In New Orleans, homeowners strive for eco-friendly landscaping. Not only does it promote environmental health, but it also helps Louisiana homeowners save on unnecessary energy expenses.
Whether it is substantial changes to your outdoor space or adding small touches, there is always a way to go green in New Orleans.
1. Know Where How to Manage Water as a Homeowner
You can make your landscaping much more eco-friendly by becoming more intentional with how you manage your water. Holistically, this proves true especially in states that get more rain such as Louisiana. Here’s a quick rundown of a few things you can do to make better use of water in your landscaping:
- Preserve rainwater: If you can, catch that rainwater. Rainwater helps plants and grass through dry periods. However, be sure to double-check local guidelines for legal purposes.
- Make your landscaping absorbable: If you see standing water around your yard or even some light flooding, you may be able to take steps toward making it easier for rainwater to soak into the ground. This can mean using different landscaping materials. Choose new absorbent materials for paths or driveways and make sure that access water drains the right way. The water will drain away as the ground is completely soaked through.
- Monitor automatic sprinkling: Automated sprinkler systems are great for reducing the hassle of watering your lawn and plants. Then you just have to make sure you are turning it off after it rains to avoid overwatering.
2. Eco-Friendly Landscaping Lessens Use of Harmful Chemicals
Harmful chemicals like weed killer not only can harm your landscaping, but those chemicals easily run off and find their way into lakes, ponds, rivers, and the ocean.
Instead, you can find alternatives like planting vegetation that deters pests naturally. Use landscaping materials like lava rocks to prevent weeds, and other eco-friendly solutions.
3. Plant Climate-Friendly Vegetation for Eco-Friendly Landscaping
Planting native, climate-friendly plants is a cheaper way to make your landscaping eco-friendly. Native plants are better suited to the local conditions.
Therefore, they are better suited to the local weather and have more natural resistance to the natural pests of the area. Plus, local plants tend to be cheaper because of their local abundance.
4. Start Composting for Eco-Friendly Landscaping
Overall, composting reflects another easy way to get started with eco-friendly landscaping. By creating your own natural fertilizer made up from recycled materials. Creating a composting system in your own yard is easy! Just take food scraps, clippings, trimmings, water, and dirt and let it rest.
Then, the plants are "fed" said compost. Therefore, you save a trip to the store. Also, homeowners avoid introducing new compounds and chemicals into your yard.
5. Use Mulch in Gardens to Increase Water Absorption
Finally, mulch is a natural way to introduce some eco-friendliness to your landscaping because it reduces water lost by absorbing it, promotes plant growth, reduces weeds, doesn’t break down in harmful ways, and insulates soil for better plant life.
So, there are easy and less expensive ways to make your landscaping eco-friendly with less upkeep. Try preserving rainwater, using local plants, composting your waste, and using more eco-friendly landscaping materials to reduce your yard’s footprint on the local ecosystem.
To go green in 2023, explore the collection of landscaping necessities at Bella Sand and Rocks of New Orleans.
