Gardening Techniques
Fall Checklist for the EcoBeneficial Landscape
Now that fall is here, is your landscape in good order? Following some simple steps can prevent or lessen the impacts of a harsh winter, and lay the groundwork for best results in the spring. Fall Checklist – 15 Steps to Ecological Health 1) If you have plants to be planted, it may be too late. Newly-planted plants should be…
Read MoreThe Value of Signs in an Ecological Landscape
How do you communicate to your neighbors why you have little or no lawn, why you have a diversity of native plants, why your trees are not topped, why your shrubs are not pruned into meatballs, why you leave your perennials and grasses standing through winter? Many of our neighbors are baffled by our ecological landscapes – filled with diverse…
Read MoreExtending the Garden With Great Native Plants in Pots
If you are like many gardeners, you are scouring your landscape to figure out where else you can squeeze in another plant. No empty spots in your garden? No problem. Containers are the answer! While many gardeners plant in pots, few realize that there are many native plants which will do very well in containers. Not only are native perennials…
Read MoreWater for Birds and Other Wildlife
Water is the number one thing that birds and other wildlife have the hardest time finding on their own and it’s often the one thing that we often forget to include in our landscapes. If you are lucky enough to have a pond, a lake or a stream on your property, you have an incredibly valuable resource for wildlife. Make…
Read MoreHoney Bee Losses for Winter 2013/2014
According to the latest survey results from the Bee Informed Partnership, honey bees fared better this past winter than the previous winter. Commercial beekeepers reported losing 23.2% of their colonies over the winter of 2013/2014 versus a loss of 30.5% for the previous winter. This volume of loss is still not acceptable, however, with beekeepers in this survey reporting 19% as…
Read MoreA Bakers Dozen of EcoBeneficial Ideas for Earth Day
Give your ecosystem a gift this Earth Day with these 13 ideas that are sure to please the environment: 1) Select at least 25% of your lawn that you don’t really use. Make a commitment to turn that area into a habitat garden by the end of spring (pollinators, butterflies, birds, etc.). 2) Comb your garage and garden shed for…
Read MorePlanning Your Pollinator Garden: Native Perennials for Bees
As you plan your landscape this year, why not include a pollinator garden to help challenged bees? The truth is, a pollinator garden will attract and support many species beyond bees, and will also improve the overall health of your ecosystem. I suggest that you include signage in your pollinator garden (Xerces Society is one good source) and make a…
Read MoreGardening Tips for April 1
Here are some helpful gardening tips for April 1: – Increase your lawn. – Plant more invasive exotic plants. – Plant in monocultures. – Use more pesticides, herbicides and fungicides. – Put the wrong plant in the wrong place. – Ignore the above and download: “Top 20 Ways to Create an EcoBeneficial Landscape” https://www.ecobeneficial.com/top-20-tips Happy April Fool’s Day! from Kim…
Read More“Wildlife Matters” Landscaping Conference at The Native Plant Center
The dramatic decline of many of our common species has been an environmental wake up call. The Monarch butterfly population is crashing, honey bees and many native bee species are experiencing record losses, and the 20 most common bird species have dropped by an average of 68% in the past 45 years (National Audubon Society). These iconic species are…
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