10 Tips to Green up your Garden

• Buy only good quality gardening tools, the extra cost up front will save you in the long run. Usually cheaper tools do not last as long causing waste materials, and increased use of resources. We all know that lower quality tool will enviably break just when you need it the most.
• Use your old newspapers to prevent weed growth. By placing layered newsprint (we recommend a minimum of 5 layers) under you garden mulch you can effectively retard the growth of weeds.
• Compost your house old scraps
• Buy manure from your local providers eg, equestrian clubs, chicken farms they produce products which are natural and a lot cheaper.
• Plant more perennial plants and more trees preferably native. They produce oxygen and consume more carbon dioxide over the years. Native plants are always going to be successful just be design. Ask the staff at your local garden centre the best plants for you home.
• Understand your soil. Take a sample of soil with you when purchasing your plants as this will help you choose plants that will grow in your back yard. For example some plants prefer clay soils, some require compost, and some prefer sandy environments.
• Submerge all new plants in a bucket of water to saturate the root structure before planting. This will give the plants the best chance to thrive.
• Only water your garden early in the morning or in the evening. The lower temperatures at these times of the day will maximise the plants ability the absorb water and reduce evaporation.
• Be sure to use a timer on your sprinklers. In most cases half an hour will be enough.
• Get the family involved in the garden its fun and educational.