As you do a visual appraisal of your garden, do you realize that as far as green is concerned your garden just doesn’t make the grade? If you are looking for more ways to green up your garden and make it more ecological, here are some worthwhile suggestions. Allow these ideas to serve as a jumping off point for some ideas of your own!

If your yard does not have many trees (including smaller shrubs and bushes), then you need to plant some more. Trees are very good for the environment and are very pleasing to the eye. Plus, when strategically placed with the landscape in mind they are suitable for every yard and garden.

Trees provide oxygen, and they also protect your home from the harshness of cold winds and the sweltering rays of the sun. This means that your heating bill in the winter will be less, as will your power bill in the summer. Trees are your outdoor heater and air conditioner! This is one way to save more on your energy bill. Trees also provide shelter for small animals and birds. When you are outside gardening on a warm day with company- your family pet- your dog or cat is likely to enjoy the shade of a beautiful tree to lie under while you do your work!

Use natural materials in your garden at every opportunity. When adding any type of feature, use materials that are kinder to the environment. Use stone timber and decorative aggregate, such as granite chippings, slate mulches, sand, etc.). These substances are a more ecologically sound choice than are cement, brick, or any kinds of metals or plastics.

Choose local products and manufacturers whenever possible. Find out from your supplier where the materials you are interested in purchasing come from. For example, when you are looking for timber it is best to buy local timber that is certified as being from a sustainable source.

Compost at every opportunity! If you build a compost pile that is made up of vegetable scraps from your kitchen, as well as grass clippings and leaves, when these material meld together and rot they will prove very nutritious for your soil. Not only that but they will help a green lawn look as lush a green as you could want!

Mulch is just a fancy word for organic matter that provides a covering and protective layer on top of soil. Mulch is designed to give back to your soil by feeding it with essential nutrients. It can help prevent your soil from drying out, as well as stunt the growth of weeds and keep it from being harmed by extreme weather.

Almost any type of organic substance can be used as mulch provided it is not fresh. For example, dead leaves work better than fresh leaves. The best quality compost for mulch needs to be rotted or if not, then well on its way to rotting.

One of the best choices for mulch is animal manure. It is abundant in nitrogen and will encourage growth. Well-rotted manure is best as it is very plant-friendly. If you put fresh manure on your soil, it can burn plants as it gives off heat. Any type of animal manure is fine, but cow and horse manure are two of the best choices and most likely the simplest to obtain.

You might want to mix animal manure with wood shavings or straw to make it lighter and easier to spread. If you choose to use organic matter such as straw, wood or sawdust, then compost those first before you combine them with the manure.

Rotted leaves are a good option for mulch, however they are not that rich in nitrogen until they really get the chance to rot. This can take as long as three years to happen. What you can do is rake up the leaves that have fallen onto your lawn and then place then in recycled bags, a holding pen that is constructed from wire mesh, or a plastic compost bin with no lid.

You will know once the rotted leaves are ready to use as mulch because they will disintegrate and take on the appearance and consistency of soil. In other words, they will no longer resemble leaves anymore. In some cases they may end up looking like flaky pieces of soil.

Another option, if it is available to you, is mushroom compost. If you know of a mushroom farm nearby, then you might be able to get a hold of some mushrooms that are rotting and would work well as mulch material.

Do you know what type of soil you have in your yard? What does the condition of your soil says about its health? One way to get better acquainted with your soil is to take a soil core sample. Doing so is similar to using a periscope of sorts to take a closer and more speculative look at what lies beneath your soil’s surface.

You can buy a special T-handled core sampler, or you can just use a spade or trowel. Doing this can help you to identify problems as they relate to your soil, and from there a diagnosis can be made. Doing this can aid you in improving the way in which you water your soil.

Having the healthiest soil around and using water in the wisest possible way will not only save you time and money, but it also will enable you to conserve the resources you have, and it will take away the need to use any type of chemicals on your soil. A healthier garden and lawn is much easier to take care of and will look as though it is brimming with life because it will be!

How to Take a Soil Core Sample

If you decide to use a spade or trowel to do the sample, you need to carefully lift a slice of soil that is shaped like a wedge. Don’t worry about messing up your yard. Once you are finished you can simply put the remaining soil back into place, and it will soon look as if you had never removed it in the first place.

If you decide to use a T-handled core sampler, then lean on it and push the sampler three to six inches down into the ground. If the soil is damp or a little wet, it will be easier to maneuver. However, if your soil is dry or is very closely packed, then you may find that it is necessary to twist the sampler from side to side as you push down on it.

Take samples from a couple of different locations in your yard. In particular, if your soil starts to look a little different, then sampling is recommended.

If you are an environmentally friendly person who is in need of a new mower, then you should turn your attention to all of the advantages that come with purchasing a mulching mower.

A mulching mower is a modern type of mower that comes with a special blade that does not just cut grass- it cuts grass into very small fine pieces. The grass is small enough that it does not look unsightly lying on your lawn. The pieces can be left where they are and in a short period of time they will begin to decompose and will find their way back into the earth.

The soil will reap the benefits of the grass debris that the mulching mower creates. Sometimes referred to as grass cycling or mulch- mowing, a mulching mower is an excellent way to improve the environment!

Grass that is mowed with a mulching mower has the potential to be very green and healthy. It is also very nutrient rich. The fine pieces of grass that are deposited on the lawn are composed of nitrogen. Nitrogen is an element that is necessary for the growth of organisms. Scientifically written as N2, nitrogen makes up 80 percent of the atmosphere and is particularly beneficial to plant life.

If you are one of those people who starts raking immediately after mowing and does not like your lawn to look as though it has a green carpet on top of it, then you don’t need to worry- a mulching mower will bring an end to this! Raking up grass and bagging it becomes a thing of the past when you buy a mulching mower. As well, the look of a thick shaggy green carpet on the lawn also fades into yesterday.

The mulching mower produces pieces of grass are so fine that they will not look thick, clumpy and unsightly. Mulching gives a lawn a neat, clean appearance. It also makes less work for you. The engine on a mulching mower is very powerful, so this is important to be aware of.

Mulching mowers come in gas and electric. The most environmentally friendly of the two is the electric mower. The reason for this is simple- the electric mulching mower is quieter and there is no exhaust being emitted.