Justin Ahrens
Sarah Ahrens
Kara Ayaram
Tim Damitz
Bob Davidson
Susan Herda
Kerri Liu
Katrina Strich
Intern
Guest Blogger
My husband and I love to cook. We rarely eat out at restaurants, and instead enjoy being in the kitchen together making our own meals. Because of this we’ve always bought a lot of fresh ingredients, primarily produce. Lately, though, after hearing time and again how much produce is sprayed with pesticides and how expensive buying organic market vegetables can be, we have looked into going the DIY (do-it-yourself) route. It’s healthy for both our family and the environment – conserving water and reducing pollution from toxic chemicals.
Even though we only have a small patio, we still have managed to start planting a few delicious items including peppers, cilantro, and hopefully tomatoes and pumpkins soon. A small plot of land in your backyard is a big plus, but we’ve found that planters on a cement slab work just as good! Just follow the eco-friendly gardening tips after the jump and you’ll be on your way to a great fall harvest.
- All natural compost works wonders… and won’t harm the Earth like poisonous pesticides, chemical fertilizers and weed killers. Composting is actually quite simple and a great routine to start.
- Use recycled materials. There are a lot of eco-friendly planters available, and if you don’t want to shell out the extra cash, feel free to try out things you may have lying around your house. Cutting a hole in the bottom of an old dresser drawer or used Chinese takeout containers make sustainable and funky planters.
- Pest control is key. No need to put chemical pest repellents on your growing greenery… there are a variety of natural ways to keep your garden eco-friendly and pest-free. Garlic spray is great for keeping away mosquitos, and ladybugs and earthworms are your garden’s best friend – they control a variety of soft-body insects and speed up the decomposition process respectively.
- Wasting H20 is no-go. Instead of breaking out the clunky hose, collect water using a rain barrel. It will help with your monthly bill and protects against erosion and flooding by reducing stormwater runoff.
- Plan ahead. Certain plants grow best at different times. Heat-resistent plants like pumpkins, peas, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, corn and eggplant are great to start planting in July and August.
For more green gardening resources, check out Eco-Gardening.com, Seeds of Change, or PlanetNatural.com.
**BONUS** Try out our delicious family recipe for pico de gallo! Trust us, it’s even better when all the ingredients have been harvested from your own backyard.
Ingredients:
- 5-6 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced
- 1/2 white onion diced
- 1 jalepeño minced fine (take out the seeds & core for mild salsa)
- juice of one lime
- 4 tbsp cilantro, chopped fine
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions: Combine all ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate for one hour (although the longer the flavors mingle, the better). Tastes great on everything from chicken wraps to traditional tacos, or serve along with tortilla chips.
Thanks for a great post Susan! I’m going to try your pico recipe and add some avocado for a killer guacamole!
Rain barrels rule.
Awesome. I am looking forward to starting a garden once I move. Will August be too late to start?
Dan, it’s not too late! I believe August is still a good time to start veggies like carrots and head lettuce.
What about September? Does anything grow that late in the year?
Here’s a few tips to start:
• Grow tomatoes. Surround them with basil to control aphids. Remember to pinch off the secondary in-grown branches (suckers) to promote blossoms and fruit. Lotsa sun. Water every other day – don’t flood, don’t let get dry. Buy plants now, too late to grow from seed.
• Cilantro is a great herb to start. Grows fast, in almost any soil. Give it lotsa sunlight. Pull it out entirely when it flowers.
• Basil is another winner. Easy to grow. Pick the leaves for cooking. Lotsa a sun and it’s long lasting
• I’ve always had problems with head lettuce. Leaf lettuce is great. Fast growing. bountiful. Plant in early Sept. – needs cool evenings to germinate. In very hot weather, the taste turns very bitter.
• For fall, try kale which has a distinctive taste and looks great. Onions, too. Sets are available at a lot of reputable garden shops. Mail order, too
There’s many many great websites with photos, comments, experts. Use them
Oops, one more tip:
Good soil makes everything easy. Work in compost to amend either sandy or clay conditions. Use lotsa mulsh – grass clippings or leaves are free. Also, many suburban towns will give you for free woods chips from tree & shrub clean. Lay it on thick – 2″ to 4″. Do that two or three times per year. It promotes drainage and elevates the bed.
Wow! Bob, you are certainly a wealth of information. Thanks so much for all the great tips! Since you mentioned basil is another easy herb to grow, I think I may have to try it out–perfect for my homemade spaghetti sauce.