Gardening Tips and More from Melinda Myers, expert gardener

Sweep Drives & Walkways

Break out the broom and sweep your way to better waterquality. Clear all grass clippings, chemicals, soil, and fertilizer off walks, drives and other hard surfaces. This extra step in your landscape care prevents these materials from washing into storm sewers and polluting our water. The solids often block sewers leading to local flooding after heavy rains. When these materials enter our waterway they can kill fish, cause algal blooms, increase aquatic weeds, harm natural habitats and create unsightly views.

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Create or expand mulch beds under your trees. Research has found that grass is a big competitor of young trees.

Make your own liquid fertilizer from compost.

Recycle and fashion a couple of common kitchen items into an eco-friendly earwig trap.

Use the right type and amount of fertilizer at the right time.

Create wattle fences, arbors, trellises and garden art from twigs and branches left after pruning.

Save yourself some time and energy and be good to your grass by leaving grass clippings on the lawn.

Put fall leaves to work in your garden. I attach the bagger to my electric mower to collect and shred leaves.

Use shredded leaves, evergreen needles and herbicide-free grass clippings as a mulch in your garden.

Break out the baking soda and spray away your powdery mildew woes.

Grab that funnel and save money and the environment.

You can have a healthy and attractive garden and be kind to the environment.

Make your own compost tea by placing compost in a permeable bag and soaking in water until the water turns brown.

Sweep Drives & Walkways

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