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Green Ideas

April Gardening Tips:

Planning When buying bedding annuals this spring choose properly grown plants with good color. Buy plants that are not too large for their pots with many unopened buds. Plants that bloom in the packs are often root bound. Plants not yet in bloom will actually bloom sooner, become better established and grow faster. Plan to …

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In the Garden in March

Planning If you are buying bare-root trees, look for ones with large root systems in relation to top growth. It is not necessary to purchase a very large tree to get a quality plant. Planting Dig, divide, and replant crowded summer and fall flowering perennials like Agapanthus, Garden Phlox, Astilbe, Aster, Bleeding Heart, Coral Bells, …

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Worm Bins!

Vermiculture or vermicomposting is the practice of using worms to aid in the breakdown and disposal of waste into viable, useful material. The end product of vermicompost is vermicast; worm casting or manure created from the digestion of materials. This process takes material that is not readily useful to either soil or plants and turns …

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Water Sustainability

Although we often complain in Seattle about the amount of rain we get, water shortages are something we can, and do, experience. Our last drought was as recent as 2003. In response, citizens of the Puget Sound water shed have reduced our per capita water usage from 152 gallons per day (gpd) to 97 gpd …

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Benefits of Fall Planting

As we move into fall we start to think about closing down our gardens for the winter, but now is the time to start planning and preparing for the next growing season.

How Good Design Can Transform a Space

In the ‘before’ photos below you will see a typical ‘Forgotten’ back yard with weeds, awkwardly planted trees, a poorly sited utility shed, and grading issues. It all adds up to a space where the entertaining area is not attractive and uncomfortable to use. A modest amount of professional landscaping support who made just a …

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Synthetic Turf

Do I Really Want All This Lawn? Is Synthetic Turf a Viable Green Alternative? Yes it’s true, by installing synthetic turf instead of lawn you are decreasing you carbon footprint. Less water will be used and therefore water will be conserved and your water bill will be lowered. Reduced use of fertilizer, herbicides and pesticides …

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