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You are here: Home Life in Blogs & photos How does your garden grow?

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02/04/2010How does your garden grow?

How does your garden grow? As the weather finally turns for the better, Sunbeams, Brussels-based green expats, plant some tips for a greener garden.

Spring is in the air and slowly our outdoor work in the garden or on the balcony
starts again. How do we do it while respecting nature, the environment and not
to forget, ourselves? Here are some ideas to choose from:

- Try to encourage a diversity of species of plants and animals: make hiding places
for animals, then they will come automatically. Check with your local garden centre
which plants are local/domestic and which plants attract butterflies, bees and birds
(or get some inspiration and order online from e.g. www.vivara.be). You could
even get organic seeds and plants (e.g. www.ecoflora.be ).

- Give enough space for spontaneous nature. Wild life loves it, and nature often
tells you which plants thrive best in your garden! Choose ground covering plants to
discourage weed, or have a look at www.cecotec.be to find and order tools to control weeds.

- Please do not use chemical pesticides, but try to find alternatives: e.g. spray ecofriendly dishwashing soap or nettle “tea” (against insect pests), and even boiled
rhubarb leaves (against slugs) Many ecofriendly products are available like those
from EcoStyle (more general info at www.pesticides.org).

-  Also try to avoid chemical fertilizers, and use eco-friendly alternatives: compost
(from your own kitchen waste), manure, kelp, bone meal, rock mineral fertilizer,
etc.;

-  Many people choose to get their own free compost with a compost heap, a bin
or a wormery. Look in your local garden centre or at Nature et Decouvertes. Sunbeams will organize an English workshop on composting in May or June. See our
Events Calendar for dates and enrolment, and watch for our article on composting
in May 2009;

-  Try to reduce the use of water by collecting rainwater to water your garden.
Products are available in your local Brico, garden centre, Metro or Nature et Decouvertes – some communes subsidize water collecting systems like green roof tops. You’ll be all set for our challenge on water usage in June 2009.

-  Why not go for eco-friendly garden furniture?
You can choose wooden garden tables and chairs with FSC labels, now
available in many shops. A complete list can be found at www.wwf.be. Opt for a
natural hedge like bushes or wood, instead of an iron fence. For ideas have a
look at www.castanea.be.

Also check out “Groene Guy” for magical fences, for contact details see our website under Useful Addresses, Garden, and find some lovely garden lights based on solar energy (e.g. Nature et Decouvertes);

-  There are many eco-friendly tools: choose tools without a motor (or at least efficient ones). Choose tools of good quality and take good care of them. You can order tools on-line from. www.vlaamszaadhuis.com or www.cecotec.be or, of course at your local garden centre. Try to share the cost and usage of tools with friends and
neighbours. “

-  Learn how to ecological lawn care: buy a bio fork (woelvork/grelinette, e.g.
Guerliu,) to plough and prepare the soil manually before sewing or use a corer
(verticuteermachine/scarificatrice) to aerate the soil, use compost and ecofriendly
moss products (e.g. EcoStyle, VertiGazon). Water your lawn correctly, and do not cut the grass too short (+7cm)! For more info see www.pesticides.org.

Extra herbs, fruit and vegetables from your own garden make the perfect gift...

-  And why not eat organic herbs, fruit, and vegetables from your own garden?
They could not be more fresh and rewarding to eat! Your children would love to be
part of it and if you have a surplus, it can be used as the perfect gift!

For more info check out www.ibgebim.be www.velt.be, www.vlaco.be , www.ovam.be
www.natuurpunt.be, www.natagora.be.

The Sunbeams Team


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