Do it Yourself: Eco-Friendly Landscaping Tips

A beautifully landscaped yard is something that most homeowners desire. With the world focusing its attention on Eco friendly products, and going green, why should your yard be any different. You can have a Eco friendly yard easier then you think, and if you decide to do it yourself you can save money. These tips will help inspire your own “green” landscape designs, and make the yard work easier to do. When you think of the words “Eco friendly” several things might come to mind. One of the most important things about staying Eco friendly is recycling. There is plenty of ways to recycle, and landscaping is no different. Another very important factor of “Eco friendly” is using products that are good for the environment. Last but not least, remember to stay natural.

BUILDING FLOWERBEDS:

Building flower beds are fun. You can come up with many different designs that will create a masterpiece out of your yard. If you must use landscaping timbers to outline the flowerbed, try to use ones that have been recycled. You can use any type of scape wood, to trim around your flowerbed. You might also want to consider using mulch to define your flowerbed.

MULCH:

Mulch helps prevent grass, and weeds from growing in your flowerbeds. There are several types of mulch on the market, however you should avoid Cypress mulch. Cypress mulch was first used because the trees was very tall, and would produce a lot of mulch. Also, landscapers like it because it repelled bugs from the home. However, that is only true for Cypress trees that are 75 -100 years old. The Cypress mulch on the market today from young Cypress trees. It will not repel bugs at all. There are other mulches available, that are environment friendly, that does not require native trees to be cut down. Punk mulch is mulch made from a Punk tree. The Punk tree is not a native tree, and is over populating the everglades, killing out native plants. You can also use mulches that you might already have, such as pine needles, or Oak leaves. These can be raked up from your yard and recycled into a mulch bed.

PLANTS:

To help the environment, you should plant native plants to your area. You might be surprised at how many different colorful, native plants your area has. Native plants are natural to the environment. This means they grow well in the heat, sun, cold, wet, and any other conditions your are has. Birds also love native plants, so your yard will always be blooming with life.

BUGS:

You might have a bug or two get into a flowerbed or garden. The last thing you want to do is spray poisonous chemicals. Instead grind dried red pepper in a coffee grinder, then add it to a spray bottle filled with water. You will need 1 table spoon of crushed pepper per ever 4 ounces of water. Allow the mixture to set for 4 days, then spray the leaves of your plants with it. This will not hurt the plant, and will keep the bugs away.

FERTILIZER:

There is plenty of stuff on the market. But nothing works better then making your own. First you will need manure (poop). Chicken works the best, however cow and horse manure is also great. If there is a farm anywhere near you, you’ll be able to get manure free or very cheap. Using a five gallon bucket mix 1 gallon of manure with 4 gallons of water (fill the bucket to the top). Next you will need to stir the mixture. Once it is mixed allow it to set for one hour, then stir again. Now it’s ready to poor on the roots of your plants. This process is called making “tea”.

As you can see there are many ways of landscaping that are Eco friendly, and safe for everyone. Even though your yard will cost less to landscape then your neighbors, it will look just as beautiful. Remember to keep an open mind when landscaping, and you’ll be satisfied with the results.