Implement environmentally friendly gardening practices

Home garden and lawn care practices can impact the health of rivers, streams, lakes and aquifers. Whether starting a new landscape or maintaining a well-established one, implement environmentally friendly gardening practices to help protect natural resources. Plus, your garden and yard will demand less time and be healthier, attractive and more productive.

Garden practices that you can impelement include:
* Plant the right plant in the right location.
* Use water efficiently.
* Fertilize appropriately. A soil test can help determine the amount of fertilizer needed for healthy plant growth.
* Apply mulch to moderate soil temperatures, reduce evaporation and minimize plant water needs.
* Manage yard pests responsibly using cultural and mechanical methods that enhance natural enemy effectiveness. If pesticides are necessary, apply least toxic ones.
* Recylce and compost grass clippings, leaves and yard trimmings.

As a rule of thumb, lawns and gardens need
on average 1 inch of water each week.