by Ingrid Justick:

Vol. 28, No. 3

Creating an organic garden means fulfilling a longing for nature, for beauty, for self-expression, and for the simple act of growing – both within ourselves and our land. In organic gardening, we can invent our own beautiful world, a miniature paradise that gives abundant joy to us and everyone who visits. When gardening, we slow down, breathe deeply, and cultivate patience. Following are some timesaving suggestions:

Plant Choices: Most gardeners grow the flowers they consider most beautiful and vegetables that are most tasty, but if you want a garden to be easy, also consider how much effort particular plants require. Some of the lowest maintenance garden plants are perennials. But since perennials only bloom for one or two months each season, add easy-to-grow annuals including begonias, impatiens, marigolds, and petunias. These annuals will bloom all summer.

Native Plants: The easiest plants to grow in your garden are those that grow native in your region. The non-profit organization, Native Plant Society of New Jersey (www.npsnj.org) offers lists of regional native plants..

Roses: Difficult to grow, but Conrad Pyle’s Knock Out Roses are easy to grow and resistant to diseases and insects and require no toxic chemicals to preserve their beauty. 

Tomatoes: Easy to grow but select a variety resistant to disease and insects common in your area. Call your local agricultural extension office and ask which tomato plants they recommend.

Plant Some Herbs: They are almost care free, but very rarely develop a disease and their beautiful scents attract butterflies to your garden. 

Some of the following techniques take time to implement early in the season, but they pay off in time saved later:

🙫  Add a 2-inch layer of compost to your garden and mix it with your soil to a depth of about 4 inches before you plant. Nutrients in compost create a stronger, healthier plant that is better able to fend off diseases and pests. If possible, make your own compost. 

🙫  Snake a soaker hose through your garden and let it weep water from its tiny holes to your plants for a few hours a day. This saves time from watering by hand. Bury the hose about 1-2 inches beneath the soil. 

🙫  To save time try rollout paper much to keep out weeds, which compete with your plants for water and soil nutrients. You do not have to remove rollout paper mulch in the autumn; it deteriorates into the soil.

🙫   Most insects are beneficial to plants and those that cause problems tend to harm only one plant species. Grow a wide variety of plants and if insects claim one or two, eliminate those plants next year, or look for a variety resistant to that pest.

May your organic garden be a healthy experience 
for yourself and your environment.

by Ingrid Justick:

Vol. 28, No. 2

Climate change is probably the greatest threat our earth has to face. Unless we take significant action to reduce global warming, we will face more frequent and severe weather extremes, the expansion of invasive pests and diseases, the disruption of the ecosystem and the extinction of thousands of species. As gardeners, we are guardians of our environment and there are many simple and thoughtful ways we can work with nature to solve problems.

It may still be winter, but perhaps you can make some changes in your plans for spring. Through the following actions, we can make an enormous difference in our gardens.

ELIMINATE LAWN AND GARDEN PESTICIDES and you prevent highly toxic chemicals form being released into rivers, streams and ground water. Just one ounce of diazinon can pollute 94 million gallons of water. Use natural methods of pest control. Use organic fertilizers.

IMPROVE ENERGY EFFICIENCY by replacing outdoor light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs, installing outdoor automatic light timers and purchasing solar-powered garden products. Encourage local home and garden centers to carry energy efficient products. Reduce the use of gasoline-powered garden tools. Use electric or human-powered tools, such as push mowers, hand clippers and rakes. Consider replacing some of your lawn with low maintenance ground cover or native wildflowers. Plant with heirloom seeds. Increase biodiversity and attract butterflies to your garden.

REDUCE WATER CONSUMPTION. Actions include mulching, installing rain barrels, adjusting your watering schedule and using drip-irrigation. You can save six gallons of water every minute of watering by attaching a trigger nozzle to your garden hose. To reduce water pollution, develop a rain garden, which captures storm water runoff from heavy downpours and helps prevent it from entering into local lakes, streams and coastal waters.

COMPOST KITCHEN AND GARDEN WASTES. It reduces your contribution to global warming, especially methane, a highly potent greenhouse gas. Compost provides excellent nutrients for your garden, reducing the need for fertilizers, which pollute water supplies and consume much energy to produce.

PLANTING TREES near your home can shield it form hot sun in the summer and cold winds in winter, reducing energy use for air conditioning and heating. Trees and plants absorb carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas responsible for climate change.

Let us all contribute to an abundant and healthful life
on our beautiful planet Earth.

by Ingrid Justick:

Vol. 28, No. 1

Consider this New Year’s resolution: easing month by month into a greener world!

Living in tune with nature is an invitation to live creatively. This calendar of twelve simple but healthy baby steps will help you into a greener way of life.

JANUARY Green Step: Replace your conventional personal-care products (deodorants, shampoos, body lotions, etc.) with non-toxic organic choices. For green options check www.BurtBees.com, www.AubreyOrganics.com or www.Aveda.com

FEBRUARY Green Step: Bring commercial pesticides to your local hazardous waste center. Almost half of the most widely used pesticides are classified as carcinogens by the Environmental Protection Agency. Visit www.PlanetNatural.com for non-toxic alternatives.

MARCH Green Step: Check labels on cleaning products for toxic ingredients (chlorine or ammonia) or warnings (hazardous or poisonous.) Replace them with green cleaners, available at health food stores and select grocery stores.

APRIL Green Step: Take off your shoes when you enter your home or every chemical and pesticide from the street and lawn comes inside with you.

MAY Green Step: Shift to organic coffee and milk. Coffee crops are among the most heavily sprayed with pesticides and cows providing most milk are treated with hormones and antibiotics.

JUNE Green Step: Park your car and walk whenever possible. Formaldehyde, benzene and carbon monoxide are six to ten times higher in cars than outside.

JULY Green Step: Replace polyester or permanent press bedding with untreated organic cotton. Conventional cotton fields are doused with pesticides.

AUGUST Green Step: Reconsider dry cleaning. Most dry cleaners use a very toxic solvent, called perchloroethylene. Find a “Wet Cleaner” who uses no toxic chemicals. And note that many garments labeled “Dry Clean Only” can be washed by hand.

SEPTEMBER Green Step: Add one meatless meal per week. It takes seven or more pounds of grain and 840 gallons of fresh water to produce one pound of beef.

OCTOBER Green Step: Buy at least one organic fruit and vegetable each week, to replace those that may have been grown and sprayed with pesticides.

NOVEMBER Green Step: Replace your plastic shower curtains for those made with organic cotton or hemp. The plastic variety contains toxic chemicals, called phthalates, which you inhale.

DECEMBER Green Step: Open your windows for at least 15 minutes every day. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, indoor air is up to 90% more polluted than outdoors!

Change does not happen with a single action but step by step 
with a series of small gestures.

by Ingrid Justick:

Vol. 27, No. 5

Make a difference this Holiday Season with presents that bring joy to friends and family and our planet. Sharing gifts with others is a wonderful way to celebrate the abundance and joy of the season. It is also a great way to support the causes you care about and earth-friendly companies you respect.

Give green gifts, such as organic cotton sweaters and locally produced food baskets. Handmade gifts are the most cherished. As an alternative, gifts of service, like car washing, dog walking or babysitting have no negative environmental impacts, and are of personal significance. Rather then asking friends or family members what they want, ask what they like to do. Give tickets to concerts, shows, or sporting events. Planting a tree in someone’s name is very special. When shopping for gifts, lighten your impact on the environment, and create more cheer by carpooling with friends. If you take the time to select eco-friendly gifts, please do not use generic wrapping paper. When using recycled paper you reduce forestry, water, energy, and global warming impacts.

Entertain with real plates, cups, silverware and napkins instead of disposable goods. Plan a holiday party with an eco-friendly theme. Make homemade gifts from recycled items, such as fabrics or old photos. Or, host a “good use” party at which you collect old winter clothing for your local homeless shelter.

Decorating: Buy holiday lights made with LED’s (Light Emitting Diodes) available from hardware stores. The bulbs are 90% more efficient than traditional lights, use only 5% of the energy, and last up to 100 times longer. Rather then filling the house with store purchased ornaments, which are easily broken and are destined for landfills, make your own decorations. Create wreaths and centerpieces from biodegradable pine cones, pomegranates, cinnamon sticks, or dried fruit. For your front door, purchase a biodegradable wreath from birdseed, and string popcorn and cranberries into garland for your tree instead of tinsel, which takes years to decompose.

Recycle fresh Christmas trees. While you need not feel guilty about purchasing a cut tree (almost all are grown on tree farms and have no impact on forests), used Christmas trees create significant landfill waste. To find out where your tree can become mulch for local gardens or parks, log on to www.earth911.org and enter your zip code.

And most important, is the gift of togetherness:

Take a night off from the season’s obligations, gather your friends or family and become aware of all the blessings in your lives.

by Ingrid Justick:

Vol. 27, No. 4

Finding ways to maximize your wintertime energy savings is the most effective way to reduce your home’s global warming footprint. Many winterizing fixes are simple strategies that require minimal cost, with a high return on savings.

Plug Air Leaks: If one fourth of U.S. households sealed leaks around their doors and windows, it would save enough energy in heating and cooling costs to prevent eight million tons of CO2 from being emitted, according to the EPA. One technique to identify leaks is by walking with a lit candle near potential draft-causers, such as windows, doorways, vents and electrical outlets. When the candle flame starts to flutter, you found a leak. Also look for dirty or frosty spots in insulation, which indicate leaks. Use caulk to fill small gaps, and use weather stripping for larger gaps. Conventional caulk often contains formaldehyde, a known carcinogen, as a preservative. Find nontoxic caulk at your local hardware store, or at Green Building Supply (800-405-0222).

Upgrade Your Insulation: Installing more insulation will help you reach your efficiency goals. Your local home supply store can tell you the recommended “R” value of insulation you need, based on where you live. (R-values are measurements of how well insulation keeps heat from passing through.) Insulating your attic properly is most important. Use natural fiber insulation that contains no chemical irritants. To add to your energy efficiency, seal and insulate your ducts with duct sealant or metal-backed tape focusing on ducts that move through attics, basements and garages. Homes with central air can lose up to 60 percent of heated air if ducts are not properly insulated. In many cases, air leaks can be hidden away in places hard to find. Hiring an energy efficiency auditor associated with the EPA’s Home Performance program can help you identify energy inefficiencies. Local utility companies sometimes provide energy audits for free.

Check Your Windows: If your windows feel drafty, there are several inexpensive ways to seal them. Add storm windows to provide additional draft protection. Close your curtains or shades at nighttime; it can reduce heat loss by 30 percent. Install a programmable thermostat. Energy Star recommends a temperature of 70 degrees or less when you are at home. Set the temperature back by eight degrees at night when you are sleeping. To save more energy, install zone heating. You heat highly used zones in your house instead of the whole house.

Clean Your Filters: Check your air filters monthly. Dirty filters prevent efficient airflow; therefore you are using more energy for less heat because the system has to work harder.

Humidify: Humid air feels warmer than dry air at the same temperature. So when you use a humidifier, the heat index of a room increases, allowing you to set your thermostat at a lower temperature.

Some of the simplest measures can also be the most satisfying way to warm our homes and hearts, when we know we are taking steps toward a more sustainable future.