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Happy Earth Week, Earthlings!

In celebration of Earth Day yesterday, we want to say Happy Earth Week! We also want to share ideas for celebrating the environment through gardens: school gardens, community gardens, or home gardens. We encourage good stewardship of the natural resources that sustain our planet and contribute to the health and well-being of our community, such as water, air, soil, and plants. There are infinite benefits to a healthy ecosystem, from flood buffering to climate regulation to water quality. There are many ways to take small steps towards contributing to a healthy planet just by having a garden, and the following actions can make a huge impact.

  • Create compost piles to reduce food waste going to landfills
  • Use compost to build healthy soil that is full of earthworms and living microbes
  • Plant flowers and herbs that attract pollinators like bees and butterflies
  • Build a bat house to attract bats that will eat your pests
  • Plant a tree – a fruit tree, if you can – for shade to minimize the urban heat island effect and for carbon sequestration
  • Use water conservation techniques such as drip irrigation, ollas (clay pots), wicking beds, and hugelkultur to minimize water loss and usage
  • Create rain gardens for stormwater runoff and water quality
  • Capture rainwater in tanks or barrels to use on your garden
  • Try companion planting to help minimize pests and diseases
  • Create a seating area for educational workshops and events
  • Take time to celebrate your garden harvest and appreciate the benefits of the environment on our health and well-being!

We hope you enjoy your Earth Day by finding time to spend outside, hopefully in a garden, and taking action towards a healthy environment!