Savvy homeowners across the country are taking control of their front lawns. The homeowner’s adventure into DIY landscaping has led to a lot of unique and interesting ideas, including water features, retaining walls, and rockeries. Take a look at Seattle rockeries to see some great ideas and tips. In particular, organic landscaping has grown incredibly popular over the last decade. It has even managed to evolve into an entirely new concept that is sometimes referred to as “green landscaping”. This involves all of the same principles as organic landscaping, but with a few new additions.
Green landscaping tactics will benefit from organic products, but they also focus on recycling supplies and limiting water use. The overall goal is to have the smallest negative impact on the environment possible. This means reducing as much air, water, and soil pollution as possible.
Surprisingly, there are still plenty of DIY landscapers who don’t realize that landscaping can actually have a negative impact on the environment. Even organic landscaping alone can still result in excessive waste of water and energy.
The natural benefits of green and organic landscaping can be separated into at least three categories. They are the benefits specifically associated with organic landscaping, the benefits of carefully choosing plant life, and the benefits associated with the use of non-living items and tools.
- The Benefits Of Organic Landscaping
Most people begin their journey to green landscaping through the use of organic products. Natural and organic fertilizers are considered a must-have for any green landscaping plan. They may be a little slower than their dangerous, chemical counterparts, but they offer plenty of advantages that make them worth the investment of time. The use of organic products is a major aspect of reducing air, water, and soil pollution. They also happen to be better for most plants in the long run.
Most organic lawn care products will slowly release a combination of potassium, phosphorous, and nitrogen into the ground. The exact combination of minerals is going to depend on what you use for your organic fertilizers. Over time, the grass roots will absorb this in small doses. This results in grass that grows stronger and more vibrant than it ever could with a chemical fertilizer.
As mentioned at the onset of this section, the pollution reduction is a huge benefit. Organic fertilizers are completely biodegradable and do not leave behind any harmful residue. They do not contribute any harmful chemicals to the soil, water, or air. The fertilizer is not harmful to any fish, wildlife, pets, or humans who might encounter it.
It’s great that organic fertilizer doesn’t harm the soil because it spends much more time there than a chemical fertilizer. Chemical solutions will eventually get washed away with the rain. That’s why we find so much of it in our streams and rivers. Organic alternatives break down and become part of the soil for many generations of plant life to come.
Overall, the only advantage that a chemical fertilizer has in comparison to an organic fertilizer is the speed with which it works. But that’s hardly a good enough reason to harm the soil, the plants, and any wildlife that encounter it. Organic landscaping products are safer, longer lasting, and deliver better long-term results.
- The Benefits Of Careful Plant Selection
It’s a common misconception that putting as many plants in a lawn as possible must be good for the environment. After all, the plants are producing oxygen, they look great, and it’s certainly better than a parking lot. Unfortunately, putting too many plants in a lawn or putting the wrong types of plants can cause more harm than good. This is primarily because of the significant amount of resources that are required to keep the plants alive.
Over millions of years, plants have evolved to live in very specific climates. When you remove a plant from its original climate and bring it elsewhere you are putting extra strain on that plant to stay alive. It’s entirely possible for a plant that prefers tropical climates to survive in a more arid region, but it’s going to come at a cost. That plant is going to require a lot of extra water to stay alive.
Nativar is a term used to refer to plants that are native to specific regions. If you live in Arizona, then you should landscape using Arizona nativars. Those tropical plants may be beautiful and tempting, but you’re going to waste a considerable amount of energy and water to keep them alive.
By simply choosing native plants you can eliminate a huge portion of your watering routine. After all, these are plants that grow naturally in the region without humans watering them every day. They have evolved to survive with the rainfall in the region. Use that to your advantage to conserve resources and protect the environment.
- The Benefits Of Using The Right Tools And Objects
You might be surprised to learn that green landscaping isn’t all about the plants. As a matter of fact, by using a recycled brick instead of a plant you have eliminated waste and slightly reduced water usage. That’s not to say you should brick over your entire lawn, but rather that you should know when and where to use stationary objects to reduce water consumption.
It’s always a good idea to use recycled stones, bricks, plastic, and glass whenever possible. Through the simple act of recycling you are already making a big difference. But the next step is finding the best places to use these stationary items.
A great example of using stationary objects to your advantage is capturing rainwater from your roof in a bucket or barrel. You can easily set up a system to capture this rainwater after a shower. You’ve now collected a barrel full of free water without having any negative impact on the environment. You can even build an entire garden in an area directly below where rainwater runs off of your roof. These are commonly referred to as rain garden. Capturing this water at the source prevents it from mixing with unwanted chemicals and rejoining the local water supply at a later point.
Green and organic landscaping clearly offers many benefits to eco-friendly homeowners. You can invest in a professional landscaper that specialize in these tactics or you can learn to perform them yourself. Most of them are incredibly simple and will offer you plenty of opportunities to express your creativity.
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