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The Best Eco-Friendly Landscaping Tools for Your Garden

8. August 2023 Katie Moody How To Articles, Lawn Care Tips, Quick Tips, Your Yard and The Earth (0)

Landscaping and gardening tools on a table

As our awareness of the environment grows, more homeowners are embracing the shift towards eco-friendly practices, particularly in their gardens. This eco-conscious movement involves incorporating tools that preserve the earth and enrich the gardening experience. And at the heart of this change? Eco-friendly landscaping tools. By utilizing these, you have the power to nurture a stunning garden that’s also kind to the planet. But what exactly makes a tool eco-friendly? Which ones are the absolute best for maintaining a greener garden? This blog will delve into these questions, offering insights and recommendations. So whether you're a seasoned gardener or a beginner, prepare to discover new ways to make your gardening habits more sustainable and environmentally friendly.

What Makes a Landscaping Tool Eco-Friendly?

Before we jump into the list of tools, let's first understand what makes a landscaping tool eco-friendly. That isn't just a label slapped on a product for marketing. There are specific factors to consider. The first is the material used. A tool made from renewable materials, like bamboo or recycled plastic, fits the bill. The second consideration is energy efficiency. Opt for tools that save energy - perhaps manual or powered by renewable sources, such as the sun. The third factor is the lifespan and recyclability of the tool. The longer a tool lasts and the more recyclable it is, the better it is for the environment. This way, we can reduce the amount of waste in landfills. So, when you're shopping, don't just skim the surface. Remember to consider the tool's entire lifecycle to make a truly eco-friendly choice.

1. Solar-Powered Lawn Mower

The solar-powered lawn mower tops our list of eco-friendly landscaping tools. These innovative machines run on renewable solar energy, making them an exceptional choice for environmentally conscious homeowners. They are perfect for tasks like prepping your lawn for winter, providing a smooth, clean cut without the carbon emissions of traditional gas mowers. Beyond their green credentials, these mowers are impressively quiet, meaning you can care for your lawn without disturbing the peace of your surroundings. Brands like EGO and Ryobi have distinguished themselves, offering top-notch solar mowers that combine efficiency, durability, and eco-friendliness. Investing in a solar-powered lawn mower gives you a well-manicured lawn and contributes to a more sustainable world. So, enjoy greener gardening with the power of the sun.

2. Bamboo Gardening Gloves

Regarding eco-friendly gardening, even the smallest change can make a big difference. One such change is switching to bamboo gardening gloves. These gloves, made from fast-growing and highly renewable bamboo, are incredibly durable. Moreover, they're comfortable, breathable, and naturally antibacterial, providing a healthy environment for your hands while you plant, prune, and perform other gardening tasks. And the best part? When their lifespan eventually ends, they break down naturally, leaving no harmful residues. Plus, they're perfect for adding new plants to your garden without damaging your hands. Brands like Burgon & Ball offer high-quality bamboo gardening gloves that combine functionality and sustainability effectively. So, let them be bamboo next time you put on your gardening gloves. You'll appreciate the comfort, and the planet will thank you for your eco-friendly choice.

3. Manual Reel Mower

If you're looking for tools that provide an efficient way to maintain an eco-friendly lawn, a manual reel mower might just be the tool for you. These mowers don't rely on gas or electricity. Instead, they use good old human power. That makes them energy-efficient and carbon-free, providing a clean, precise cut that lawn care enthusiasts often prefer. These mowers are an excellent way to have an eco-friendly lawn without compromising quality. Brands like Fiskars and Scotts manufacture manual reel mowers that are user-friendly and effective, perfect for giving your lawn a well-groomed appearance. Switching to a manual reel mower is a step towards more sustainable gardening practices. It reduces your carbon footprint and brings the bonus of a light workout while you keep your lawn looking its best.

4. Recycled Plastic Watering Can

Watering your garden is a daily task, but have you considered doing it the eco-friendly way? Opting for a recycled plastic watering can is a simple but impactful choice. These cans are crafted from reclaimed plastic, reducing waste and offering a second life to materials that would otherwise end up in landfills. But don't let the term "recycled" mislead you. These cans are as durable and functional as any other, with the added benefit of being environmentally friendly. Brands like Stewart Garden create stylish, vibrant options that can add a touch of color to your gardening routine. By incorporating a recycled plastic watering can into your daily gardening tasks, you take an easy but significant step towards more sustainable living. It's a small change with a big environmental payoff.

5. Biodegradable Plant Pots

The last item on our list is biodegradable plant pots. These are simple yet revolutionary ways to eliminate excess plastic waste. They are made from organic materials like coir, peat, or cow manure; these pots decompose naturally over time and blend back into the earth, enriching the soil. They're a gardener's dream, offering an effortless transition from pot to garden for your plants. Additionally, they reduce the use of plastic and the associated waste. Biotabs and UPM are leading the way in providing quality biodegradable plant pots.

Implementing Eco-Friendly Practices in Your Landscaping

Eco-friendly landscaping goes beyond using green tools; it involves adopting practices contributing to a healthier environment. One such practice is composting your kitchen waste. This natural method enriches your soil, providing plant nutrients and reducing waste. Then there's water conservation, an essential in any garden. Techniques like rainwater harvesting can help maintain your garden's lush appearance while reducing water waste. You can also resort to natural pest control methods. For example, using neem oil instead of chemical pesticides can help you manage pests effectively without harming the environment. If you're moving into a new home and considering adding a garden, these practices can guide you in planting greenery in your new place and starting a sustainable garden. Remember, your garden is a part of the broader ecosystem, and these eco-friendly practices ensure it contributes positively.

Conclusion on the Best Eco-Friendly Landscaping Tools

Embracing eco-friendly landscaping tools is not just a trend. It's also a step towards a sustainable future. As homeowners, we hold significant power to make a difference in our environment. The choices we make, the tools we use, and the practices we adopt in our gardens - all contribute to the larger picture of environmental conservation. The tools we've discussed, from solar-powered mowers to biodegradable plant pots, are effective in their purpose and kind to the planet. They can help you with every gardening task, from mowing the lawn to ridding your garden of pests; all in an eco-friendly way.

Photo Credit: Unsplash.com

4 Essentials Needed to Grow a Strong & Healthy Garden

10. September 2020 Carrie Spencer Lawn Care Tips, Your Yard and The Earth (0)

Growing a garden can be such a healthy and fun hobby for your family. Aside from all of the nutritious produce you can grow, spending time outside can actually help relieve stress and keep you active. Of course, keeping that garden healthy can also provide a source of pride and satisfaction. So before you get started, make sure you have these gardening essentials:

Healthy Ground

A well-chosen plot is the foundation of any healthy garden.

Finding the right spot for your garden can minimize the effort needed to prep your soil.
Use a soil testing kit to assess the health of your dirt.
If you need to improve your soil, you can use worms, manure or other organic materials.
Composting is another way to amend your soil.

Smart Watering

Plants need the right amount of water, at the right times of day, in order to start and stay healthy.

Watering your garden in the morning is usually the best bet for healthy plants.
Watering in the evening can sometimes be best.
Avoiding overwatering is also crucial if you want to preserve the quality of your produce.
Investing in an irrigation system with flow-control valves can make watering easier

Gardening Tools

An irrigation system can make watering your garden effortless, but the right tools and equipment can make caring for that garden easier.

Certain tools of the trade are especially essential if this is your first garden.
If you need to pick up new tools soon, know that you can buy quality tools online.
You can buy new parts online from ProParts Direct if you need to repair your old gardening tools.
Renting heavier equipment, including a tiller, is a great way to keep costs low.

Seeds & Plants

Selecting the right plants for your region, garden size and level of commitment is one of the best ways to ensure that your new garden is a success.

Growing common recipe ingredients can be easy, even when you live in a smaller space.
If you want to use containers, you should choose plants and veggies that do well in pots.
Some herbs and vegetables require a little shade to thrive, so try to keep this in mind.
Growing certain vegetables, including carrots and celery, can require a bit more effort.

Keeping a garden healthy may seem complicated but it really doesn't have to be. Just grab this guide, pick up a few essentials and get to work on your new garden!

By Guest Blogger Carrie Spencer

Four Ways to Have an Eco-Friendly Lawn

1. August 2019 Kristin Louis Lawn Care Tips, Your Yard and The Earth (0)

A healthy-looking lawn does wonders for your property. Not only does it make your house stand out on your block, but it can also provide flood control, dissipate suburban heat, reduce fire hazards and if you’re trying to sell, definitely gives your home some curb appeal. Lawn care is big business, too. In 2015 alone, U.S. households spent almost $16 billion on lawn care and gardening services, which includes supplies, equipment, and lawn and landscaping services. Clearly, we spend lots of money to have great-looking lawns and landscaping, but could all the pesticides, fertilizer, and growth and greening additives we use be harming the environment, too?

It’s easy to go overboard with all the products when trying to keep a nice-looking lawn. However, you can still have green, thick grass, along with healthy trees, shrubs, and a garden, and fewer or no weeds if you follow these steps to creating an eco-friendly lawn.

1. Keep Your Lawn Green Without Chemicals
Paul Tukey writing for Popular Mechanics suggests some ways to mow your lawn that will keep it green, including keeping the mower’s blades sharp, using a push or electric mower to cut back on pollution, and leaving clippings on the lawn to create a natural fertilizer. He also suggests using compost as a natural, root-level fertilizer for lawns, gardens, shrubbery, and trees.

2. Water Wisely
While an oscillating or spinning sprinkler is a symbol of summer lawn care, both of those can waste a lot of water if you don’t monitor their use. Another option for watering is using low-pressure drip irrigation, where nozzles are placed at the base of plants, trees, or shrubs and water is applied slowly. This method can lower your water use. While a drip irrigation system might initially be expensive, it does reduce water usage and energy costs and improves seed germination. Regardless of whether you use drip irrigation, a sprinkler, or hand-watering, the key to using any type of system to water your lawn or your garden is to soak the ground to the depth of the roots.

3. Use Our Friends, The Bugs
Why spray your garden and foliage with aphid and other control products when nature provides its very own: bugs! Goodhousekeeping.com lists several species that can keep your greenery free of damaging pests, such as aphids, caterpillars, and Japanese beetles. These natural pest killers include ladybugs, ground beetles, soldier beetles, and tachinid flies. Many of these same bugs also help keep lawns free of pests, too.

4. Consider Using Plants As Ground Cover Instead of Grass
Unless your home is on several acres of land and there’s nothing but a wide stretch of lawn between the street and your front porch, consider using plant life as ground cover instead of grass. You can use flower and shrub beds, clover (just don’t step on the bees), or even several varieties of moss. Many of these and others, especially the mosses, grow easily in the shade, are easier to water (which is where the drip irrigation system can work better), and you won’t have to drag out the lawnmower every weekend. However, the ground cover does invite a number of unwanted pests and will have to be weeded frequently before fully grown. But once your insect friends make their home in it and you keep weeds from becoming a problem naturally with compost and organic mulch, ground cover will make your whole front yard look like a garden.

It doesn’t take a lot of chemicals to have a nice-looking lawn, just sensible use of mowing and organic fertilizer, the wise use of water, putting nature’s pest controllers to work, and using alternatives to grass. So, get out your gardening tools, pull on your gloves, and go play in the dirt to create an eco-friendly lawn you’ll be proud to call yours.

Photo Credit: Pixabay.com

What You Can Do Locally to Help Combat Climate Change

25. October 2018 Administrator Your Yard and The Earth (0)

Climate change is real, and it’s happening at an alarming rate. Man has hastened the amount of carbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gases present in our atmosphere through industrial processes and agricultural proliferation. The global temperature is increasing, polar ice is melting, and the sea levels are on the rise. The effects of climate change are far-reaching and have the potential to impact weather, food production, animal habitat, and much more. Here’s what you can do, locally, to help combat it.

Start At Home

You can’t look outward until you look inward. In other words, figure out how to implement some green changes at home first. Your first step is to invest in energy-efficient appliances (dishwasher, washer/dryer, and fridge) and lighting options. Next, practice water conservation. Take fewer baths and more showers. Save cooking water to help water plants. Install a rain barrel to collect rainwater for your lawn. Remember: If you’re not actively using water, turn it off (this includes while brushing your teeth!).

Change the way you commute

One of the things you probably do every day that contributes the most to climate change is driving your car. While telling you to give up your automobile is not realistic, and recommending that you get a hybrid or electric car may be cost-prohibitive, it’s reasonable to suggest you use your car less. Switching up your commute is a viable solution. Walk more. Ride a bike sometimes. Use public transportation as much as you can. Carpool. All of this helps.

Eat local and sustainable

You can do your part at the local market to reduce the effects of big agriculture on climate change. When shopping for your family’s groceries, try to buy local, organic, and sustainable. Yes, it may cost a little more. But your wallet is a great tool in combating climate change. If you can, buy your dairy and produce at local farmers markets. The less distance your food has to travel before it reaches your plate, the better for the environment. You can even try to grow your own food (or at least some of it).

Recycle, yes, but first reduce and reuse

Remember the three Rs: Reduce, reuse, and recycle. There’s a reason they come in that order. Recycling is good, but it takes energy to recycle stuff. Your ultimate goal should be to mostly eliminate non-recyclable trash and severely limit what you put in your recycling bin. Think reduce and reuse first.

“It turns out that transporting and processing materials for recycling is carbon intensive. Recycling still uses less energy than making new products from scratch, but reducing and reusing are even cleaner,” notes Forbes.

Write Your Local Politicians

You can do all the biking, recycling, and water conservation you can manage, and it won’t be enough to tackle the enormity of our global climate change problem. That’s where local officials come into play. All politics is local they say, but what they really mean is that politics begin at the local level and spread from there. So make sure to write your local government officials about your concerns about climate change.

The vast majority of scientists agree that we are at a tipping point when it comes to climate, and the actions of you, your neighbors, and everyday citizens all around the globe will determine which way we tip.

Photo by Kaur Martin on Unsplash

The Best Eco-Friendly Landscaping Tools for Your Garden

4 Essentials Needed to Grow a Strong & Healthy Garden

Four Ways to Have an Eco-Friendly Lawn

What You Can Do Locally to Help Combat Climate Change

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