We have been raging a way on our planet since we started throwing anything and everything away and filling landfills like it’s our job. However, it’s never too late to start doing your part to help out the environment and lessen your carbon footprint. If you’re unsure of where to start, composting is a great place because you can do it in your own backyard. And the benefits that it offers are astounding:

1.     Saves Money

By composting organic materials you will significantly cut back on the need to water and fertilize the garden because it helps keep the soil rich with nutrients and you won’t have to pay for pricey fertilizers. Why pay for expensive lawn care products when you can create your own free of charge and save on your water bill?

2.     Reduce Waste in Landfills

As it is landfills are already filled to the brim with both biodegradable and non-biodegradable materials. What are we going to do when we run out of room for all that trash? Composting organic materials offers a viable solution to seriously putting a dent in how much trash we throw out each week.

3.     Richer Soil

The key to having a beautiful lawn and garden boils down to one thing: having better composting that goes into your lawn and garden.  But you don’t have to buy fancy fertilizers to get the perfect lawn. Making your own compost provides the soil with the richest nutrients, providing you with greener grass, fuller flowers, and a healthier lawn. It also will fight diseases and lawn pests and encourage plant growth.

4.     Combat Global Warming

Sending food waste to places like landfills makes it produce toxic greenhouse gases that will end up seeping into our ground and water. By composting you break down the organic materials naturally and keep everything safe not toxic.

5.     It’s Easy

Let’s be honest, we rarely jump at the opportunity to do something that’s going to be hard and require a lot of work. But composting is something that is easily accomplished and has a wealth of benefits. You just need a designated space and container for it and to mix it up occasionally. For all the good it does, that’s a small price to pay.

Our environment needs a little help from all the hardship we keep putting it through, and composting offers that solution. Take a look around at everything the Earth provides – isn’t it time to say thank you and do something in return?

Heather Smith is an ex-nanny. Passionate about thought leadership and writing, Heather regularly contributes to various career, social media, public relations, branding, and parenting blogs/websites. She also provides value to nanny service by giving advice on site design as well as the features and functionality to provide more and more value to nannies and families across the U.S. and Canada. She can be available at H.smith7295 [at] gmail.com.

A garden heater can be a great idea if you’ve been wanting to spend more time in your garden. Gas-fuelled patio heaters are available, but a wood-fired garden heater, such as a chiminea or firebowl, is a more environmentally-friendly option, and if you use garden waste as fuel, it can help you keep your garden tidy.

There are a wide variety of shapes and sizes, and, when you’re choosing one, ensure you pick the one that best complements your garden design. Modern clay chimineas are very efficient and will reduce fuel to a fine ash while providing excellent space heating. Depending on your garden, steel chimineas, with their sleeker, more modern looks, are worth considering. Durable cast iron chimineas add a traditional flair and are more suited for gardens with a more rustic feel.

There’s no need to worry about the ecological damage caused by harvesting, packing or transportation when you use wood and green waste from your garden. Even an average-sized garden can produce a surprising amount of burnable fuel from general maintenance.

Green garden waste contains a lot of nitrogen, but drying transforms a lot of this nitrogen into carbon and results in a more efficient burn and less smoke. Green garden waste can include clippings from woody shrubs, trimmings from the herb or vegetable garden, twigs and soft green foliage. Dry them by hanging them in the sun for a day or two. If you have a lot of thick, woody cuttings to dispose of, they will take longer to dry. If you’re pruning or clearing a tree, you can season the wood yourself. Make a wood store (even something as simple as a couple of pallets to keep the wood off the ground will do), loosely fix a tarpaulin over it to keep it dry while still ensuring some air can still circulate, and let the wood dry – a couple of months for larger branches, or up to 6-9 months for timber. A small amount of wood ash is good for the compost heap since it contains high levels of potassium, but it’s also very alkali, so be careful not to use too much.

Avoid pine and cypress clippings as they are very resinous, so they catch very quickly and smoke, both things you want to avoid! Never burn grass cuttings for the same reason. Fallen leaves are a quick, free source of fuel – simply gather up dry leaves and pack them loosely into a paper bag, and, if you don’t need them straight away, store them in a cool, very dry place.

If you’re looking for an environmentally-friendly fuel for your chiminea, firebowl or fire pit, you should consider relying on some home-grown fuel; it’s cheap, environmentally-friendly, and can help you clear your garden at the same time.

Laura Phillips writes for chimineashop.co.uk

Looking for a gift for a friend who has it all? We’ve all been there. It can be very hard to find something for these people when birthdays or holidays come around. And what if they’re a very eco-conscious person? That used to make the task even harder. But now, that’s no longer the case. With so many green products out on the market today, it’s easy to find green gifts for your environmentally friendly friends. Here’s a look at a few of the top green outdoor gifts.

Solar Fountain

Everybody loves water features for the tranquil atmosphere they create. There’s nothing like coming home after a long day at work, sitting down on the patio, and listening to water gently bubble from your fountain. But you know what can make that even better? Having a solar powered fountain! Not only do these things save money by cutting electricity costs, they remove the need for any wires running across the patio or lawn and give you an eco-friendly option for decorating your home. Tabletop models, birdbaths, tiered fountains – there’s a solar fountain style out there for everyone!

Compost Bin

If you know someone who loves to garden, you can’t go wrong with a compost bin. These are one of the ultimate in green outdoor gifts, letting you reuse natural resources to help your plants grow and thrive. There are tons of models on the market today, so whether you’re looking for something large or small it’s easy to find what you want. And using a compost bin couldn’t be easier. Just put in your compostable goods, like egg shells, cardboard, and yard trimmings, let them sit, and over time you’ll have a great fertilizer to add to your soil. Cheap, natural, and green – what could be better?

Rain Barrel

We all know water bills can get expensive, especially if you have a large yard or a lot of plants to take care of. A rain barrel makes an easy way to cut those costs down by reusing one of nature’s most precious resources. These products are exactly what their name implies – large barrels that sit outside and gather rain. When you need some water for your lawn or garden, simply go to it, open the spout and you’ve got what you need. It instantly cuts your water costs and helps the environment by not letting such an important natural resource go to waste.

Solar Lights

Just like water bills above, electric bills can be a pain too. If it’s large outdoor space, it can take a lot of lighting to keep it well illuminated. The solution? Go with solar lighting. This is truly a gift anyone can appreciate, as it lets you keep your home well lit and doesn’t cost anything to run. You just place the lights in your yard, let them charge all day and store the sun’s power, and then let them run at night. Many even have automatic sensors to turn them on when the sun goes down, so there’s not even minimal work to do. From path lights to wall lanterns, you can find all sorts of solar lights to match any decor.

Next time you’re shopping for that hard to buy for person and need some green gift ideas, keep these 4 in mind. They’re sure to be appreciated!

Marissa Alan is a writer with OutdoorLiving.com/learning-center/ and loves to write about solar technology. For more on products like solar fountains, rain barrels, solar lighting, and fire pits, visit OutdoorLiving.com.

There’s a lot of confusion about what you can and cannot compost. It’s obvious that you can put stuff like grass on a compost heap – everybody does that. But what about the other stuff, the contentious “should-I-shouldn’t-I” materials which some people insist are beneficial but which are shunned completely by others?

Here’s a fairly decent list of what you should and shouldn’t put on your compost heap. Obviously it isn’t extensive, and you’d be better off following the instructions on the packaging if you’re unsure. But these are the main ones which people get wrong or are unclear about, as well as the “must-haves” for any self-respecting compost heap. We’ve listed the Good, the Bad, and the Alright.

The Good

Grass cuttings. This is why it’s worth keeping your compost heap near your lawn, and somewhere you can get to with the bag from your mower. It’s worth having a brief check through the cuttings in case you’ve got bits of tennis ball mixed up in there.

Vegetable peelings. You can’t go wrong with vegetable peelings, provided they aren’t diseased. Whenever you peel a vegetable, put the peelings in a tub and remember to take it to the compost heap when you next go outside. Saves on bin space as well.

Bits of fruit. As above, you can’t go far wrong. The only problems arise if a seed from a fruit decides to germinate in your compost heap, or in the bed where you spread the compost. This is quite a nice problem to have though, and you can always replant the errant sprout.

Young weeds. Just because it’s a weed doesn’t mean you can’t put it on the compost heap. It pays to be cautious though – if you have a bonfire, you should burn anything that has gone to seed or that has a long, distinctive root.

Old flowers. Ornamental flowers are grown in heated greenhouses then flown around the world for the sake of pointless consumerism. Despite their environmental footprint, people insist on sending and decorating their homes with them. When they’re past their best, throw them on the heap and introduce them to the natural cycle.

Urine. Yep, you can happily relieve yourself in this manner on a compost heap. It can be very beneficial for the composting process. Unlike faeces (which should NEVER be added to a compost heap) it’s a fairly safe substance. Tell your male guests when you have a barbecue or garden party.

Tea bags and coffee grounds. These are a welcome addition to a compost heap as they break down fairly quickly and can introduce good chemicals to the soil. Although tea bags contain a fabric, it’s so thin that it withers away to nothing in a matter of months.

The Bad

Faeces. Any sort of poo, whether human or animal, will be bad or even dangerous for your compost heap. Poo carries lots of dangerous parasites which can be especially harmful to children, so make sure no solid excrement finds its way into your compost heap.

Cooked veg. This isn’t a good idea either, so check what sort of food waste you’re throwing onto the heap. Try to make sure it’s only raw veg that you include in your composting.

Plastics or metals. This should be obvious, but remember that plastic appears in a lot of packaging these days. Make sure you sift through everything carefully in order to prevent rogue sharps from entering your precious compost!

Dairy products. That means no milk or cheese. While goats milk might not count as ‘dairy’ for your diet, it does for compost. So don’t be throwing any sort of cheese or milk or butter onto your compost heap, no matter what animal it comes from.

Weeds with seeds. When weeds have seeds on them, they’re dangerous to your compost heap. Why? Because the seeds will effectively be sewn and will crop up in your vegetable patch, or wherever you spread your compost.

Meat. Never throw meat onto your compost heap. Apart from the fact it decomposes slowly and stinks as it does so, it attracts all manner of vermin to the area. Everything from rats to foxes to stray dogs might suddenly take an interest in your garden – and you really don’t want that.

The Mediocre

Eggboxes. Normally you can find a better use for eggboxes. Storage of eggs, for example. Check to see if your local farm shop would like some extra eggboxes, but if you can’t get rid of them whole then rip them up and throw them on the heap.

Paper and cardboard. These rot slowly but provide the compost heap with much-needed air pockets. When they do eventually mulch, you may see flakes of yet-to-decompose corrugated card from time to time.

Sawdust. This is wood, so don’t expect quick results, and remember it’ll blow all over the place when you tip it onto the heap. Avoid sawdust from wood which has been treated. Creosote is very bad for the earth.

Ash. This can be very good for the soil’s acidity level, and providing you haven’t been burning anything made of plastic or toxic (which you shouldn’t be anyway!) then it’s good to go on the compost heap. Check for random bits of metal which seem to find their way into ash.

Twigs. You can put fairly large bits of twig and stick into your compost heap. It doesn’t matter whether they’re old or new, but if they’re freshly cut you might as well save them for use on a log fire or give them to somebody with a wood-burning stove.

Susan Black writes on behalf of Sofas and Sectionals, a leading provider of leather furniture in the US. This original article on composting tips was written for us at no cost.

Chemicals are in widespread use in gardens today. They have many functions including protecting plants and crops from common pests and encouraging the growth of plants and crops. However, the use of chemicals in the garden has many disadvantages which should be thoroughly considered by any gardener. Moreover, alternatives to chemicals are available which will ensure a healthier, more productive garden. Good quality topsoil provides much of the properties sought by gardeners without the presence of any chemicals whatsoever, ensuring a greener and more environmentally friendly garden.

Chemicals can be potentially harmful when gardeners produce crops within the garden that will be consumed by the household. When consumed by humans such chemicals can cause illness which is sometimes serious and can have wider consequences. Rather than using these chemicals, gardeners can use topsoil to create healthy and delicious crops each and every year. The nutrients and minerals found within good quality topsoil are more than enough to negate the need for the use of chemicals with the garden. Gardeners can produce healthier, tastier and more abundant food crops by making use of topsoil as an alternative to chemicals in increasing crop yield.

Moreover, chemicals can provide a dangerous environment for wildlife, family pets and even children. The harmful effects felt by humans can equally apply to animals and can often have even more serious consequences. Children and family pets may come into contact with garden chemicals now and again but often wildlife depends on the plants, crops and soil contaminated by garden chemicals. By using topsoil in place of chemicals gardeners can create a safe and appealing habitat for children, family pets and wildlife. Good quality topsoil encourages growth within the garden and provides an attractive habitat which will attract wildlife to the garden and have a positive impact on the health of animals.

Topsoil can also have an extremely positive impact on the appearance of any garden. Whereas chemicals simply provide plants and crops with the elements that are need to create an increase in yield and maximise productivity, topsoil actually provides plants with the minerals and nutrients that are required to create healthy plants and crops. The result is that the plants will be in better overall health, they will live longer and they will be more attractive in appearance, with lush greenery becoming abundant within the garden.

Good quality topsoil offers gardeners the majority of the benefits provided by the use of chemicals in the garden with none of the associated problems. Topsoil will improve the yield of any food crop in the garden by providing all of the minerals and nutrients that are required by the plant. This will ensure that the garden always looks at its best with thriving greenery and blooming plants. Moreover, topsoil creates a safe environment for children, family pets and wildlife alike. Gardeners should thoroughly consider the merits of using topsoil within the garden as an attractive natural alternative to the use of chemicals to promote growth.

This post was written by James Harper on behalf of Boughton Loam And Turf Management. James is interested in environmental and sustainability issues and is currently refurbishing his own home.

If you’ve got feral cats in your yard, you’re probably experiencing damage to your garden, lawn or landscaping. If you’ve got pet cats, you want to protect them from the diseases feral cats can be carrying.

This post will go over the best cat repellents and how to properly use cat traps.

Cat Repellents Come In Two Forms

Cat repellents come in two forms: granular and liquid. Here’s how you know when to buy granular and when to buy liquid:

You should buy granular cat repellent if:

• You want to create a perimeter around areas of your yard or garden, or along commonly used cat paths
• You want to know exactly when to reapply: the granular form of cat repellents need to be reapplied when you no longer see the pellets
• It’s winter: granular can be applied in temperatures below 40 degrees while liquid cat repellents can not
• You need to keep feral cats out of your house or shed (granular can be used in non-living areas, such as cellars)

You should buy liquid cat repellent if:

• You have large areas to protect since liquid is easy-to-apply quickly
• You want to protect birdhouses since the product can be sprayed directly on them
• You want to protect garbage cans: you can spray them directly with the liquid repellent

Effective Cat Repellents

There are many repellents available on the market today. The most effective cat repellents have powerful taste and scent deterrents.

Here’s a buying guide for effective cat repellents:

• The cat repellent should have the OMRI logo on the label: this means it’s been tested and approved for use in organic gardening.
• It should contain ingredients targeting both a cat’s sense of smell and taste, including oil of black pepper, capsaicin and piperine.
• The cat repellent should be long lasting; the most effective ones last up to 30 days in standard weather.

Using Cat Traps

If you have feral cats and want to help the cat population, you can trap the cat and have it spayed or neutered. Before you trap, check with local animal rescue organizations to ensure a program like this exists in your area.

Don’t have a cat trap? Here are some buying tips for cat traps:

• The cat trap should have a spring-loaded door for quick capture.
• It should be rust and corrosion resistant for longer trap life.
• The inside should have smooth internal edges as to protect the animal.
• The trigger rod should be located outside of the trap so the cat can’t damage it.

Here are some cat trapping tips:

• Check the trap every 30 minutes once set and don’t leave it overnight.
• Place the trap along a building or other area that isn’t out in the open.
• Cover the trap since cats like enclosed areas.
• Bait the trap with items cats like, such as fish, meats and oil of catnip.
• Place plastic sheeting on top of the trap to protect the cat from snow or rain.
• Place the cage on a level surface.
• Don’t allow kids or pets near a trapped cat.

Post by guest blogger Michelle Anderson, a writer who enjoys blogging about cat control, including cat repellents and how to use a cat trap. Guest post sponsored by Havahart®

Keeping squirrels out of your yard is pretty much impossible. They are incredible climbers and no fence would ever keep them out. However, you can employ some tactics to keep squirrels out of your house.

If you’ve got a squirrel in your home, here are some squirrel trap tips and ideas for what you can do to prevent future squirrel guests.

Squirrels in the Home

If you’ve got a squirrel guest, it’s time to set a squirrel trap.

The best kind of traps are live traps. They aren’t messy, they’re safe and they are highly effective. Once trapped, you can release the squirrel back outside safely. Afterward, make sure the hole the squirrel used to get inside is properly plugged.

If you don’t own a squirrel trap, below are some buying tips:

• The squirrel trap should be easy-to-set. Some models let you set and release with one hand, making them extremely easy-to-use.
• A hand guard is important in protecting yourself from the animal.
• A sturdy-lock door will ensure the trapped squirrel can’t escape.
• The interior should have smooth edges to prevent injuries to the animal.
• The trap should be galvanized for rust resistance, which will prolong the life of your trap.

Before you set your trap, be sure to:

• Clean the trap
• Wear latex gloves so your scent doesn’t get on the trap
• Have a plan: make sure your local and state laws allow for squirrel trapping and have a plan for what you’ll do with the trapped squirrel
• Get plastic sheeting to put under the trap when transporting through your house, or in your car if you plan on relocating the squirrel a distance away
• Get a cover ready: a trapped squirrel is calmer when it can’t see out of the trap

When setting up your trap, use effective bait. Here are some ideas:

• Peanut butter: spread on a cracker
• Peanut butter mixed with oatmeal or molasses
• Cereal and grains
• Nuts
• Apples
• Shelled corn
• Anise oil on bread
• Sunflower seeds
• Popcorn
• Almond extract on bread

After you trap the squirrel, take steps to prevent future squirrels in your home:

• Fix any deteriorating wood, which can be chewed through
• Plug any holes with ¼” wire mesh hardware cloth
• Trim tree branches so they are at least 10 feet away from your home
• Cap your chimney
• Install a strobe light in your attic or crawlspace, or wherever you get squirrels, to irritate and disorient them … they’ll want to leave and not come back
• Sprinkle a granular squirrel repellent in the non-living areas of your home where you find squirrels

Here are buying tips for squirrel repellents:

• Choose a granular squirrel repellent so it can be used indoors; sprinkle it in the non-living areas
• The repellent should target the squirrel’s sense of taste, scent and touch
• It should contain all-natural ingredients, including piperine, oil of black pepper and capsaicin
• The repellent should double as a raccoon repellent: the more animals it repels, the more protection you’ll have

This is a guest post by Michelle Anderson, who blogs on how to effectively use a squirrel trap and a groundhog trap. Guest post sponsored by Havahart®

With so many pros and cons about organics making their way across the airwaves, it’s important to get back to basics. No politics or mental gymnastics required, just good old common sense.

What Makes Organic Better?

• First, and foremost, organic foods taste better! They are fresher and mostly grown locally, instead of having been picked before ripe and then treated with preservatives.

• The toxic chemicals in non-organic food build up in the liver, overwhelming our systems and slowing down our metabolism.

• Organic foods contain more vitamins and minerals than their non-organic counterparts; and contain notably smaller concentrations of toxic metals such as lead, mercury and aluminum.

How To Get The Best Price and Selection

• Choose locally grown produce that’s in season

• Check the web for local companies that deliver fresh produce; try sharing the order with another family member or neighbor for maximum values; since these growers don’t have high overhead, you benefit on cost.

• Most cities have a local farmers’ market

• Grow your own! Even if a balcony is your only outdoor space, you can grow organic herbs (once you’ve cooked with these you will never go back to packaged), cherry tomatoes and other small produce. Look on the web for organic seeds and you’ll be amazed at the beautiful and delicious varieties available. If you have a large yard, you may want to start with a small section of rows and choose a few of your favorites.

What Does the “Certified Organic Seal” Really Mean?

• The Organic Foods Production Act of 1990, overseen by the US Department of Agriculture, was created in order to promote the healthy interplay between humans, animals and plant life, and the soil in which our foods are farmed.

• In order to bear the USDA organic seal, a food has to have been grown and produced without pesticides, additives, fertilizers, irradiation or genetic modifications.

• Realize that products marked “Natural Foods” are grown using the same natural methods as organic. However, they do not meet the same USDA certifications for quality and their shelf life is prolonged with preservatives.

Organics Move Us Toward a More Conscious Planet

• Support your smaller, local farmers; they must compete with huge corporations and when we buy local we create jobs for our community.

• Water conservation is practice; farmers grow produce more suited to the climate in which their land is located

• Soil conservation is inevitable; increased carbon and nitrogen from organic farming create a more naturally weather-and-pest-resistant environment with longer yield per acre than inorganic methods.

• Fossil fuels are conserved; non-organic farmers use gas to run their equipment and ship their produce further distances than organic growers.

More and more grocery stores are carrying organic foods, with some switching over entirely such as Whole Foods. As with any other saleable product, the more we buy the more competitive the market becomes; with the obvious result being lower prices. In the meantime, what you save on health expenses will be far more beneficial than the few extra dollars that you spend eating organic.

Rosa Scully still secretly believes in Santa and currently works as a content contributor for Santa’s Quarters, a retailer of commercial Christmas decorations artificial Christmas trees and more.

This blog post on how to grow organic tomatoes will show you how you can have a big crop of delicious and healthy organic tomatoes on your table in the easiest way possible. The tomato is a sensitive plant and there are several traps that lie in wait for your juicy fruit, but with a little care you can expect to have results to be proud of this season.

How To Grow Organic Tomatoes: Planning And Planting

The first point to consider is where you will grow them. If you have a sunny, sheltered, well-drained part of the garden, that is great. Ideally you can train them against a fence or wall, but if that is not possible, it is simple enough to construct a trellis for them. Keep in mind that some varieties grow up to 6 feet tall.

You can also grow tomatoes in containers. This is the ideal solution if you do not have a good site in the garden or if your soil type is not ideal. Tips on how to grow organic tomatoes in containers are pretty much the same, but you have more options. You can move the containers if you wish, even bringing them indoors in cold weather. Your plants also have a greater chance of escaping some of the earth-based pests if they are in containers.

There are many varieties of tomato plant. You will find that you have a little less choice of organic varieties, but most gardeners are not put off by this. There are so many benefits to eating organic, especially for your health.

Having chosen your seeds and planted out your young plants, it is important to keep checking on them. They need frequent watering when the weather is dry, or they will not produce much fruit. The leaves should never be allowed to wilt. You can mulch under the plants to keep the moisture in the soil when the weather is dry, and remember that small, frequent waterings are best.

How To Grow Organic Tomatoes: Dealing With Pests

No article on how to grow organic tomatoes would be complete without a few words on pests. Hornworms are probably the most feared tomato pest in North America. They love plants of the nightshade family, including tomatoes, eggplant, tobacco and potato, and they will eat all parts of the plant that grow above ground.

Hornworms can easily be squished, but you need to check the underside of all leaves frequently if you are going to rely on this method of hornworm control. The best organic alternative is to invest in some braconid wasps which will prey on the hornworms while being harmless to humans.

Eelworms or nematodes are a worldwide tomato pest. They live in the soil and you may not know that you have them until you first try to grow tomatoes. You can spray with an organic fungicide to prevent them attacking future crops. Rotating the location of your plants and having marigolds growing nearby will also help to discourage eelworms from establishing themselves in your garden.

Organic anti fungal sprays can also be used against tomato blight. If you find blight among your plants, it is very important to remove affected plants as fast as possible to stop it spreading. You can often prevent blight by making sure that your plants are not too crowded, but you may still be caught out in a wet summer.

If you are still having difficulty growing organic tomatoes, you could have somebody else show and tell how they do it. Ask your neighbors and friends and find somebody who is really successful with it. They may be doing something different that you never thought about, or they may simply have some tips for you. It could make all the difference to your own success to have somebody else show you how to grow organic tomatoes their way.

For more ways to enjoy your outdoor living space explore Woodmor’s.

Square foot gardening is an idea made popular by Mel Bartholomew in the 1980s. It is ideal for the smaller organic garden, because it is an intensive method of gardening based around ideas of companion planting, water conservation and avoiding pesticides and weed killers.

Square foot gardening is especially good for certain kinds of people, too. Using raised beds means that disabled and elderly people can garden without having to get down to ground level. The method involves minimal work, making it very attractive for those with busy modern lives. It is great for kids too because there will be a lot of plant variety in a small area, easy for kids to reach so that they can help out, and always something to new to see.

To create the raised beds, planks are joined to form an open bottomed box. Initially the recommended size is 4 x 4 ft, divided into a grid with string to make 16 sections of one square foot each. The box is then filled with new soil, purchased from a nursery so that it is nutrient rich. Compost will be added in future years. This means that it is not so important what type of soil was originally in the garden. Square foot gardening can be done over polluted land or even desert.

Then a different kind of plant is planted in each square. Of course, some plants need more space than others. Some such as broccoli or a tomato plant would need the whole square foot for one plant. Other types of plants can be set two, four, nine or even sixteen to a square, depending on size. Just be careful not to plant anything invasive such as mint which will try to take over the whole bed.

Taller plants would be at the north side to avoid shading others. You could run a row of corn or beans all along the north side of the 4 foot area, for example. Plants that normally take a lot of space, such as zucchini or cucumbers, can be grown vertically on a strong supporting frame instead of spreading over the ground.

With this size of bed a gardener can easily reach everything without trampling the earth down. So if you add more beds later, it is important to have paths between them. If you cannot move all around the bed, for example because it is against a wall or a fence, make it just two or three feet across so that you can reach everything.

The close planting means that there are very few weeds. Of course you will need to remove weeds from time to time but once every 10 days is enough, and it is an easy job. Once the plants have begun to grow they will crowd out most weeds. The variety of plants stops plant diseases from spreading easily, and discourages pests. All in all, square foot gardening is a very efficient and pleasant way to produce an interesting and productive garden in whatever space you have.