Have you ever wondered if there was an eco-friendly alternative to manicured lawns? Ecological landscaping offers a variety of ways to maintain your home’s landscape that benefits the wildlife and plants that share the space. According to the Ecological Landscaping Alliance,
“The objectives of an ecological landscaper are to reduce water consumption, preserve water quality, prevent soil erosion, protect biodiversity, diminish the use of toxic pesticides, and minimize the use of non-renewable resources.” It is similar in its philosophy to permaculture farming, which is about integrating human and natural systems in a holistic way for the benefit of all creatures. Let’s have a look at some different components of ecological landscaping that align with principles of permaculture: Watering Systems The idea with permaculture is to use the resources that you have on site. So how can you maximize the use of rain on your property? With a rain barrel or a water cube. Rainwater is excellent for watering your garden because it has extra nutrients. Learn how to build your own or find one for sale at your local hardware store. The plants you choose for your gardens should be matched to the soil type, hardiness zone, and amount of water the ground receives. If you want a landscape that needs little watering, choose drought tolerant plants, shrubs, and trees. Even better, choose native plants where possible as they will be best adapted to the local climate and soil. Weeding It takes a lot of effort every year to remove those pesky flowering native plants that we call weeds. But what would happen if we just embraced them? Better yet, encouraged them! Many people are switching from manicured lawns to wildflower meadows. Through seeding, planting, and removing grass, many beautiful flowers can be added. The dandelions, lupins, daisies, forget-me-nots, and foxgloves can make a beautiful scene when they are all inter-mingled. They provide food for bees, hummingbirds, and other wildlife. The trick is to make the no-mow-lawn look intentional. Consider adding a bird bath or adding a couple mown paths and a bench. When people see that it is being cared for and it is not simply being neglected, the transition to a no-mow-lawn can be made more smoothly. Fertilizing Stay away from carbon-intensive fertilizers that pollute the atmosphere and consider some natural alternatives. For starters, you can make your own composting system using vegetable, fruit, and other food scraps from the kitchen (just not meat or dairy). Layer the organics with dried leaves or grass clippings for an ideal nutrient ratio. Line the composting container with chicken-wire to keep out wily raccoons. Another alternative fertilizer is composted manure from your local farmer. Cow, horse, and sheep manure are all good examples. Chicken manure can be good but in smaller quantities because of its nutrient balance. Stay away from using ashes from the fireplace unless you’ve tested your soil and found it to be too acidic. Then the basic ashes can be useful. If you have a lawn, leave grass clippings on lawns to act as a natural fertilizer. Pest Control Stay away from toxic herbicides and pesticides and consider managing pests in a more eco-friendly way. The best way to avoid pests is through prevention. Strong healthy plants that are well-suited to their environment are less likely to get stressed and have issues with pests. If you do find aphids or whiteflies you can use an insecticidal soap spray. Predatory insects like ladybugs and lacewings will feed on soft-bodied insects like aphids. Predatory wasps will feed on beetle larvae and caterpillars. If you have a well-supported, thriving ecosystem of plants and insects on your property the predator-prey relationship will keep your pests in check. Mulching In permaculture circles there is a saying that bare soil is like an open wound on the Earth. Mulching is a way to cover the soil and to prevent the overgrowth of unwanted plants. It keeps the soil moist for longer which reduces the amount of watering you need to do. You can use mowed leaves, seaweeds such as eelgrass, and natural bark mulch. Keep the mulch away from shrub and tree bases to prevent rotting. Ensure a thick layer so that light doesn’t reach the soil. Planting There are a variety of eco-friendly strategies that you can use when selecting plants for your garden. Do you want there to be many flowers for pollinators? Do you want to support native plant communities? Do you want to have some edible plants? How about drought-tolerant plants that don’t need watering? You can have different gardens for different spaces on your property according to the needs and characteristics of your homestead. For example, you may choose to convert part of your lawn to xeriscaping which includes rocks, mulch, and drought-tolerant plants. You may want another section with fruiting shrubs and trees which provide both your household and local birds with fruits. The ecological potential of your landscape is only limited by your imagination. Ecological landscapers Are you interested in learning more about ecological landscaping and considering it for your property? I recommend checking out the Ecological Landscaping Alliance for resources. Consider identifying a local ecological landscaper who can consult with you on your ideas for your landscape. Helping Nature Heal is an example of an ecological landscaper located in Nova Scotia. I am just starting my journey in ecological landscaping. I took a course with Helping Nature Heal in 2016 and have designed and implemented three gardens so far. I’d be happy to discuss your projects with you and offer a free consultation.
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Are you a home-owner living in Nova Scotia? Are you concerned about climate change and interested in reducing your home energy bill? There are several programs available to help you with reducing fossil fuel use.
Electricity generation is currently a leading emitter of greenhouse gases in Nova Scotia. In the 2022 Climate Change Plan, the Government of Nova Scotia breaks down the greenhouse gas emissions per sector and electricity was the highest at 43%. Transportation was the next highest at 32% and buildings were at 12%. Nova Scotia plans to stop the use of coal-fired plants by 2030 and reach 80% of electricity coming from renewable energy sources by 2030. If you are concerned about reducing your carbon footprint, reducing energy consumption and fossil fuel use in the home is a great place to start. It saves you money at the same time as reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Converting oil heating to electrical heating is helpful because the grid will soon include more renewable energy. Increasing insulation, switching to low-energy use appliances, and sealing holes are some other examples of actions that you can take. Efficiency NS Energy Audit Efficiency Nova Scotia can come to your home and perform an energy audit for $200. The audit helps you to find out how your home is losing heat. At that time, you can learn about rebates and low interest loans that are available. You will automatically be considered for the federal Canada Greener Homes Grant rebates. These include home insulation, windows and doors, heat pumps and renewable energy systems. There is $125 to $5000 available for eligible home retrofits and up to $600 can go towards the total costs of your pre- and post retrofit EnerGuide evaluations. HomeWarming program The HomeWarming program is excellent for people who have a low income. You can get a free energy assessment and free home upgrades. You can get a free heat pump (and electric panel upgrade) if you are on oil heating, which would be switched out. The Government of Nova Scotia is committing to reduce the use of oil heating by 20% by 2030. Low income is defined as less than $27,250 per year for 1 person, $50,635 for 2-4 person, and $72,113 for 5 or more. The family or person must own the single unit home and live in it all year. Efficiency NS Home Energy Upgrade Rebates If you don’t qualify for the HomeWarming, there are still ways to save money on home energy upgrades. Efficiency Nova Scotia has several great rebates for home heating that is not oil-based:
SolarHomes program Interested in installing solar panels on your roof? It is a great way to reduce your use of grid energy if using battery storage, or you can contribute renewable energy to the grid. SolarHomes offers rebates for Solar Photovoltaic (PV) systems up to 10 KW in size (min 1KW). They give rebates at the rate of $0.30/Watt (installed DC capacity) up to a maximum of $3,000. In order to qualify, the building must be owned by the person applying and it must be either a primary residence or seasonal property (not rental). You can use the rebate for an addition to an existing PV system (min 1 KW). Clean Energy Financing There are several municipalities in Nova Scotia that are running clean energy financing programs. These include Town of Bridgewater, District of Lunenburg, District of Digby, District of Barrington, District of Yarmouth, Inverness County, Town of Amherst, Cumberland County, Town of New Glasgow, Victoria County, and East Hants. They might have slight differences but generally they follow the guidelines set out by Clean Foundation. District of Lunenburg for example offers 15 years of financing at the rate of 2% interest, up to $20,000. Many upgrades that save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions are eligible. Financing is through your property and not personal credit. There are several good programs in the province for people to reduce their energy use when they own their home. There appears to be less options for people who are renting apartments and rental property owners. However, Efficiency NS can help to install some free energy-saving measures like tank wraps, LED lights, and faucet aerators in apartments. There are energy saving options for just about everyone! If you have experience with any of these programs, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Happy energy saving! |
AuthorMay is a sustainability coach, consultant, and gardener working in Nova Scotia. Archives
July 2023
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