What Are Lean To Greenhouses? 

A lean to greenhouse refers to a type of greenhouse built up against the side of another structure. The lean to greenhouse has only one sloped roof. It has three sides of its own, and uses the side of another structure for the fourth wall.  

• Lean to greenhouses can be made of metal, plastic or vinyl (commonly referred to as polyvinyl chloride or PVC). The plastic materials used in building lean to greenhouses are usually coated with various UV protective materials to ensure the safety of the people who use them and so they last a long time.
• Lean to greenhouses are small, versatile buildings that can easily adapt to various climates and weather conditions. They work well in various environments and landscapes. Like fully-built greenhouses, they’re also able to withstand extreme weather conditions.
• Wondering what kinds of materials to use, and what sizes and shapes are available? Swgreenhouses.co.uk has a nice range here of lean to greenhouses for you to choose from.

Where to Place A Lean To Greenhouse?

Now that you know what lean to greenhouses are, it’s time to learn where you should place yours. Here are three options

• Over An Existing Porch Or Near Your Kitchen If you’re eager to grow more vegetables and herbs to eat, installing your lean to greenhouse near your kitchen makes a lot of sense. No matter what the weather, you can dash out to your greenhouse to gather herbs and greens or pick cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and other vegetables that can be grown in a compact space.
• Adjacent to Your Deck or Shed Accessibility is key. Place your lean to greenhouse in a spot you can easily get to.
• NOT Under a Tree! Never install your lean to greenhouse directly under tall trees because of the following reasons:
  • Trees will cast shade, encouraging growth of green algae. 
  • Tall trees block light, and their falling leaves and branches may cause damage to your greenhouse and block guttering. 
  • Also, tree roots could upset the greenhouse’s foundation and make planting into the beds tricky. 
  • In addition, honeydew from insects coming from the tree’s foliage can make the plastic or glass material of your greenhouse sticky and hard to remove.

NOTE: Position Your Lean To Greenhouse South-Facing

When placing your lean to greenhouse, take stock of how much natural light it will receive. It will be shaded by the structure it leans on for at least part of the day. You want the supporting side of the structure to be on its north side, so as much natural light as possible bathes the greenhouse from the south. Plan to supplement with lighting, and potential some heat, especially in colder climates.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are many ways to position your lean to greenhouse in your property. You can install your greenhouse over an existing porch or near the kitchen, or against an existing shed or garage. Just make sure to avoid installing it under tall trees to avoid mold growth due to light limitations and pest infestation. Also, it’s best to position your lean to greenhouse facing south for maximum sunlight exposure.

You can get more tips for building a greenhouse here.

NOTE: Paid partnerships and sponsors help us bring you the expertise you need to live the greener life you want. Our editorial positions remain our own. 

The post 3 Places to Put A Lean To Greenhouse So You Can Grow More Food appeared first on Big Green Purse.

There’s no better way to eat locally than to grow your own food. Maintaining a home greenhouse lets you do that all year round. With a home greenhouse kit, installing and maintaining a greenhouse has never been easier. Because I’m such a huge fan of growing your own and eating local, I’ve teamed up with Emerald Kingdom Greenhouse this holiday season to highlight the benefits of having your own greenhouse. Maybe it’s time to put a home greenhouse kit on your Christmas list!

Why Put a Home Greenhouse Kit on Your Christmas List?

1) Go Organic More Easily

Growing your own food gives you the power to produce organic fruits and vegetables that aren’t contaminated by toxic pesticides and herbicides. It’s easier to protect your plants from infestations from bugs like Japanese beetles, tent caterpillars, locusts, spider mites, slugs, and other pests, as well.

Plus, when you’re able to create an ideal growing environment for your plants, with healthy soil and just the right amount of irrigation, additional fertilizers, which may be full of excess chemicals, may not be required.

2)Eat Locally Grown Food 12 Months a Year

A big benefit of having your own greenhouse is that you can grow many of your favorite vegetables 12 months a year. As long as you maintain the conditions inside the greenhouse that your plants require, you should be able to keep your greenhouse producing. Greenhouses enable you to garden 12 months a year, in good weather and bad.

3)Keep Your Plants Safe From the Elements

One of the great advantages of greenhouses is that they keep your plants safe from the elements. This is particularly useful if you live somewhere where the weather hits extremes, with very hot or cold temperatures, or even lots of winds or regular hailstones.

Apart from just generally keeping plants inside a greenhouse protected, this type of structure is also handy when you want to transplant some of your yard’s plants or grow new ones from seedlings or other small sizes. When they have been moved or are very young, plants can struggle to survive if meteorological events like dust storms, blizzards, and high winds come along and erode the soil and buffer them about too much, so this protection can make a huge difference. It will also save you from having to race home from another location to try and cover them up if the weather changes!

4)Create the Optimum Growing Environment

Another reason to utilize a greenhouse is that doing so gives your plants the optimum growing environment, regardless of the time of year. When you use these structures, you can typically set the temperature, light, feeding, and soil conditions to the ideal levels, even if the conditions outside are completely different.

When you can have control over these factors, it means you can plant new crops any time you’d like, rather than having to wait for a particular season. Ideal conditions also help fragile or smaller plants to grow more quickly, while giving you the chance to grow plants which normally aren’t found in your region because they’re not sustained by your local climate. Compost works great in the greenhouse, too.

NOTE: You can put a small home greenhouse like the one pictured above in the middle of an existing garden if you need to protect or cultivate plants that aren’t “ready for primetime” in the main garden yet.

5)Grow Flowers and Houseplants for Your Home and Yard, Even in the Winter Months

If you prefer to grow flowers and houseplants rather than food, a home greenhouse still does the trick. When you add a greenhouse to your backyard, you can quickly start building up your collection of plants, by propagating cuttings from existing plants, sowing seeds in flats you can transfer to pots or the garden, and cultivating exotic species like orchids and roses that might not otherwise survive outside the protection of the greenhouse. You’ll enjoy having a botanical paradise to admire in the depths of winter!

6)Enjoy Gardening Year Round, and Any Time of Day or Night

If you’re one of those people who loves to garden and hates to put away your tools when the bad weather sets in, a greenhouse lets you indulge your favorite hobby no matter what the weather. You don’t have to stop gardening when the sun sets either. Just string some lights in your greenhouse and keep going.

7)Make New Friends

Gardeners are a sociable lot! You could end up making lots of new friends or traveling to more interesting destinations if you join gardening clubs and associations as a result of your new passion for greenhouse gardening.

8)Develop a New, Healthy Hobby

If you haven’t started gardening yet, take it up as a new hobby. Even if you don’t think you have a green thumb or have never done any gardening at all before, you may find that once you have a greenhouse, this all changes.

Here’s another benefit: being active bending, digging, and otherwise moving about in your garden throughout the year will help you stay fit and get you out of your chair or off the couch.

Plus, it’s really fun to watch a seed turn into a tomato or a big head of lettuce!

9)Create a Soothing Place to Relax

You can get a home greenhouse kit that’s small and devoted only to plants. Or, get one that’s a little bigger so you can set aside a corner as a place to relax and de-stress. Put in a comfortable chair, some of your favorite gardening books, a journal and an electric kettle so you can make yourself a cup of tea. Ahhhh…

Ready to Get Started? 

You can probably find the home greenhouse kit that’s perfect for you at Emerald Greenhouse Kingdom. Let me know if you decide to put one up. Send pictures!

NOTE: Partners enable us to bring you the expert content you need to live the greener life you want. All editorial opinions remain our own. Thanks!

The post 9 Good Reasons to Put a Home Greenhouse Kit on Your Christmas List appeared first on Big Green Purse.

What are the smartest ways to water your garden during a heat wave?

Is it so hot outside, your garden is wilting even before the sun rises or after it sets? Mine sure is!!  The only hope is to keep your vegetables and bushes watered. But how can you do that without spending all your time holding a hose? And all your dollars on a high water bill? Big Green Purse collaborated with Gilmour, which makes a very reliable garden hose, to offer you this list of smart ways to water your garden during a heatwave to help you out.

There are two secrets to water your garden during a heat wave:

1. The equipment you use
2. When and how you water

Here are 14 of the best, smartest ways to water your garden without wasting a lot of H2O or time.

1. Check your sprinkler and hoses for leaks.

“A leak as small as the tip of a ballpoint pen can waste 6,300 gallons of water,” says the U.S. EPA’s Watersense program.

It’s easy to spot a leaky hose because water shoots out of the hole. Sprinklers will spray around the place where they attach to the hose rather than send all the water through the sprinkling mechanism.

Next time you turn on the water, take a quick look. If you see a hose spurting, patch it up with duct tape. If your sprinkler is squirting, tighten the nozzle where the hose attaches to the sprinkler.

2. Let it drip.

Not your faucet. A drip irrigation system, which delivers water directly to the bottom of the plant so it can easily seep into the ground and moisten the roots. Though landscaping companies can install snazzy systems, you can also set one up yourself less inexpensively. Take a look at what Dripworks has to offer, for starters.

3. Use a timer.

If you want to set up your sprinkler and then go about your daily routine, use a timer to automatically turn the water off after a certain amount of time.

4. Can it.

A watering can or pitcher can be the perfect way to water newly planted seeds and seedlings. Using a pitcher, you can deliver the right amount of water to each seedling. Gently sprinkle water overhead to moisten the soil.

5. Try a rain barrel.

Set up a rain barrel next to a shed, garage, or your home, and capture rain water coming off the roof. You can put a rain barrel on each corner of the building if you want. Use the spigot on the bottom of the barrel to drain water into a watering can, or attach a hose. Rain barrels come in handy when rainfall is scarce and you don’t want to use your home water source to keep your garden alive.

This is Helpful! If You Don’t Have a Rain Barrel, You’re Losing Water and Money

6. Use your cooking water.

If you steam or boil vegetables, use the nutrient-rich water after it’s cooled to nourish your plants. This works easily for plants you have on your patio or porch.

7. Reuse fish tank water.

Do you have a pet fish whose tank you empty? That water will be full of nitrogen and phosphorous, great for some plants.

8. Water early in the morning and when it’s not windy.

Water early in the morning and when it’s not windy. The morning is the best time to water grass as it gives the water a chance to seep into the ground rather than evaporate in the hot sun or blow away from the plants that need it. If you have to water during the day, water plants that are in the shade as opposed to those in full sun.

9. Mulch.

A two-inch thick covering of shredded pine bark, composted leaves, or other organic materials will help the ground retain water and reduce evaporation.

10. Try worm poop.

“Vermicomposting” is the process of using worm castings (poop) to increase the organic content of the soil, which will help it retain moisture. You can add the castings themselves. Or you can let worms do the job in place.

You probably don’t want to introduce worms to your garden when it’s miserably hot and dry outside, but you can plan on adding them next spring. The more compost and organic matter you add to your soil, the more likely it will be attract worms and keep them alive.

You Want Me to Try Worm Poop? Yeah, Really…

11. Dig in some compost.

Like worm poop, well-decomposed organic compost helps the soil stay loose and retain moisture, which is great for plant roots. If your soil is primarily clay, it won’t hold water at all. If it’s too sandy, the water will drain away. Compost builds great soil that retains moisture and adds other nutrients that plants need.

Don’t Miss: Compost: Crack for the Garden!

12. Xeriscape.

Plant flowers, vegetables, and bushes that do well in the amount of rainfall that falls in your region in an average year. Once established, these plants should require little additional water. Here are some sources for regionally-appropriate plants to choose from.

13. Group plants according to their water needs.

For example, impatience need a lot of water; hostas, not so much. Make a beautiful color statement by grouping all of your impatience together, which will make them easier to water with one fell swoop.

14. Reduce slope erosion.

If you have hills or steep banks, strategically place boulders or ties to help reduce runoff, or landscape into terraces to stop water from slurrying off the hill rather than seeping into the ground.

How else do you water your garden during a heat wave?

NOTE: Collaboration with partners like Gilmour enable us to bring you the expert content you need to live the greener lifestyle you want. All editorial opinions remain our own. 

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The post The 10 Most Toxic Items at the Garden Center appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Why Plant Native Plants in Your Garden?

We’re partnering with Australian Outdoor Living to make it easier for you to choose the right native plants for your garden.

WHAT ARE THE RIGHT NATIVE PLANTS FOR YOUR GARDEN?

You can easily find out what native plant is suited to your region and your particular garden. Ask your local garden center, contact your county extension agent, or visit one of these useful online websites:

Australian Native Plants

Native North American Plants

Endemic Species of the British Isles

Native Plants of Canada

HOW TO START A NATIVE PLANTS GARDEN

1) Choose Your Site  
Are you installing a completely new native garden?
Looking for plants to fill in elsewhere in your landscape?
How big an area are you planting?

If you have a smaller space, be aware that some native plants can grow incredibly large or can take over a space – like this native fig tree. In Australia, a plant like the kangaroo paw is easy to grow and maintain, while the iconic wattle will add a vibrant touch of color and interest to your yard.

2) Figure Out How Much Sun and Water You Have
How much rainfall generally falls in your area?
Given other plants, how moist will your soil be? (NOTE: Trees can be very thirsty and rob the soil of all available moisture)
How much sun does your garden area receive? Some plants must have full sun; others will thrive in shade.

3) Analyze Your Soil 
Is your soil rich and full of organic matter?
Do you have dry or even sandy soil?
Is your “soil” more like clay?

If you’re not sure what your soil needs, send a sample to your county or regional extension service. They can analyze it tell you what amendments it needs.

4) Attract Wildlife
In addition to planting the right flowers, bushes, and trees, your native garden can be a great place for wildlife.

Native plants are often a primary source of food for local birds, insects, foxes, and other animals.

⇒ Consult with local wildlife agencies to identify what plants make the best wildlife food sources.

5) Choose Your Plants
Buy from a local nursery that specializes in native or indigenous plants.

Shop online from a nursery that can meet your needs.

Swap with other gardeners in your region. If you can, visit their gardens to observe how well their plants are doing, and their cultivation techniques.

Take a cutting from another garden and propagate it yourself, reading about its ideal growing conditions online.

Choose plants that can also provide some food, such as native blueberries, herbs, mint, and onion. Down Under, the lemon myrtle (pictured) and lilly-pilly have been a statement in many Australian landscapes for years. Or try, the native passionfruit, guangdong or finger lime.

6) Plant at the right time.
You can plan your garden any time. But you’ve got to plant at the right time if you want your plants to thrive.

Depending on how much water your plants need, you can put them in the ground during the rainy season, or during the dry spells.

Keep an eye on the plants until they become established. Then maintain your native plants garden with the same care and attention you maintain other parts of your landscape.

Do you grow native plants? Please share your tips for success!

The post How to Choose the Right Native Plants for Your Garden appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Microgreens pack a lot of delicious punch in a tiny pouch (well, leaf to be exact).

I started eating them almost by accident. I was weeding mustard greens out of a community garden patch, and rather than toss them into the compost, I just started nibbling on them. They were much tastier than the full-grown plant, and offered a few other benefits as well.

√ For starters, microgreens can be harvested within weeks of planting, rather than the two months or more it would take to get to full size.

√ Because they’re so young, they’re often extremely tender and sweet.

√ You can plant and harvest them in the winter when most fresh greens come from far-away places.

√ Plus, you can plant a lot of seed in a smaller space, since you’re weeding them out before they get taller, more straggly, and need more soil and water.

Happily, you don’t actually need a garden to grow microgreens. You don’t even need special microgreen seeds, since all you’re really doing is eating the very early growth of the regular plant. Here are sixteen microgreens you can grow in a jar or a box on your porch, patio, windowsill or anywhere else they’ll get plenty of direct sunlight and moisture.

1)Lettuce
2)Spinach
3)Tatsoi
4)Radish greens
5)Peas
6)Cabbage
7)Basil
8)Watercress
9)Parsley
10)Beet greens
11)Kale
12)Mustard
13)Spinach
14)Arugula
15)Endive
16)Broccoli

Here’s the process:

→ Get seed. Most hardware stores and garden centers sell all these seeds, but you can also shop for them online or in the Big Green Purse Amazon Store. One packet of seeds will grow a lot of microgreens, so don’t buy more than you need.

→ Get the right container. You’ll need something that’s a few inches deep. Again, hardware stores and garden centers sell special containers for sprouting seeds, but I use planters I have around the house or wide-mouth jars. You can also use egg cartons, or the bottoms of paper milk cartons. I prefer containers that have drainage holes on the bottom. If I use a glass jar without bottom holes I try not to overwater the seeds. If I buy anything, it’s usually a biodegradable peat pot.

→ Use good soil. For seeds, loose, crumbly soil full of organic matter is best. You can buy an organic potting mix, or make up some from your garden by mixing soil with compost and a little organic fertilizer if you have it. I usually make up a big pile of potting mix at one time and then use it to fill all my containers. You can also use something like this seed starter mix.

If you are interested in planning an organic garden for next spring, don’t miss our Top Green Tips for Organic Gardening!

→ Sprinkle the seeds on top; cover with just a little more dirt. Scatter the seeds over the potting mix, then cover with no more than 1/8 inch dirt.

→ Water gently but thoroughly. You don’t want the soil so wet that the seed rots. However, you don’t want the soil to dry out, either. Sometimes, a plant mister works best. Spray the soil until you can see that it is wet but not muddy.

→ Put in direct sunlight. Seeds need at least four hours of direct sunlight every day. A nice sunny south-facing window should do the trick. You can also use grow lights, but for microgreens, I prefer the sun.

→ Harvest. Keep an eye on the seeds. They’ll start sprouting within a few days. Wait ten days to two weeks, when they’ve got their first set of true leaves, to start harvesting them. You can use scissors to snip them off right above the soil, or your fingertips to pinch them off the stem. Try to harvest them the same day you’re going to eat them for the freshest flavor.

→ Eat. I usually start eating them as soon as I pick them. Otherwise, I toss them into a salad, use them as a garnish on an omelette or in soup, or tuck them inside a sandwich. You could also add them to your juicer with any number of other fruits and vegetables.

RELATED

5 Reasons Why You Should Build Your Own Greenhouse

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The post 16 Microgreens You Can Grow in a Jar or a Box appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Gasoline-powered lawn mowers may be powerful. But they’re also a big source of air pollution. For each hour of operation, says the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, “one gas-powered lawn mower emits 11 times more air pollution than a new car.”

In fact, emissions from the forty million American lawn mowers in use, along with other gas-powered garden tools, account for 5% of the nation’s air pollution. But there are more reasons why we’re focused on non-gasoline powered lawn mowers.

Air quality suffers even when people refuel their mowers. Each year, more than 17 million gallons of fuel are spilled when mowers and other tools are refueled. That creates an air pollution problem because the fuel is very volatile and quickly evaporates into the atmosphere, contributing to summer ozone problems.

One option is to get rid of your lawn altogether. We’ve pulled together 8 of the best non-grass alternatives that could work for you.

But if you do have a lawn, mow it using something that doesn’t use gasoline. Here are the best non-gasoline powered lawn mower options.

Non-Gasoline Powered Lawn Mower Options

1) Push reel mower: A push mower is a good option especially if you have a small lawn. You’ll need to keep the blades sharpened in order to do the best job on your lawn, but a big advantage is that the only energy needed to power this mower is yours. Bonus: you’ll get some exercise each time you mow the lawn.

2) Electric lawn mower:  Using an electric lawn mower instead, say the experts in Texas, can reduce total energy costs for gas-powered lawn mowers and garden tools by 73%. Like hand-pushed reel mowers, electric mowers are usually lighter than gas-powered mowers, which is a major advantage. However, you will need a long extension cord and access to an outdoor electrical socket. I use an electric lawn mower and find it very convenient: I use a heavy-duty outdoor cord and keep it plugged in and coiled in the yard where it is easily accessible when I need it.

3) Battery-powered mower: Battery-powered mowers are slightly more convenient to operate than electric mowers because you don’t have to worry about the extension cord. On the other hand, the battery needs to be fully charged to last the longest amount of time while you’re mowing, and even so, the battery may run out before you finish the job. If you have a small lawn with no access to an electrical outlet, but find a push mower too hard, a battery-powered mower could be a good solution.

4) Electric and battery-powered weed whackers and trimmers: If your “lawn” consists of a patch of grass below the sidewalk, or the strip next to the driveway, you might not need a mower at all. Weed whackers make short work of grass and weeds, and you can get them powered either by electricity or by battery. Of course, you wouldn’t want to wack an entire lawn. But for small areas, weed wackers are very light and portable, and use very little energy.

5) Scythe – Scythes are the original eco-friendly lawn mowers. They’re totally human powered and very simple technology: essentially, a curved blade is attached to a long stick, and the mower swings the sharpened scythe across the grass, cutting it as close to the ground as possible. It’s a little “grim reaper”-ish for me, and they need to be used very carefully to make sure no one accidentally walks in the path of the scythe! But on property where the grass and weeds grow so tall that even a mower can’t get through, a scythe can be a handy tool to have around.

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Lawn chemicals are designed to kill weeds and bugs. But they can harm people, too, which is why so many communities are banning or minimizing their use.

According to BeyondPesticides.org, suburban lawns and gardens receive more pesticide applications per acre (3.2-9.8 lbs) than agriculture (2.7 lbs per acre on average).  Can we really care more about grass than food?

That’s not even the bad news. “Of 30 commonly used lawn pesticides,” says Beyond Pesticides, “19 have studies pointing toward carcinogens, 13 are linked with birth defects, 21 with reproductive effects, 15 with neurotoxicity, 26 with liver or kidney damage, 27 are sensitizers and/or irritants, and 11 have the potential to disrupt the endocrine (hormonal) system.”

Yet, we put this stuff on the same lawn where our kids play, our pets run, where we picnic…Crazy!

Wildlife are at risk, too. Fifteen million birds are estimated to die each year from pesticide contamination, reports the Poughkeepsie Journal. Domestic dogs and cats suffer a wide variety of illnesses when they’re exposed, too, as Pesticide Watch documents here.

Here’s What to Avoid

If you want to have a lawn but avoid dangerous chemicals, read the label on the fertilizer bag before you buy. Look for these chemicals of greatest concern:

1) Bifenthrin – This is the key ingredient in many grub- and insect-control products. It’s listed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a possible carcinogen and is toxic to fish. It is already banned in several counties in southern New York State.

2) 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid, or 2,4-D – This weed killer is linked in some studies to increased cancer risk (though it’s not classified as a carcinogen by the EPA).

3) Glyphosate – Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Monsanto’s RoundUp. It is also used to pre-treat seeds as a way to inoculate them against pests and disease. Because it is used so widely, it is inevitably showing up in our air and water. The impacts on human health could be serious. The Pesticide Action Network says that glyphosate can “activate the estrogen receptor in a breast cancer cell line, which means it may be able to mimic the function of the key sex hormone estrogen.” Research also shows it could deform the heads in developing frog and chicken embryos.

4) Atrazine (1,2) – This herbicide is used to control broadleaf weeds. It is one of the most widely used herbicides in the U.S., but was banned by the European Union in 2004, when the EU found groundwater levels exceeding the safety limits set by regulators. Studies suggest it is an endocrine disruptor, which means that it could alter people’s natural hormonal system and ability to reproduce.

5) Carbaryl – This chemical is used primarily as an insecticide. It is sold under the brand name Sevin. While it kills mosquitoes, it also targets honeybees, whose populations are under seige nationwide. Carbaryl is illegal to use in the United Kingdom, Germany, and Sweden, but it’s still applied to over a hundred crops in the U.S. It is often produced using the chemical compound methyl isocyanate (MIC). A leak of MIC used to produce carbaryl caused the Bhopal disaster in India, a catastrophe that led to 11,000 deaths and over 500,000 injuries.

Here’s What to Use Instead

√ In place of these and other toxic chemicals, use organic means to control pests. Beneficial insects and organic fungicides can keep pests and disease under control. Corn gluten is a popular organic option to control weeds.

√ Plant native grasses that resist fungus, rather than more delicate cultivars.  

√ Get specific suggestions for disease and pest- resistant grass varieties from your lawn and garden center and your local county extension agency.

Or Just Replace Your Lawn!

Ultimately, the best strategy may be to replace lawns with ground covers, gardens, decorative stones, wood chips, and other materials that require no fertilizers. We researched these 8 natural alternatives to growing grass to help get you started. 

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The post 5 Chemicals in Lawn Fertilizer You Want To Avoid appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Why grow grass when you could grow so many other things that are better for the planet? Not that grass isn’t pretty to look at, or fun to play on – it can be. But grass comes with a big price tag. To keep grass green and healthy requires toxic chemicals – fertilizers to keep it growing, pesticides to keep the bugs out. Plus, there’s all that mowing and seeding and watering and …the list goes on and on.

Fortunately, there are lots of natural alternatives to growing grass that will look great, free up time, and save money. Here are the top 8.

Best Natural Alternatives to Growing Grass

1) Vegetable garden – If you have enough sun to grow grass, you definitely have enough sun to grow a garden. Dig up the sod, till some rich organic compost into the soil, and plant the vegetables you want to eat. It’s a great way to ensure you’re getting totally local and organic produce for the cost of seeds and water for the plants. If you put in raised beds, you’ll significantly reduce weeding, and it will be easier to pick your harvest when it’s ready. Even if you live in a colder climate, you should be able to grow food three seasons of the year. Talk with your county extension agent or local garden shop to learn what you can plant when. Want more tips to help you get started? Don’t miss our Top Ten Organic Gardening Tips.

2) Flower beds – Wouldn’t you rather look at a bank of beautiful flowers than a boring old lawn?  Plant some flowers you’ll leave to enjoy, and others you want to cut and bring into your home. You can also put in “theme” flower beds. For example, have one bed designed specifically to attract butterflies, another for flowers like sunflowers that the birds will love. Plant perennial flowers, which will bloom year after year, but keep pots of annuals ready to fill in when one part of the garden is finished blooming.

3) Berry bushes – Grow raspberries and blueberries instead of grass for delicious fruit you can pick right outside your door. You may need to put up netting to protect the berries from hungry birds, or use scarecrows and flags that will wave the birds away when the wind blows.

4) Fruit trees – Apples, pears, peaches, plums, apricots and cherries need room to spread their branches. But if you give it to them, they’ll reward you with delicious fruit. Of course, you do have to pick it. But isn’t that half the fun? And so much better than eating grass!

5) Hardy ground covers – If you need a place for the dog to cavort or the kids to play, replace your lawn with a hardy, low-maintenance ground cover that requires little mowing or watering and no chemicals. For example, Blue Star Creeper (Isotoma fluviatillis) is rugged, fast growing, and can handle lots of foot traffic. It flowers beautifully in the spring and summer, an added bonus. Elfin Thyme (Thymus serpyllum) is very drought tolerant, grows low to the ground, and forms a solid mat of green foliage. You’ll love the light pink flowers it sports in the summer, too. Ivy, vinca and bishopweed are other options. Liriope works great, too. Though it dies back in the winter, for a solid three seasons it has lush foliage that never needs mowing.

6) Decorative stones, fountains, birdbaths – For a really low maintenance yard, replace sections of your lawn with stonework. Use gravel for pathways, larger boulders to make statements and different sized rocks to add visual interest. Fill pots large and small with some perennials, some annuals. Install a water fountain, a pond, and some birdbaths to complete the effect. Don’t forget a bench so you can sit near the fountain and take in the view.

7) Woodchips – If your kids need a play area, woodchips may serve them well. Pick large, smooth woodchips, not fresh chips that may easily splinter, and scatter them about two inches deep.

8) Green weeds – If the lawn look is what you want, or you feel like the kids just need some kind of grassy area to play on, go for “faux” grass – or, as it’s known around my house, weeds. Weeds are not uniform in appearance like grass is. But their low maintenance, while still covering the ground in green, makes them a hands-down winner. I never water or fertilize my weeds and mow them only about a third as often as I’d have to mow grass. But I still enjoy my yard greatly.

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Natural Weed Control

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Want to garden organically but don’t know how to beat the bugs? This handy infographic, prepared by the good folks at First Choice Environmental, suggests 4 tricks that will help you create a healthier garden overall. It tells you which bugs are good, then helps you avoid more toxic pesticides in favor of biological pest controls that use the good guys to control the bad guys. It lists a few beneficial flowers you’d probably want to plant anyway – but especially after you find out how effective they can be at warding off plants. And suggests a simple barrier you can put up so bugs don’t land on your plants in the first place. For organic pest control for your garden, try these eco-friendly DIY steps.

The post 4 Steps to DIY Organic Pest Control for Your Garden appeared first on Big Green Purse.