veggies

In The Garden

Nationally, 32 percent of residential outdoor water use is due to lawn care. The watering of U.S. landscapes, gardens, and lawns uses nearly 8 billion gallons of water each day.

Going Green In Your Garden (1)

  1. Grow native – Native animals depend on the plants they have evolved with for food and shelter. Foreign plants guzzle water: running a sprinkler for an hour consumes more than 264 gallons of water.  Native plants not only attract birds and butterflies but also save time and expense of daily watering.  Growing indigenous plants can save 50 percent of the water typically used to maintain outdoor plants.
  2. Old-fashioned is new again – Hosing the leaves off the driveway and front walk is out, since it can consume fifty gallons of water every five minutes.  Gas-powered lawn mowers, leaf blowers and weed-wackers are not only a source of noise pollution; they also spew oily clouds of “debris dust” that are harmful when inhaled and can produce the same amount of air pollutants in an hour as driving a car from Washington, D.C., to Atlanta.  Every weekend, 54 million Americans cut their grass with gas-powered mowers, consuming 800 million gallons of gas each year and producing tons of CO2 emissions.  TIP:  Pull out the trusty rake or broom to rake leaves or sweep off the driveway or patio.
  3. Watering – Watering systems that deliver water as closely to plant roots as possible can reduce evaporation losses by up to 75 percent.  Water during the cooler times of the day gives the water a chance to permeate the soil and be absorbed by the roots of the plants.  In hot conditions, it is better to water in the evening.  In cooler conditions, though, plants can develop fungal growth from water on their leaves overnight, so it is preferable to water early in the morning.  Place thirsty plants together and water them longer, but less often, to encourage deeper roots and increase their drought tolerance.  These techniques can help you conserve water.

Rain Barrel (2)

During dry months, 40 percent of the average household's water consumption goes to outdoor watering.  Rather than needlessly draining that water out of the faucet, gather rainfall in a rain barrel connected to the gutter system and use it to keep the lawn and garden green. Just an inch of rainfall on a 1,000-square-foot roof will accumulate over 600 gallons of fresh water. When picking out a barrel, here are a couple of things to look for:

  • Choose a model topped with a mesh screen that will keep debris out of the barrel and a lid that prevents mosquitoes from using the water as a breeding ground when it's not raining.
  • Look for a barrel equipped with a side spigot where a hose can be attached and watering cans can be easily filled.


Also, most rain barrels can hold up to sixty gallons of water, so make sure it's parked on a strong and steady surface.

American homeowners spend hundreds of hours a year mowing, clipping, raking, and landscaping to keep our yards healthy and our property attractive. Our landscaping practices produce huge amounts of waste. So much in fact, that yard waste is second only to paper in the municipal solid waste stream. By following a few simple waste reduction practices, you can not only improve your lawn and garden, but also the environment.

Reference Sources back to top

  1. Bonnin, Jenny and KimMcKay.
    True Green.
    Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society, 2006.
  2. Karlstrom, Solvie. “When It Rains.”
    The Green Guide
    15 Sept. 2008. National Geographic. 17 Sept. 2008
    http://www.thegreenguide.com/blog/tow/1787.