The Easiest Green Changes You Can Make – Gardening

Greening your life doesn’t need to be difficult. There are plenty of small (and medium-sized) ways to add some green to your daily living.

It is easy being green!

Each week, I will present one new easy-peasy idea for ways in which you can become green without spending much time or money.

This week’s EASY GREEN IDEA:

Plant a container garden.

Whether you have a large backyard or a tiny little windowsill, you can cultivate your own container garden. For around $20, you can be well on your way to growing your own veggies, herbs and flowers. Not only will you find this easy and rewarding, but as an official member of the Not-So-Greenthumb Society, I can vouch for the fact that being able to grow anything makes you feel pretty amazing.

Container gardens can save you loads of money on groceries (dry the herbs, use them for cooking) and taste fresher and more natural than store-bought greens.

  • TIME: 2 hours (from shopping to clean-up.)
  • MATERIALS:
    -A few terracotta pots, or a hanging window planter, depending on where you intend to keep your garden.
    -One packet of seeds per pot/container. (Note: Don’t try growing pumpkins in a window container. Aim for small and simple in terms of seed/plant choices. Strawberries can yield a large amount in the right environment. Basil is also a great starter plant.) If you want to start with seed packets, these are inexpensive and you can try a few different varieties without a big financial commitment.- Small bag of organic potting soil.

    -Patience (it will take about 1.5-2 weeks for you to begin to see the fruits of your planting labors, but your patience will pay off.

     

  • Tips:
    -Visit your local farmer’s market or nursery for the best quality seeds and plants.  Avoid the big box stores, as these plants tends to miss out on the one-on-one attention that the smaller growers can offer, and shopping at local markets supports local farmers and growers in your community.-Pay close attention to the instructions on the back of each seed packet or on the back of each plant marker regarding how much sun exposure and water each plant needs.-Set a time for yourself (each morning before breakfast or each night before bed) to water the plants.

    This is all you need to get a small container garden up and running. Now is the perfect time to start one! This will help you save time (forget waiting in lines at the grocery store,) save money and will make the world a little greener with just a little effort!

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