Green Dumpsters Anyone?

We are nearing the end of our kitchen renovation and trying to be as environmentally friendly as possible.  I was able to sell much of my old kitchen components on Craig's List, but we were amazed that our contractor still managed to fill an entire dumpster with debris despite my hovering and pulling out what recyclables I could.  Mary stopped by for a visit and told me about green dumpsters.  What is a green dumpster, you say? Well, a traditional dumpster goes directly to the landfill, while about 75-85% of the contents of the green dumpster gets recycled. The green dumpsters also cost less.
Two weeks ago, she visited Cardella Waste, in North Bergen, a facility that recycles building waste. The trucks dump their loads, and the waste is separated into metals, plastic, concrete, wood, glass and sheetrock. They service large and small projects and have over 60 years experience in waste removal. They can contribute to LEED certification as well.
So, spread the word to your friends and mention the League of Women Voters if you contact Cardella’s. With the benefits of recycling and lower cost, who wouldn’t want a “green” dumpster?

More on Battling Bugs

Last week's entry on emergency bug sprays was a response to my own bug crisis.  Although I mentioned that overcrowding was stressing my usually garden-hardy Black-Eyed Susans, what we really need to talk about is that the best way to control pests is to maintain an organic garden with plenty of native plants.  By using organic methods such as composting, using natural fertilizers and minerals, protecting beneficial insects by eliminating the use of broadly-applied pesticides, reducing pavement, corralling rain run-off, changing cultural attitudes toward lawns or just planting better adapted varieties of garden plants CAN break the cycle of chemical dependence that we've all become accustomed to. I was surprised to learn that bare soil in full sunlight is 25-35 degrees warmer than nearby soil under mulch or plant cover.  Can large expanses of manicured lawn be that much cooler?

     Bonnie sent me a link to this National Geographic Green Guide which suggests that "plant-based pest control comes from the beneficial bugs and insect-eating animals the plants attract. These pest-eaters include some birds (bluebirds, chickadees and hummingbirds are a few), bats, lizards, ladybugs, praying mantises, dragonflies, spiders, green lacewings, hoverflies, parasitic wasps and predatory mites. They will flock to a healthy, balanced ecosystem to fight the bug battle for you. Choose a varied mix of plants, with edibles alongside flowering plants like clovers, marigolds, and members of the mustard, sunflower, celery and carrot family, whose nectar helps feed beneficial bugs and birds. Keep these plants healthy year-round if you can, so beneficial insects have supplementary food and dependable shelter as they control bugs throughout the year."  The NJ Audubon Society lists a dozen "must-haves" for a backyard habitat and Organic Gardening has suggestions for a wildlife garden (however, we should definitely skip the "treat" section with our local bear problem!)

BUGS!!

     Things had been going so well in the garden.  I've been focusing my attention on the big picture--thinking about the hardscaping and landscaping that would give me the bones I need to start moving the overgrown clumps of perennials left by the previous owner.  All that overcrowding really stresses the plants and, this week, I've had some major infestations of aphids and (I think) flea beetles.  Naturally, I'm looking for organic pest control methods to wage war on these nasties.  The aphids are easy to get rid of with a strong blast of water.  My preferred method, however, is soaking the area with a spray of soapy water.  I always mix it on the fly so I don't have exact measurements.  You can see the dead aphids on the picture above--no live green aphids were to be found two days later.

     The flea beetles are trickier to get rid of since they love the crowded conditions and undisturbed soil.  If you look closely, you can see the telltale tiny holes they leave.  The good news is that they are most harmful on tender young transplants and my established clumps of Black-eyed Susans should survive.  Organic Gardening gives a very thorough explanation of their lifecycle and ways to limit their damage.  I've also found a few blister beetles which are black and yellow, much like the cucumber beetle and they make bigger holes.  This month's Organic Gardening Magazine gives a recipe for an all-purpose spray which, they say, works on a multitude of pests, including slugs and Japanese beetles:  

Chop 1 garlic bulb and 1 small onion in a blender.  Add 1 teaspoon powdered cayenne pepper and 1 quart water.  Steep for 1 hour, then strain through cheesecloth.  Add 1 Tablespoon liquid dish soap so the spray sticks to the plant leaves.  Mix well.  Spray the mixture on both sides of the leaves.  Store remaining spray in a labeled jar in the fridge. Note:  certain plants are very sensitive to soaps and can develop leaf burn.  Always test on a leaf or two the day before spraying the whole plant.

Easy Composting

I have been composting since I moved to Mountain Lakes. I have to admit that my original motive was more about saving those expensive green garbage bags than saving the earth. I can’t say I had the support of my family in this endeavor; they thought I was a little nuts. I chose to ignore them and my investment in a compost tumbler has paid off in what can only be described as beautiful dirt!
     I was intimidated at first because I read that you have to use a certain ratio of “brown” material to “green” material. Some to the information gets so detailed that it seems daunting. I just wanted to get rid of some of my garbage for free so I decided not to think too hard about carbon/nitrogen ratios and just started tossing my kitchen scraps and leaves in and gave the tumbler a turn every so often. Well, as the saying goes (sort of) “Compost Happens!” Sometimes it was a little wet and smelly, so I added brown leaves which tend to be plentiful in my yard regardless of the season.
     There are many ways to compost. Some people just have piles or areas separated with chicken wire; others build their own bins. It seemed easiest to go with something pre-made and there are many styles of compost bins and tumblers on the market. While these do require an initial cash outlay, you will still end up ahead in the long run when you add your home made dirt to your garden. Compost will improve the texture of your soil and will increase its ability to retain water. The organic matter in the compost provides food for microorganisms which keeps the soil in healthy balanced condition, reducing or eliminating the need for extra fertilizers.
     Kitchen scraps are ideal for composting. They are high in nitrogen which helps heat up the compost and speed up the process. It is helpful to keep a container in your kitchen to throw in egg shells, coffee grounds, fruit and vegetable peels…really anything that does not have bones, fat or oil (i.e., no meat). Empty the container into your compost as it fills up, Now that summer’s here I toss in melon rinds and they disappear! Large pieces will take longer to compost than small ones so if you want your garbage to disappear more quickly cut it into smaller pieces. You can also compost dryer lint, pet hair, newspapers and cardboard egg cartons.
     Oxygen is needed to move the breakdown process along. If you’re using a tumbler, give it a spin a few times a week. Piles and bins need to be mixed regularly.  Compost needs to be moist; however, if it is too wet, it will smell bad!! If you find that your compost is wet and smelly, add more “brown materials” which include dry leaves, straw or wood chips. If the compost seems too dry, add the green materials which are the kitchen scraps and grass clippings.
     That’s all you have to do! If you prefer to understand the science behind it and get your brown to green ratios just right, there are many websites that will provide all the information you’re looking for and more. Here is a Compost Guide and another website with great information.
     Remember, composting not only saves your green garbage bags, it also saves the earth by reducing the amount of garbage going to the landfills. Use your garbage for the good of your garden! It’s a win-win situation.

Green Gathering

Mountain Lakes Day will be a little greener this year thanks to the ML Cadette Girl Scout Troop 1855! The twelve eighth-grade girls are working this spring to increase environmental awareness in town. The troop has been investigating environmental issues and ways to communicate their message to the residents of Mountain Lakes. “We’ve got to start with kids because they are the ones who need to learn to take care of the environment now,” one Girl Scout said. The idea of a green fair was voted in as the best avenue for making the education fun. The “green” kid activities will include decorating clay pots and planting bee-friendly seeds, recycling games and activities, and decorating reusable shopping bags. A 100 percent organic dark “green” T-shirt that the Girl Scouts designed will be on sale for $10, promoting the troop’s mission: “Saving the Earth, One LAKER at a time.” The Girl Scouts are also inviting various environmental groups and eco-friendly product vendors to participate.  See you there!

Tick Tubes--Tackle Lyme Disease the Green Way

I've been trying, between rain drops, to get some gardening done and I've already found a few ticks this season.  Louise has discovered an environmentally friendly way to handle deer tick problems in her yard which she has been using for two summers.  Research indicates that the only known transmissable form of Lyme disease is carried by the white-footed mouse (a.k.a. field mouse). It is not carried by deer. The deer carry the adult tick, with or without Lyme disease, to different areas of habitat. Hence they spread the tick, but not the disease. The adult tick has to find another host to infect in order to spread the disease. Ticktubes target the white-footed mouse by providing nesting material (cotton balls) that is sprayed with damminix (a de-licer, tick killer).  Since the white-footed mouse is part of the lifecycle of deer ticks, you will see a genuine decrease in deer ticks, as a result of ticktube application. Heavy rains may wash the damminx out of the cotton, therefore be clever in where you place the tubes (under bushes near the home or around the perimeter) and replace the tubes if they get hit hard by rain.
 

Gardening with Native Plants

     Why Plant Natives? Natives add beauty to the landscape and preserve our natural heritage. They provide food and habitat for native wildlife; decrease the amount of water needed for landscape maintenance; protect water quality by controlling soil erosion and moderating floods and droughts; reduce the need for pesticides and fertilizers in the landscape AND save the homeowner money because native plantings cost less to maintain than turf.
     The Northern Chapter of The Native Plant Society of New Jersey invites gardeners, nature lovers and native plant enthusiasts to a meeting and free program on Tuesday, May 27th. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at the Frelinghuysen Arboretum’s Haggerty Education Center at 53 Hanover Avenue, Whippany, New Jersey.  The program is entitled "Gardening with Native Plants." The program speaker will be Hubert Ling, Ph.D. Dr. Ling is an expert horticulturist, photographer and member of The Native Plant Society of New Jersey. Preview the beautiful photos by Ling on the Society’s web site; they are sure to whet your appetite for learning how to garden with New Jersey’s native plants.
     The Native Plant Society of New Jersey encourages appreciation of native flora and the preservation of native plants for future generations. For more information visit the Native Plant Society of NJ website.
     Click for directions to Frelinghuysen Arboretum, or call (973) 326-7603