Environmentally friendly! That’s on the tip of everyone’s tongue these days, and rightfully so. I’m an ardent believer of protecting the environment while working in the garden. Not only does the concept make sense from a long term ‘big picture’ point of view but I have four kids, a cat and a dog in the family. When I spend time in the garden I want to know that my activity is at the very least benign to their health and better still, that our home garden will in fact benefit them in many ways.

I recommend that a responsible attitude where the garden is concerned includes adopting natural remedies to tackle daily gardening challenges.

Let me introduce you to some great ideas for preserving our environment, take lawn care, for example. Perhaps you have cut back on the size of your lawn. Personally I prefer to retain a lawn area in my yard. There is nothing to compare with healthy green grass for enhancing and complimenting the entire garden landscape and I am yet to find a more sophisticated living ground cover than a lawn area.

One of the first ‘spring gardening activities’ that you can engage yourself in is overseeding your lawn area with fresh grass seed. This is the most effective method of eliminating unwanted weeds and improving the overall appearance of your lawn.

Rake the entire lawn area with a fan or leaf rake being certain to remove the winter killed brown grass blades. Then spread about 2 to 4 centimeters of triple mix over the entire area to be overseeded, concentrating on the depressions and thin areas. Broadcast good quality grass seed by hand at the rate of about one-kilogram for every 80 sq. meters (one pound per 400 sq. ft.). I emphasize the ‘quality’ when purchasing grass seed because I have seen some very disappointing results from cheap, fast germinating grass seed. Truth is, the ultimate quality of your lawn will be determined more by the quality of the grass seed that you sow than anything else that you do on your lawn. I have been using Golfgreen Grass Seed for the last couple of years with excellent results, it exceeds the standards of Canada #1 lawn seed mixture.

For some time I have been extolling the virtues of the natural Green Earth products, so what could be more natural than inviting you to try Green Earth Lawn Food 9-3-4. This granular lawn fertilizer provides 100% organic/natural nutrients. The slow release, non-burn, ingredients are available in convenient granules formed from organic sources with the addition of kelp trace elements. This is another success from the Green Earth range of products. For further information go to their website at www.greenearth.ca

MYKE LAWN 5-2-2 is a complete organic product for annual lawn care. This is more than a regular lawn fertilizer. Like other effective MYKE products it is the first to contain mycorrhizae, which enhances water and nutrient absorption to improve your lawn’s resistance to drought and root diseases. It also includes three other important ingredients – soil conditioner to improve soil structure and aeration; compost, which provides organic matter, nutrients and beneficial microflora; and finally, an organic fertilizer consisting of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. It’s good to know that this completely organic product contains no pesticides, will not burn, and can safely be used in play and recreational areas during and immediately following application, making it ideal around children and pets. Overall MYKE LAWN ensures vigorous root development to produce a thicker lawn with greater resistance to weeds and diseases. For further information contact www.premiertech.com.

You’ve now achieved your wonderful green lawn and all that’s left is to cut it! Did you know hand mowers are back again and selling like hot cakes? Not surprising if you consider some of the advantages:

Healthy cutting - these mowers provide an efficient scissor-like cutting action that cuts rather than tears preventing that ragged edge look. A quiet cut without odour – no more disturbing the neighbours each time you mow the lawn, no gas fumes and no more cables to mow through or decapitate your favourite plants. BOSCH have recently introduced an excellent hand mower incorporating the latest in up-to-date features including easy, variable height adjustment and a simple ‘Click’ system for bottom blade adjustment. Easy-push wheels allow very easy handling of the machine and the ergonomic handle provides comfort for any user, irrespective of height. Bring back peaceful quiet and tranquility to your neighbourhood. This is definitely something you should also introduce to your neighbours! This mower is ideal for the difficult angles around flower beds and inaccessible locations. You can pick it up and transport it easily, anywhere, even up to the roof-top garden!.

Choosing environmentally-friendly products makes organic gardening easier than ever. If you have any problems locating these items check with a Certified Gardening Professional at your local garden centre who will lead you in the right direction.