Garden Detective

Sesame Street's Kermit the Frog laments his lot in life in his song, "It's not easy being green."

Contrary to what we've been taught by Kermit the Frog, it's actually very easy being green. You don't even have to compost kitchen scraps (though that would be nice.) Outdoor living trendspotter and garden guru Susan McCoy has some very down-to-earth, simple suggestions for going "green" this spring.

1. Plant, Plant, Plant!

One of the simplest ways to give back to the planet without breaking your budget is to plant something. “Just plant something, anything," McCoy implores. "A single tree, shrub, bush or container will help the environment... Imagine if we all planted jut one new plant every year!” Trees and other plants remove CO2 from the air during photosynthesis, which cleans and oxygenates the environment. Plants also help prevent soil erosion, control water cycles, and moderate temperatures.

2. Start with Healthy Soil

Pesticides and fungicides aren’t safe for people, pets or even the planet. Eliminate the need for harmful garden chemicals by pampering ur plants with healthy, nutrient-rich soil from the get go. “Healthy soil, rich in minerals, nutrients and ’good bugs,' maximizes a plant’s own healthy immune system to let it naturally resist pests and diseases,” says McCoy. If you don't compost your own, look for organic potting soils like Organic Mechanics, available at Whole Foods stores this spring.

3. Reduce Fertilizer Use

Overfeeding isn't healthy for your plants, and all those extra nutrients end up polluting streams, bays, rivers and other watersheds. “Plants can only absorb so much fertilizer before the excess nutrients runoff into the groundwater,” says McCoy. Fertilizer runoff contaminates drinking water, kills fish and other sea creatures and causes problems like Red Tide. Reduce overfeeding by using environmentally responsible feeding practices, like the new slow-release fertilizer Dynamite. The 9-month plant food releases nutrients to the plant when the plant needs it most, and doesn't over- or under-feed, so they're maximum benefit and minimal wate and runoff. Plus, it’s low in phosphate, which makes it a nutritious, yet earth-friendly, plant food option.

4. Water Responsibly

If you don’t need to water your plants as often, you’ll save gallons of time and money, plus you'll conserve water. “Substitute older cultivars with new and improved varieties bred 'to drink responsibly',” advises McCoy. “Updated versions of classic plants like Knock Out® shrub roses require much less water than older cultivars."

5. Be Grass Green

“Most gardens have lawns, and in some cases the lawn IS the garden,” notes Ethne Clarke, garden editor of Traditional Home. She suggests mowing less frequently and cutting the grass longer so the top growth protects the roots, and watering less frequently to force the roots to grow deeper, which keeps them cooler and less susceptible to drought damage. She recommends using cornmeal or diatomaceous earth as an insecticide and pulling weeds before they set seed. For tough lawns, use a soil conditioner with good micro-organisms and aerate to encourage soil health.

6. Be Kind to Flora and Fauna

After pouring blood, sweat and tears into your garden, you don't want to wake up one morning to find that nocturnal visitors have made a midnight snack of your plants. All-natural repellents such as Deer Stopper reportedly are just as effective as their synthetic counterparts. To safeguard our children, pets and water supply, McCoy suggests organic and all-natural animal repellants such as DeerStopper from Messina Wild Life. Other products offered by the manufacturer of 100 % organic repellents work to keep geese, groundhogs, moles, mosquitos, rabbits and squirrels away.