To start, seek out plant nursery that practices green principles to grow its own plants, and in the products it sells. Beginning plants by seed in your own home is the best option, because then you can regulate everything that goes into your soil, otherwise check the labels and purchase only seedlings that have been grown organically.  Use biodegradable planters to start seeds, or purchase starter plants that come in containers that will break down easily as well. Once you have planted your garden, do so in a way that will allow it to take full advantage of the sun, water conservation and the natural setting. Gardening in this way is not only green, but it will ensure that your garden will prosper with the least amount of work or money on your part.

Continuing to care for your garden is the hardest obstacle when you want to keep everything green because most products for insects and weeds involve a lot of chemicals.  Instead of using pesticides and herbicides, practice organic methods such as green cleansers and weedkillers that can be made from basic household products that are natural.  Also, co-planting and using cover crops, and using plants that deter bugs helps stop problems right in their tracks.

Safety concerns prompted the ban on pesticides. According to Premier Dalton McGuinty, the safety of children is of primary concern. The ban includes “cosmetic” pesticides which are used to kill pests, weeds and get rid of other problems on private lawns, gardens and school yards. Insecticides, fungicides and herbicides are all part of the new ban.

Pesticides can be used to get rid of dangerous pests, like wasps or mosquitoes carrying West Nile. For other needs, consumers can use bio-pesticides that suffocate the pests or discourage them from attacking plants.

Having a healthy green lawn and a beautiful garden can be easy with a few changes in your habits and gardening techniques. For your lawn, invest in a small weeding tool like a claw and pull weeds by hand when the soil is damp. Overseed the lawn to grow more grass and choke out weeds and be sure to aerate the lawn to keep it healthy. In the garden, use mulch around plants to encourage healthy growth. Copper barriers, cut worm collars and diatomaceous earth can help reduce pests in the garden.

Here are a few tips to help you save water with landscaping.

Inefficient watering systems

Everybody wants their piece of automated equipment, whether it is the latest automatic land mower or the modern sprinkler system. Most often these automated sprinklers cause a lot of waste of water.

You might have noticed the water running off the lawn down into the street. This is utter wastage when you need to save water. However, most homeowners who have a landscaping use this kind of inefficient watering systems that causes so much waste. If you can find a good and efficient one then it will save water and prevent wastage.

Find an efficient watering system to suit your needs

You should remember a great thumb rule. It says that the bigger and closer to the ground, the delivered water droplet is, the better it is. Systems that give fine water sprays usually lose most of the water to the wind and evaporation.

You might be surprised to know that a hand held hose is the most efficient way to water, saving as much as 33% water compared to other systems.

Automated systems are no better

You might think that because relying on modern technologies means saving money and time. Well, you need to think again, at least as far as watering systems are concerned.

These automated systems such as the ground sprinklers, in fact use 35% more water while those systems that have an automatic timer to accompany utilise 47% more compared to other places that do not use any of such systems. While these devices keep you under the illusion of saving time, they are actually causing you to spend more.

Add some rain sensors or soil sensors

If you already have some kind of an automated system, then you do not need to throw it out and incur more loss. Instead, add such sensors to your system. This will help the sprinklers to know when the soil is moist enough not to need any watering. Hence, you will end up saving water.

Go for automatic drip irrigation

These systems are more efficient compared to sprinklers and with the sensors they will work even better.

We all know that pesticides and fertilizers tend to be very toxic – but this is a thing of the past. There are eco friendly gardening and landscaping products available today. Unfortunately they do tend to be more expensive than the usual brands – but compared to the cost of your family’s health, it shouldn’t hold you back. If the products you will use to help control pests and weeds in your landscape may seem more expensive, the outcome is going to far outweigh your initial expenditure on getting your garden and lawns growing the natural way.

Benefits of greenscaping your lawn and garden are many, including: saving money in the long run, reducing waste, conserving water, saving energy, reducing greenhouse gas emisions and reducing your environmental footprint. Getting your home “greenscaped” isn’t as hard as you think – but if you are unsure on where to start or would prefer a professional lawn care specialist to do the work for you, there are plenty of lawn maintenance companies that work with green products. Or, if you are looking for a commercial landscape company, try TruGreen.

Use mulch to retain moisture in the soil and to prevent soil erosion. Add two to three inches of mulch each season to replace the mulch that decomposed (and added nutrients to your soil) from the year before. Not only does the mulch absorb water, but it also prevents rainwater from washing away the soil underneath. Note: Be careful to keep the mulch away from the base of your plants, as the moisture in the mulch could cause your plants to rot.

Use compost to improve the soil. Compost is a natural source of fertilizer and a great way to recycle food and garden waste. It also avoids the use of pesticides and other chemicals, which cause a build up of toxins in soil and drinking water.

Select plants that are suited to your region’s temperature range, sun exposure and rainfall levels. These plants will require less care and are more likely to survive the winter. For example, if you live in a dry climate, choose plants that are drought resistance, as they won’t require frequent watering from you.

Rotate crops to renew nutrients in the soil and control pests in the garden. Each crop has its own nutrient requirements. By rotating crops, you prevent nutrients from being completely eliminated from the soil. As well, crop rotation helps to reduce the level of pests because they cannot become established in one area.

Plant deciduous trees. They help you to save on your heating and air conditioning costs, especially in a fully detached house. In the summer, the trees will shade the house and keep it cooler. In the winter, when the trees have lost all their leaves, they will let in the sunshine, which will keep the house warmer.

Encourage beneficial animals and insects in your garden. They help to keep harmful insects away, promote healthy plant growth and some will also pollinate your plants. For example, as earthworms move underground they help to aerate the soil, which brings oxygen and water to the roots of plants.

Only water early in the morning or late in the evening and avoid over watering. If you water during the middle of the day, the sun will evaporate a large percentage of the water before it can soak into the ground. Also, use soaker hoses or watering cans, as they deliver the water directly to the base of the plant. Avoid sprinklers because they will easily loose water to wind evaporation.

Those who take up organic gardening often have no idea to where to buy supplies, for example. They don’t know what products they need for soil nourishment or pest control. They may not know how much water to supply, or how to go about composting kitchen scraps for their gardens. They need more than a few organic garden tips and ideas. Many will need hand-helding through their first steps in organic gardening.

Imagine growing a beautiful garden or orchids,, or other plants and be the envy of all your neighbours out there

Here are a few tips just to get you started in the right direction with organic gardening:

- Firstly, you need to choose what you will grow and decide how much you will need to plant based on your needs or goals in sales. Without knowing what you want to put in your soil, you can’t start organic gardening.

- Second, you need to keep the soil healthy. Healthy soil produces healthy plants. Healthy plants, like healthy humans, are better able to withstand disease.

- Use ladybugs. Yes, ladybugs (or ladybirds as they are also called). These beautiful little red insects with shiny black spots control aphids naturally and totally. You can order them from several organic garden places on the Internet. Until they arrive, spray every part of aphid-infested plants with well diluted soapy water and then rinse with clear water.

- You will also need to know how to make compost. Make compost the lazy way, by layering leaves, lawn clippings, and kitchen waste. Then simply leave it until it’s ready. Nature’s recyclers will take organic matter no matter how it is presented and turn it into rich, nice dark compost.

But once you know the basics of gardening, you can really see your garden come to life. Here are a few tips to get your garden blossom very fast. The first thing to remember is to start slowly. It is not wise to plant the whole garden at once, because it will simple get out of control. The plants you want to put in your garden also have to get enough sunlight, so find the correct place to plant them. Do not place your seeds to close together, because plants that can’t get proper air circulation are more susceptible to disease. Do not buy cheap transplants, sick plants will struggle all season, it is best to get started on the right foot.

Both over watering and under watering can be harmful for plants, so try to keep watering under control. Plant vegetables or plants, that are suitable for your climate. Over fertilizing is also a problem, so keep an eye on that. As I mentioned before, do not plant more, than you can take care of. If some plants and vegetables start rotting, your whole garden is in danger.

Natural fertilizer is fertilizer made from naturally occurring plant and animal products. Some natural fertilizers contain the same nutrients as synthetically produced fertilizers. Other natural fertilizers contain much more than synthetic fertilizers, or different types of plant-boosting elements. If you currently use synthetic fertilizers, here are ten reasons to switch to natural fertilizer.

1) Natural fertilizer is made from plant and animal parts, and not from a chemical reaction. The chemical reaction to artificially produce synthetic fertilizers uses a huge amount of energy-mostly from carbon-producing fossil fuels. (The myth that synthetic fertilizers are made from fossil fuels is just that-a myth; however, the energy used to produce them is a source of pollution.)

2) Natural fertilizers contain less active ingredient than synthetic fertilizers, making it less likely that gardeners will over-apply and cause nutrients to leach into groundwater. The active ingredients in natural fertilizers are “fully chelated” so they are available for immediate uptake by plants, further reducing the risk of polluting groundwater.

3) Seaweed fertilizers, one type of natural fertilizer, contains many micro-nutrients needed for plant growth that synthetic fertilizer formulas do not contain. Micronutrients such as calcium, magnesium, zinc, manganese, iron, copper, boron and molybdenum are just as important to plant growth as nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium, but most standard fertilizers do not contain these nutrients.

4) Natural fertilizers are not salts, as synthetic fertilizers are. Natural fertilizers are less likely to burn your plants if you over-apply by mistake. Applying synthetic fertilizers can cause plant stress if the plants have experienced a dry spell and are under stress. Natural fertilizers will not cause the plants stress.

5) Most natural fertilizers are made from renewal resources-especially the seaweed based natural fertilizer. While synthetic fertilizers are produced in labs, the energy used to produce them is not generally from renewable sources.

Aside from the lowered environmental impact of natural fertilizers, they are great choices for gardeners because they provide more balanced nutrition for plants, resulting in healthier plants overall.