Grow More With Less: Sustainable Garden Methods PDF
Preview Grow More With Less: Sustainable Garden Methods
GROW MORE WITH LESS VINCENT A. SIMEONE TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION CHAPTER 1 — ECO-FRIENDLY STRATEGIC PLANNING FOR YOUR GARDEN CHAPTER 2 — THE RIGHT PLANT FOR THE RIGHT PLACE CHAPTER 3 — ATTRACTING WILDLIFE TO ENSURE A SUSTAINABLE GARDEN CHAPTER 4 — INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT CHAPTER 5 — WATER CONSERVATION CHAPTER 6 — SUSTAINABLE LAWN CARE CHAPTER 7 — MAINTAINING A HEALTHY GARDEN FROM THE GROUND UP BIBLIOGRAPHY GARDEN RESOURCES AND PLANT SOURCES INDEX MEET VINCENT A. SIMEONE Introduction Sustainable Gardening: Grow More with Less T he term sustainability is a catchy phrase that has garnered a lot of attention the past few years. But unlike many catch phrases, sustainability has substance, credibility, and the potential to change life as we know it. For those who accept sustainability as a way of life, it will undoubtedly pay long-term dividends. Sustainability is a complex issue that affects every facet of our lives. But sustainability requires an investment of time and resources that will yield positive results over years to come. This commitment of time, hard work, and patience is a worthwhile effort that reduces the impact that we as human beings have on our environment. Like many worthwhile endeavors, sustainability offers us a chance to lead a responsible, healthy life and provide an example for others to learn from. Environmental destruction is one of several reasons why sustainability has become such an important issue for so many. Human nature is to advance both intellectually and physically and that means more building, more consumption, and more resources needed. This progress comes with a price, though, usually at the cost of the environment. In the past while we built roadway systems, housing developments, shopping malls, and resorts, the long- term impact to the environment was often not considered or anticipated. But that is slowly changing and everything from large developments to residential homes has the ability to become more sustainable. For the home gardener, the sustainability movement has taken giant steps forward over the past decade. The concept of becoming more environmentally sensitive to the natural world around us has gained momentum to the point where it now seems to be an unavoidable, irresistible force. It’s no revelation that many of us have been unknowingly practicing sustainable living for many years without even realizing it. The difference is that today, sustainability isn’t just an option anymore; it truly is a necessary way of life. The days of casually practicing sustainable living when it is convenient are in the past. The time has come to embrace sustainability as an everyday part of life. But sustainability is a relative and subjective term that can mean different things to different people. Sustainability will be influenced by many factors including economics, size and complexity of your property, climate, and available resources. It is difficult to put a specific definition on the term with the idea that it will apply to all, or even most, situations that we encounter daily. Because we live in such a dynamic, changing environment with an incredibly diverse population, sustainability will need to change and adapt along with us as a society. In order to successfully create a more sustainable environment, we must understand what it takes to
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