::: Happy 40th Earth Day Anniversary :::

For all friends who care about our environment..... think about your actions and their affects, especially today. For today, a small tidbit about those things called trees.

• One tree can absorb more than a ton of carbon dioxide
• Over the course of 50 years, a single tree can control $31,500 of soil erosion.
• Trees help maintain clean water supplies.
• One tree produces nearly 260 pounds of oxygen a year.

My math says our trees will help produce 2,527,720 pounds of oxygen in the next year. Thanks to everyone reading for helping the world breath a little bit easier.

Want your grass to begin growing in 5 to 7 days? Try Hydro-seeding.

Hydro-seeding is a process of mixing seed, fertilizer, tackifier and wood or paper fiber-mulch with water in correct proportions inside a tank, then spraying the mixture onto designated lawn areas. It is recommended to use wood mulch in the mixture, as it is a far superior product in retaining moisture longer than paper mulch. The reason hydro-seeding works so well is because it is suspended in a nutrient rich slurry. The contact of the seed with the water in the machine triggers the germination cycle. The mulch layer seals in the moisture, holds the soil in place, and acts like a mini-greenhouse effect. The seed is an ideal depth for good results. These conditions produce a lush lawn in a short amount of time. Hydro-seeding can be used in new construction projects as well as in replacing old, expired lawns quickly and easily. You can have a beautiful, healthy, durable lawn at a fraction of the cost of sodding. Hydroseeding is widely used in the residential market with the first signs of grass showing after 5 to 7 days. Your first mowing should be approximately three to four weeks after seeding. Hydroseeding provides flexibility for homeowners needing different varieties of seed while at the same time being environmentally friendly.

Brought to you by Southern Landscape Group, Inc.

A rain garden is usually a small garden which is designed to withstand the extremes of moisture and concentrations of nutrients, particularly Nitrogen and Phosphorus. These two nutrients are found in extremes in stormwater runoff. Rain gardens are sited close to the source of the runoff and serve to slow the stormwater as it travels downhill, giving the stormwater more time to infiltrate and less opportunity to gain momentum and erosive power.

What makes a rain garden is how it gets its water & what happens to that water once it arrives in the garden.

On the surface, a rain garden looks like an attractive and healthy garden. It supports a habitat for birds and butterflies. Rain gardens can be a formal landscape element, or be incorporated into a larger garden as a border or an entryway. What makes a rain garden is how it gets its water and what happens to that water once it appears in the garden.

Below the surface, a number of processes occur which mimic the hydrologic action of a healthy forest. Soils are engineered and appropriate plants selected for the garden. The garden is a small bioretention area in which stormwater is cleaned and reduced in volume. Sediment loads in the stormwater are reduced by the action of the plants and growing media on the water. Multiple rain gardens over an area will have a positive effect on both the volume and quality of stormwater run off.

There are two basic forms of rain gardens — under-drained and self-contained. Each is incorporated to improve stormwater quality, reduce runoff volumes and facilitate infiltration of cleaned water. LEED credits are available for implementation of rain gardens.

To learn more, visit the Southern Landscape Group, Inc. website or give them a call.

Repurpose by composting

To the gardening environmentalist, “Black Gold” is neither oil nor coal… it is compost. The combination of kitchen scraps, autumn leaves, grass clippings, and bio-degradable materials make a dark and rich compost to add to plants and garden soils.

There are six easy steps to composting:

Step 1: Select a compost bin. It can be hand made or a purchased tumbling model. The hand made bin will require you to turn your compost with a rake or shovel.

Step 2: Select a location for your compost bin. A level, well drained site is preferred. Place it on the ground, not on pavement.

Step 3: Add good composting material. Mostly brown and green materials should be added, such as, leaves, straw, paper, vegetables, grass clippings, and plant cuttings.

Step 4: Keep out the bad compost material. Do not add vegetable fats or dairy products because their presence slows down the composting process. This is primarily due to a lack of oxygen. Items that could be harmful include feces, pressure treated wood, sawdust, animal fat and meat.

Step 5: Layering is key.Start with a 4 inch layer of brush. This helps air to circulate. Add four inches of brown material and a thin layer of planting soil. Add four inches of green matter topped with a thin layer of planting soil. Mist each layer lightly with a garden hose. Keep adding material in alternating layers until the bin is full and turn the mix every two weeks.

Step 6: Using compost_Your compost will nurture your plants and shrubs and will add nutrients back into the soil for a lifetime of gardening enjoyment and success.

FREE COFFEE April 15th @Starbucks: Not Kidding! Starbucks goes environmentally friendly

FREE COFFEE for those of you who are willing to ditch the wasteful daily paper cup. Bring your re-usable coffee mug/container to Starbuck and get a free coffee on tax day. If you dont believe me, check it out.