Eco Gardeners

Now is the time to encourage birds to your garden. With the cool weather approaching they will appreciate the shelter, food and water you can provide. They will surely repay the favor in the spring and summer by becoming your personal eco-garden pest control.
Along with bird houses, bird baths and feeders, the plants you select for your landscape can have a great effect on the number of insect-eating birds who call your garden “home.” I recommend contacting your local extension office for native plant varieties, but here are a few tips on choosing bird-friendly plants:

Plants for Habitat- A wide variety of plants provide nesting sites and protection from predators. Some of the most popular among birds are Wild Lilac, Wax Myrtle, Oaks, Elderberry, Sage, and Willow.

Plants for Nectar- Planted mostly for their value to hummingbirds, nectar-rich plants also attract a variety of insects, which are a food source for hummers as well as other bird species. Examples include Honeysuckle, Salvia, and Fuschia.

Plants for Fruit- Many species of birds depend on the fruit produced by plants for the bulk of their diet. Shrubs such as Wild Grape, Elderberry, Wax Myrtle, Currants and Gooseberries attract an amazing number of birds in their fruiting season.

Plants for Seeds- Plants such as Oaks, Sages and Bunchgrasses produce an abundance of seeds loved by your feathered friends.

THG offers eco-friendly birding products made from 100% recycled milk jugs, water and soda bottles. Click here to view or go to www.thehappygardener.info

I recently came across an excellent study conducted by Environment & Human Health, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting public education concerning the relationships between the environment and human health.

“Risks from Lawn Care Pesticides” is a comprehensive study full of interesting and useful information and definitely worth the read. Topics include health and ecological effects of pesticides and they also include lists of specific products and ingredients that are highly toxic and harmful to children, pets and the water supply.

Some interesting findings include:
• The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reported that “homeowners use up to 10 times more chemical pesticides per acre on their lawns than farmers use on crops.”
• Pesticides are intentionally toxic substances. Some chemicals commonly used on lawns and gardens have been associated with birth defects, mutations, adverse reproductive effects, and cancer in laboratory animals.
• Children, infants, and fetuses may be especially vulnerable to the health effects of pesticides before the age of five, when their cells are normally reproducing most rapidly.
• EPA has tested only nine of 750 registered pesticides for their effects on the developing nervous system; six of the nine tested were more harmful to young animals than adults.
• The U.S. Geological Survey found that 96 percent of all fish analyzed in major rivers and streams contained residues of one or more pesticides at detectable levels.
• Pesticides have been identified as a potential cause of amphibian declines and deformities and have been implicated as one of the reasons that wild and managed pollinators are disappearing at alarming rates.
• Homeowners may unknowingly contaminate their own well water by using pesticides on their lawns.

To read the complete study go to http://www.ehhi.org/reports/lcpesticides/lawnpest_full.pdf

THG’s line of natural lawn care products are 100% organic grain and vegetable based. Safe for children and pets with uncompromising performance. To learn more about our Happy Naturals Lawn Care click here.

For our “Organic Lawn Care Calendar” visit our educational web site www.eco-gardeners.com