BlogHers ACT Canada

Greener Garden Shopping

Last weekend was the first official long weekend of the summer-ish season here in Canada.  Many of our fine citizens look forward with great anticipation to the Victoria Day weekend because it usually means that it’s safe to plant annual flowers and vegetable plants outside.  It’s usually taken as the “frost free” date in Ontario, but this spring the weather has been much chillier than usual.

Although I didn’t make it out to any garden centres over the long weekend (it’s my personal policy to avoid any shopping that has the potential to become a contact sport), I wondered if the owners of nurseries and garden centres in towns and cities in Southern Ontario were left standing around, scratching their heads, wondering about the weather and whether it would keep gardeners away.

Fortunately, the long weekend weather has just been delayed to this coming weekend, as temperatures are expected to rise to seasonal levels at long last.  This means that no doubt the garden centres will be filled with anxious customers.  Wear your elbow pads!

This month at BlogHers ACT Canada, we’re focusing on greener gardening, so before you head out to buy plants that will pretty up your yard, balcony or garden for the summer, check out our handy tips for doing your garden shopping with a green focus in mind.

Composting for Beginners

Each morning you throw out a coffee filter and a handful of used coffee grinds.

Your weekend breakfast feast of bacon and eggs leaves behind a pile of broken eggshells.

The kids have an apple for a snack, but leave the core for you to pick up.

I’ve got news for you:  those coffee grinds, egg shells and apple cores are packed full of nutrients that will make awesome food for your garden if you change your habits.  Rather than throwing your kitchen scraps into the garbage, start a compost pile!

This month our focus is on greener gardening, and composting is arguably the simplest way to green up your gardening habits.

Introducing May's Challenge: Greener Gardening!

Do you have a garden or grow plants?  Do you use synthetic fertilizers or pesticides in your garden?  Do you buy lots of plants every season that are sold in plastic pots?  Do you grow food?

These are the kinds of questions we’ll be looking at this month here at BlogHers ACT Canada.  I have to admit, I’m kind of pumped!  This is a topic that is near and dear to my heart. There are entire weblogs that focus on these topics entirely, and there are some I visit quite frequently, and will recommend to you.  But I’m getting ahead of myself.