Green tips from Green Thumb

Here are some of our initiatives – all so basic – that we use in our landscaping jobs and at the garden centre that contributed to our winning the “Green for Life” award:

• Reminding our customers of the benefits of adding compost to their gardens every year. The plants can better access the nutrients that are naturally in the soil – reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers.
• Mulching gardens to help keep moisture in the ground, reducing watering needs.
• Watering in the morning, if possible, and giving our gardens long drinks, not lots of short ones….watering deeply.
• Using soaker hoses to reduce runoff.
• Installing a rain barrel.
• Composting garden debris – dead heads etc.
• Cutting lawns at a higher mowing setting, thereby allowing the grass to shade its own roots – less watering.
• Using organic fertilizers on our lawns – especially corn gluten for reducing the germination of weed seeds.
• Leaving clippings on the lawn – reducing the amount of nitrogen fertilizer needed.
• Topdressing lawns, improving soil structure.
• Overseeding our lawns with Eco-lawn seed – more of a casual look, but less mowing, watering and fertilizing required.
• Scheduling landscaping jobs based first on staff expertise, and then geographically – saving on gas and fumes!
• Re-using soil bags, yard waste bags, pots, and everything else! (Note: If you want to bring pots back, please check with us first — and come ONLY during our ‘open’ hours.)
• Most of our tools are hand tools – the energy comes from us.
• Purchasing as locally grown as possible plants.