GOOD GARDENING
PRACTICES
TO PROTECT YOUR
ENVIRONMENT
Know
requirements of your plants
Know your
soil and prepare it properly
Plan
correctly
Know your
enemies (and your friends)
Water
wisely
Mulch to
reduce water usage and weeks
Prune
correctly
Weed
Compost
garden waste
Recycle
The Garden
Club of America
14 East 60th
Street
New York,
NY 10022
212.753.8287
Reprint
permission granted
CHOOSE THE RIGHT PLANT
Consider the
amount of
light, pH,
soil type (wet, dry, clay, sandy) before planting.
Diversify by
using more
than one
kind of plant suitable for the site. Encourage genetic diversity by
using
heirloom and saved seed.
Plants native
to the
gardener’s
area may be more tolerant of local weather conditions, pests and
diseases which
can make them a better choice.
Choose plants
that are
appropriate
to your climate and USDA Zone. Learn
what is considered an
invasive plant in
your area and remove it from your garden.
SOIL
Test
your soil with
a kit or use your county extension service. The results will determine
the pH
and N-P-K (nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium).
The
pH should be close to 6.5 for most plants. Extreme pH
values dramatically reduce availability of essential nutrients in the
soil.
If
a pH correction is necessary:
add
ground dolomitic limestone to increase pH
add
powdered sulfur to lower pH
N-P-K
are essential plant elements and may
occur
naturally in the soil, but can be
augmented with fertilizers.
Use
organic fertilizers with slow release N
If
fertilization is necessary, use organic fertilizers
instead of chemical types. They feed and build the soil naturally;
improve soil
structure; increase soil’s water-holding capacity and
encourage
earthworms and
soil microorganisms.
Nitrogen
(N) can be found in fish meal, cottonseed meal,
fish emulsion, earthworm castings, alfalfa meal, blood meal, and
soybean meal.
Nitrogen-fixing crops can improve soil condition and include green
manures and
leguminous plants.
Phosphorus
(P) can be found in bone meal, kelp, fish meal,
and rock phosphate (a natural source of phosphorus).
Potassium
(K) is available in wood ashes, kelp
and
greensand .
Compost
contains low levels of N-P-K and minerals which it
slowly releases to your plants
when spread
in the garden. Using compost
may eliminate the need for additional fertilizer. Other minerals needed
by
plants are boron, calcium, manganese,
magnesium, molybdenum, sodium, and sulfur.
WATERING
Water
is a resource that needs conserving. Gardeners can set
the correct example by determining when to water, how to water, and how
much to
apply.
Collect
rain runoff (rain barrels under gutter downspouts),
use rain gauges, water timers and water only when necessary. Water deeply, not often.
Don’t
water between 10 am and 4 pm because of high
evaporation loss. The best time is early morning to prevent diseases.
Soaker or
drip hoses provide water without the evaporation caused by sprinklers
and
prevent erosion and runoff.
Water
systems with moisture sensors can greatly reduce water
usage.
Gray
water may be available in your town and can be used in
your garden.
2-4”
of mulch reduces the evaporation of moisture from the
soil. Pine bark
mulch is preferred – it
is a byproduct of the timber/paper industries.
When it breaks down,
it
adds organic matter to the soil. Ground up leaves, such
as oak, and pine straw are also good choices. Stone mulches complement
Xeriscaping,
the practice of using plants that need little or no water.
Don’t pile
mulch
around plant stems or tree trunks.
IPM
Integrated
Pest Management
(IPM) should be practiced.
Monitor
your plants for pests or diseases.
Identify
and remember bugs are not always bad bugs. There
are several good books in our Sources list for identification. An
organic
control is the first line of action, if any action is needed.
Insecticides
or fungicides should not be
used unless absolutely necessary. Access
weekly tips at www.usna.usda.gov
for further updates.
Add
bird and bat houses to the property.
Birds
and bats eat bugs.
PEST CONTROL
Aphids,
Mites
Strong
jet of water to wash pests away; repeat as needed
Insecticidal
soap or a wash with mild detergent solution and
a water rinse
Ultrafine
horticultural oil
Scale,
Mealybug
Ultrafine
horticultural oil
Spray
with 70% isopropyl alcohol
Whitefly
Yellow
sticky traps
Insecticidal
soap
Ultrafine
horticultural oil
Grubs
Beneficial
nematodes
Bacillus
thuringiensis (Bt)
(Bacillus
popilliae is milky spore disease and is specific for the grub
of
the
Japanese beetle)
Caterpillars,
Bagworms
see
Sources list for information to identify good and bad
caterpillars
Handpick
Bacillus
thuringiensis (Bt)
Neem
oil—do not use if near ponds, streams or wetlands
Gypsy
moths
Sticky
tape around tree trunk
Bacillus
thuringiensis (Bt)
Cutworms
(different treatments for different stages)
Cutworm
collars around seedlings
Beneficial
nematodes
Bacillus
thuringiensis (Bt)
Trichogramma wasps
Grasshoppers,
Colorado Potato Beetles, Harlequin Bugs,
Japanese Beetles, Striped and Spotted Cucumber Beetles, etc.
Handpick
Beneficial
nematodes
Pyrethrum
Neem
oil—do not use if near ponds, streams or wetlands
RotenoneS
PLANT DISEASES
Plant
diseases can be bacterial, fungal, or viral.
Bacteria
cause wilting, galls, rots, blights, or spots. Ways
to minimize infection include washing of leaves with soapy water or
spraying
with a copper formulated
product.
Another
spray is a mixture of:
1
gallon water +
2 Tbsp. dish detergent +
2 Tbsp. baking soda +
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil.
Fungi
cause rot in seeds, roots, and fruits as well as in
new growth. Controls include a sulphur dusting powder or spray, copper
fungicide, or the above mix.
Clean
up garden by removing diseased plant material to
reduce fungi.
Prune
to increase air circulation.
Viruses
cause yellowing, stunting, and malformations of a
plant and its leaves. No cure; dispose of plant carefully.
Rotate
crops of plants to interrupt life
cycles
of pests and plant diseases.
WEEDING
A
weed is a plant growing in the wrong place. Weeding
eliminates competition for space, nutrients and water. Air circulation
is
improved with weeding which
reduces
risk of diseases.
Hand
picking before going to seed is the best control
environmentally, but most labor intensive.
Mulching
is very effective.
Spray
weeds with white vinegar. Use weed
removal
products with low toxicity and
rapid decomposition. Always read labels and follow instructions.
Spot
spray rather than broadcast. Spray at dusk after bees
have returned to their hives.
PRUNING
Prune
out dead, diseased or crossing branches.
Pruning
correctly may limit insect and disease damage.
Use
sharp tools to
reduce damage to plants.
Bypass
pruners are preferred as they do not mash the stem.
Keep
tools clean by dipping in isopropyl alcohol to prevent
diseases from spreading from plant to plant.
Prune
flowering shrubs right after flowering. Waiting
several
weeks may eliminate next year’s
blooms.
COMPOSTING & RECYCLING
Composting
is an essential practice;
it reduces
waste and creates healthy
soil.
The
rule of thumb is 2 parts carbon waste such as oak leaves
to 1 part green such as plant prunings or non-animal kitchen scraps.
Compost
takes anywhere from 1 month to 1 year to make,
depending on conditions such as the
mixture, temperature of the pile and outdoor temperature,
sun/shade,
and moisture. Compost is available at garden
centers and some city recycling centers.
Garden
waste that cannot be recycled in a compost pile due
to lack of space should be discarded in biodegradable bags or, if
picked up
curbside,
put
into reusable containers such as trash cans.
When
possible, purchase plants growing in fiber pots that
can decompose in your compost pile or in a pot that can be reused or
recycled.
SOURCES
Natural
Disease Control by Brooklyn Botanic Garden (BBG) www.bbg.org
718.622.4433
Natural
Insect Control: The Ecological Gardener’s Guide to
Foiling Pests by BBG
The
Natural Lawn and Alternatives by BBG
Going
Native Biodiversity in Our Own Backyards by BBG
Butterflies
Through Binoculars for East Coast
or
Florida by Jeffrey Glassberg
Caterpillars
by Peterson First Guides/Amy Bartlett Wright
Garden
Insect ID and Control Guide by Clemson
University/Cooperative Extension Service
Gardens
Alive catalogue has environmentally friendly
products, 812.537.8650 (Indiana) www.gardensalive.com
American
Pie (Public Information on the Environment)
800.320.apie, info@americanpie.org
for
questions. www.americanpie.org
Invasive
Plants; Weeds of the Global Garden by BBG
Invasive Plant List available from GCA or your State’s Native
Plant
Society or www.aphis.usda.gov/npb/statenw.html
The New
American Lawn brochure
- GCA’s
websites
TING
& R