There are many benefits to designing, installing and maintaining landscapes with local climate, vegetation and soil types in mind. Earth Day is a great way for the Green Industry to showcase what we do as landscape and irrigation professionals.
Here’s five ways to use landscaping to better the environment this Earth Day:
An area of the landscape that is often ignored is the soil. The soil is alive! A healthy soil has plenty of organic matter, which improves nutrient uptake, reduces the need for synthetic fertilizers and can aid in water conservation. Your local Ewing branch can assist by sending out your soil for testing, and providing you with organic options like Holganix to improve soil health and make landscapes thrive.
Using the most efficient irrigation technology is one key way to reduce water use. High efficiency nozzles, low-volume drip irrigation and smart controllers and sensors that adjust your irrigation controller based on weather conditions or soil moisture are all great tools to reduce water use and minimize runoff.
Green roofs help mitigate stormwater run off and provide cooling benefits to buildings. They also often allow for areas outside on the roof where people can enjoy the surroundings. They're great to look at from your office window, too! A green wall helps cool and clean the air, and can even be planted with edible plants to be used in your kitchen culinary creation.
You can learn more about green roofs and walls by visiting GreenRoofs.org.
Native or regionally appropriate landscapes often can survive on a limited water supply. A native landscape doesn’t have to look barren; many native plants are flowering and have a beautiful structure. A great resource for information about native plants available in your area can be found by visiting plantnative.org.
In areas that offer an adequate supply of alternative water sources, rainwater harvesting or greywater could offer options for irrigation. Think about the fact that we're using treated drinking quality water to irrigate our landscapes, and in some parts of the country, it's going to continue to become price sensitive. These alternative sources will have to be considered. Visit arcsa.org for more information about rainwater harvesting.
For more information on these options and more to conserve water or better the environment, visit your local Ewing branch. If you’re already using some of these features in your landscapes, let us know and share pictures on our Facebook page!
