Earth Day is a great time to start making healthy, sustainable choices in all aspects of your life. Celebrate Mother Nature today and give your vegetable garden a little extra TLC by putting eco-friendly systems in place! Growing your own favorite fruits and vegetables is good for the Earth, and it will remind you to incorporate more veggies into your daily meals.
RECYCLE RAINWATER
Take advantage of April showers by collecting and recycling rainwater. Set up a large barrel near a downspout or gutter. Use this water to irrigate your lawn and keep new plants moist and thriving. This all-natural solution works better than tap water for feeding your plants because it doesn’t contain minerals or the chemicals, like fluoride, sometimes found in public water systems. It is also better for the environment, saving gallons of water and reducing the risk of flooding and erosion. To set up a rainwater-collection system, talk to the folks at your local hardware store about options.
COMPOST YOUR KITCHEN WASTE
Create your own compost with yard and kitchen waste. It’s great for enriching your soil, and you’ll be recycling your waste in a productive way. Setting up your own compost is simple. The first step is to buy a bin; plastic or wood will work fine. Next, just dump any organic waste into the bin. This includes vegetable rinds, fruit peels, leaves, grass and coffee grounds. Anything that comes from the earth is fair game, although you should avoid animal products and anything treated with pesticides. Adding live worms to the bin is a great way to speed the process along. The mixture will break down to form a nutrient-rich substance perfect for mixing into your soil and putting on your plants. It’s a sustainable way to boost your garden over the long run! Read more about the dos, don’ts and benefits of home compost.
By caring for a home vegetable garden, you’ll encourage your family to eat more vegetables, as they’ll be fresh and readily available. It’s one of the best ways to remind yourself to incorporate more of these foods into your diet. Plus, the weeding and other work required to maintain a garden is a great way to get in a little extra physical activity while being good to the planet.
If you’re planning on starting your garden right away, here’s a list of veggies to consider planting in April and May in most areas of the country!
- Beans
- Asparagus
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Lettuce
- Onions
- Spinach
How are you celebrating Earth Day?