Gardening for the earth & your health!

Everyday chemicals are released into the environment and millions of gallons of water are wasted. How you might ask? Would you believe growing plants. The majority of this is done by large agricultural producers, but are you guilty of this in growing your own personal gardens? If so, then you can make a difference by changing your gardening practices. Many agricultural producers have already done so and others are starting. You can use the same tricks to help your own garden, and care for the planet.
Not all plants are appropriate for the area you live in. If you pick appropriate plants for your area, you can avoid using chemical fertilizers and save on water. Research plants native to your surrounding areas and plant them in your garden. Wildflowers, can pretty much be left alone and will thrive in most areas.
Pick natural repelling plants. You don’t need to rely on poisons to keep away garden ruining pests. Many plants produce chemicals that repel insects naturally. By putting them in or around your garden, you can keep your garden safe with less effort and no chemicals which is key here.
If you don’t want to plant natural repellents in your garden, you can use them to spray your plants without harming them or adding artificial chemicals to your garden. Many herbs like hot pepper, vanilla, and lavender can help repel insects from your garden. Buy ladybugs and let nature do it's magic.
If your looking for a safe way to get rid of weeds without chemicals the good old fashion pulling of weeds is still best. If you take a little time each week to pull the weeds you cut the growing of weeds in half and ya know it's good for you to work in your garden. We were made to take care for the earth. Get the kids involved too. I was reading where "Researchers discovered that growing your own food (however little work it takes)is better for your health than anyone ever realized," says Psychology Today. The research showed when "certain strains of soil-borne mycobacteria" were ingested, they "stimulated the human immune system." The magazine also says, "it looks increasingly like ingesting components of the soil itself might be as critical to human health as the very finest fruits and veggies grown in it." I had an organic garden and my youngest loved planting things and watching them grow, but we moved to a little lake community and I had not bothered to start another garden. I've changed my mind. I guess we should all have a garden and get our kid's involved. Who knew it was that healthy!*
Crop rotation. Farmers all over the world use crop rotation to naturally fertilize plants. The concept is to change what crop you’re putting in a certain field each year. Plants use different nutrients and put other nutrients back into the soil. If you rotate crops that replace the nutrients the other plants use, you will have to fertilize the soil less.
You can use this same concept in your garden by planting different plants every year, or just rotating where you put specific plants in the garden.
So, you’ve made all these changes and are using a low-water, chemical free garden? Well, you still haven’t done the most important thing: Pass it on! Tell your friends, teach your children. Every little bit helps and shows appreciation in caring for our beautiful home, planet earth.