Bob Vila Radio: Gardening Greener
“What goes around comes around.” The old adage is especially true in your garden. Because plants aren’t the only things living there, your garden should be a friendly place for children, pets and birds.
Photo: flickr.com
Listen to BOB VILA ON GREEN GARDENING, or read text below:
Blanketing your garden with petroleum-based pesticides and fertilizers is not only toxic, but it also kills the friendly insects, bacteria and fungus that are essential to a healthy garden. Fortunately, there are lots of great natural options, like iron phosphate pellets for slugs, citrus oil-based weed killer and soap spray for insect pests. These naturally ocurring chemicals can solve your garden problems.
Probably the best thing you can do for your garden is to add organic material to the soil with compost. Unlike chemical additives, nutrients in compost are available to plants as they need them, making it very difficult to use too much.
What you plant is even more important than how you plant it. If it’s native to your area, it’ll probably do better in your garden and require far less water, fertilizer and hassle than something exotic.
Bob Vila Radio is a newly launched daily radio spot carried on more than 60 stations around the country (and growing). You can get your daily dose here, by listening to—or reading—Bob’s 60-second home improvement radio tip of the day. Today, it’s all about Gardening Greener.
For more on gardening greener, consider:
Quick Tip: Design a “Green” Garden
How To: Make a Rain Barrel
Quick Tip: Where to Find Green Garden Solutions
