-Friendly Rain Gardens to get started.

• Swap Your Shingles: If you live in an urban area and want a patch of green, or if you are looking to utilize the space on top of your house, consider swapping your shingles for a rooftop garden. Roof plants drink in storm water, mitigating runoff. They also absorb less heat, helping control temperaturs (particularly useful in metropolitan areas. Check out Green Roofs to get some ideas on where to begin.

• Give A Hoot: If you must have a lawn, don’t pollute. Reel mowers keep the air clean. Try organic fertilizers (the new generation of products on the market is far more effective). Gather your orange peels and grass clippings from composting. Rain barrelks can help with irrigation, or conserve water by using drip irrigation systems or watering by hand. With a few changes, you’ll be on your way to a more sustainable yard. Check out Safe Lawns and In Harmony to get a good idea of how easy it is to start a change for the positives right away.

**Find out the about the wonderful world of Apple over at Apple Reporter. Kristian Freeman, walks through the 2007-2008 year, at-a-glance with Apple Inc. Read it here.**

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: When lighting a fire use sustainable matches from a sustainable company or use a refillable variety so it won’t end up in the landfills later after the flame is out.

Cut off part of your downspout on your home from the main gutter system. Screw on flexible spouting and direct the rainfall into a 75-gallon or larger or smaller given your space available and set the barrel on top of tw- layers of cinder blocks. These tips will help you get started.

• Don’t haul water: Put the barrel close to where you nedd the water.

• Place the barrel in a shaded area: If possible. Water evaporates more quickly from a barrel set in full sun than it does from a barrel set in the shade.

• Try to obtain an offset diverter: Which functions as a Y splitter, for your downspout. It allows for two downspouts, on to the rain barrel and the other to the ground. Water flow can be directed from one downspout to the other simply by flippinf a lever.

• Never use a barrel with an open top: If the barrel doesn not have a lid use a screen to keep children and small animals from getting into it. Use BT dunks to prevent mosquitoes from breeding in a barrel with a screened lid.

• Set up an overflow: Even a moderate rainstorm can surpass a barrel’s storage capacity. Direct the overflow away from your home’s foundation and into a well-drained area or a pond.

For more information or to buy a rainwater harvesting kit for your home, check out Rain Barrel Guide.

FACT: 36 states are projecting water shortages in the next 10-12 years.

**Into G.I. Joe? Then read the latest for the plastic 80s hero over at Toy Bender. Paul has the latest on Snake-Eyes staring along side G.I. Joe. Read the rest here.**

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: Switch your paper coffee filters to a reuseable one. It will not only cut down on paper-waste it will also cut down on time in the morning for you, just rinse and go.

Grass length is important to your lawn’s ability to ward off weeds, retain moisture, and develope strong roots. Cut grass to 2.5 to 3.5 inches tall and leave clippings to mulch back into the soil which will provide about 2 pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet of lawn per year, and elimnates the waste issue. Grasses will preform better when the entire root zone is saturated and allowed to dry between each watering. On an average, a lawn needs about one inch of water per week which soaks to about 6 inches. 30% of water consumed on the East Coast goes to watering lawns, doubling to 60% on the West Coast. Water is not the only thing consumed in great quantities. There are 10 times as much chemical pesticides per acre of farmland.

Non-toxic and natural corn gluten kills weed seedlings within days of application while adding nitrogen to your soil. You may also need to change you soil pH. Dandelions love a pH of about 7.5 while grass loves a pH of about 6.5. Add limke to lower the pH. So go organic, Conventioanl lawn care is largely responsible for the staggering statistics surrounding the lawn. You already know how to care for plants organically in your garden, so use this same idea when trying to build up a healthier lawn. Start with these techniques listed and you should enjoy a healthy lawn all summer and into the winter months.

For more information on how to achieve a healthy soil, visit Safe Lawns, this is a non-profit group, dedicated to bringing about an industry-wide change to organic lawn care through initiatives such as their organic lawn certification program and efforts to legislate natural lawn care on schools and campuses.

**Looking for a last minute Christmas gift for that someone who has everything already? Does that person have a puppy? Over at Home Zookeeper, Lynn Little offers the idea of giving a dog as a Christmas gift this year. I think it is a mighty fine idea. Read how to get your hands on one of these puppy gifts, by clicking here.**

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: Bring your own mug or thermos to your coffee spot. Cutting down on paper waste in this manner is one way to live a more sustainable life style.

A terrarium is one things that should be a staple in any child’s bedroom. What is a terrarium you might be asking? It’s a tiny glass enclosed universe filled with plants and toy creatures.

A terrarium can open a door to another world, while offering kids a lesson in ecology. The ones listed below can be assembled by chldren of almost any age, and they don’t require a green thumb to make them. All they need is light, the occasional watering, and a fertile imagination.

Assembling a terrarium: The process for creating any terrarium is basically the same. It’s simple enough for kids around four and up to do. It’s even better if you make it a family project, here’s how:

1. Lay out your ingredients on a newpaper; you will need potting soil, horticultural charcoal from a nursery, which keeps stagnant water from stinking), a toy layer of sheet moss for a moist terrarium, sand or pebbles for an arid one, a container (glass), plants, and some random decorations.

2. Spread a layer of charcoal in the bottom of the container (about 1/4 inch deep for a small container and 1/2 inch deep for a large one.) Top with a layer of potting soil (from 1/2 inch deep for shallow-rooted plants to 2 inches deep for larger plants). If you are making a mossy terrarium, put down a layer of sheet moss, folding and gathering it to create little hills and dales.

3. Remove the plants from their pots and dig them into the soil. For moist containers, pierce the moss with yor hand and place the plants inside. For dry ones, plant into the soil, then cover the surface with sand, pebbles, or both.

4. Add toys, rocks, etc. Then pour a cup or so of water over the top. If there’s standing liquid after a few hours, just water less next time.

5. Your plants will need to be cut back or replaced eventually, but eith the right care (about a cup of water once a month) and in the right light (bright but filtered), they’ll be part of your children’s indoor playground for years to come. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

•The Starter Terrarium: A terrarium can be as simple as a bit of mossy greenery. Collect moss from a forest or your yard, and arrange it in a lidded jar. With the lid left on, it should only need water once every couple of weeks.

• The Nature Terrarium: Take a bell jar and place it over carnivorous plants such as venus flytraps. Use twigs and stones and even add an artifical bird’s nest and fake bugs. With the container closed it will help keep moisture in the container that the plants need to survive.

• The Wild Terrarium: With ferns and big-leaved tropical plants such as a alocasia creates a feel and look of a jungle. Add some plastic dinosaurs or large insects. Use an old-fashioned Wardian case that has a sturdy door for watering and placing actual live insects to the mix. Be sure you know exactly what your live insect or bug requires in order to stay alive before introducing them to the terrarium.

• The Sea Terrarium: Pairing succulents with seashells and gain a sea look to your terrarium. Succulents can withstand less water than normal plants. Pair these with sea shells and sea start as well as sea creatures and driftwood. It is better to use succulents in an open container so they can breath.

• The Free-Spirit Terrarium: Use a purple passion plants or orchids, even fake ones gain the same appeal. Add fairy figurines, baubles, and fake eggs. Put all these ingredients into a genie-bottle looking apothecary jar with a fluted bottom to gain full effect.

• The Other World Terrarium: Air plants, such as spiky hot pink and purple ones, don’t even need soil to thrive. Add these with some dark pebbels and robot toys create a life on mars type of feel to this terrarium. Add all this to a glass fishbowl without a lid to keep the environmetn nice and dry.

**Look for something other than the run of the mill type Christmas tree? Over at Globally Green Living, Sandra Williams offers up some great ideas to mix things up a bit and help the environment too. Read her ideas here.**

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: Use natural, not artificial, fragrances. Most of the sprays on the market anymore are artificial and could cause harm when inhaled. Using essential oils and an oil diffuser is the best earth-friendly and lung-friendly to go.

Putting plants to work for environmental sustainability and economic development within The Oregon Garden falls under the name of SPROut: (SUSTAINABLE PLANT RESEARCH AND OUTREACH).

SPROut’s Misson is to develop and promote the use of plants and plant material to solve environmental challenges. They build project partnerships and provides outreach and education to integrate research efforts with public and industry development.

What does SPROut offer:

• Outreach:
1. Website and publications
2. Educational literature for Oregon Graden visitors
3. Professional develpment courses
4. Curriculum for Chemeketa Community College’s 2-year Horticulture degree
5. Workshops/Conferences/ Research summits

• Research Support:
1. Research suppoert for Oregon State University’s Horticulture students and faculty
2. Start-up grants to launch research and implementation projects
3. Collaborative grant proposal develpment
4. Background researchg and literature reviews
5. Project management
6. Use of The Oregon Garden site for field-based research

• Research Priorities:
1. Wetlands/Wastewater Remnediation
2. Phytoremediation
3. Urban Water Management and Ecoscaping
4. Native Plant Restoration and Invasive Species Control
5. And Riparian Area Restoration

Current SPROut Research Projects:

• Landowner Tools for Quanitfying Multiple Environmental Services of Riparian Vegetation Buffers for Use in Water Quality Credit Trading in Oregon Watersheds.

• Sustainable Parking Lot

• Botanical Burrito & Floating Nursery Production for Water Treament

• The use of high rate irrigation of Poplar Trees as a nutrient reduction system

• New uses for the World’s Oldest Crop; using Barley straw to control algae in Aquatic Environments.

• Developing Green Roof Plants for Oregon’s Nursery Industry.

For more information contact: Renee Stoops, SPROut Coordinator at rstoops@chemeketa.edu or 503-584-7252 or by visiting The Oregon Garden or SPROut

(SPROut is currently funded by the Natural Resources Conservation Service of the USDA)

**Catch the weekend events over at Albuquerque, New Mexico blog written by Mary McIntyre. If you will be taveling soon, check out the rest of her blog to see if a stop off in Albuquerque will fit in your travel plans by clicking here.**

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: Use rechargeable batteries whenever possible. There is many uses in one rechargeable battery then a single use battery. It helps control battery waste in the landfill as well as the carbon impact on the Earth.

1. Design to maximize natural daylight & passive ventilation.

2. Choose deconstruction and construction site recycling instead of demolition.

3. Weatherize to save energy.

4. Buy energy-efficent appliances.

5. Choose water-efficient fixtures, (i.e shower heads, low-flow toliets).

6. Use low-or no-VOC paints.

7. Choose formaldehyde-free products.

8. Buy used, recycled or certified or registered wood products.

9. Harvest your rainwater for irrigation & toliet flushing.

10. Landscape using native palnts and permeable materials..

(Small things count just as much as the big things!)

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: Here are a few things to consider when landscaping your lawn. Use native plants that are specific to your area, they will not only help with the heat and cold relief they also look fabulous. Try and incorporate edible plants into your theme. Nothing beats being able to have a BBQ in your backyard and being able to send your guest over to a plant to eat during the get-together. Choose lawn alternatives. Such as natural mulch in areas of high traffic and turf in area where children play. And always, always use organic lawn care products. The one thing most people don’t realize is the amount of chemicals that are harmful for the environment right in the lawn care products the buy. Read labels and be eco-conscious.

Getting Ready For The Frozen Ground

It’s almost time for the ground to start getting colder and before you know it it will begin to freeze. Don’t worry though, I found these awesome plantings that will last all year, well, until spring when you face-plant them in the ground.

They are called Plant-Me Pets and they were designed by a Spanish designer named Marti Guixé. They are made from compostable natural latex rubber, and they are the cutest little things. They come in tomato, melon, or pumpkin seed.

They can serve as a squeeky toy till planting season rolls around and pop them right into the ground (face-down). And all in good “mother-nature” time they will begin to disappear.

Purchase one here for about $20.

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: Always turn your computer to “sleep-mode” during the day when you aren’t using it and turn it completely off at night. This practice will save energy, as well as CO2.