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Here we are in mid-April, and the weather in the NYC area for the past few days has been sunny but cool. Taxes have been prepared (phew) and it’s time to hit the yard and do some spring cleaning of the outdoor kind. As backbreaking as it can be, there’s still something very rewarding about raking, weeding, digging into the earth and tilling the garden for summer’s bounty. Just be prepared to break out the arnica and tiger’s balm. I dug up some good resources to help lay the groundwork for an eco friendly-based landscape.

Here’s a comprehensive guide to organic fertilizer from Extremely Green and Milorganite from Planet Natural for a tried and true commercial organic fertilizer option. (We’ve tried it too and it’s amazing, don’t plant without Milorganite.)

Keep in mind that if you are going to plant anything of a decorative nature, the best thing to do is “go native” and look for succulents and plants that are drought resistant. Check out our previous post on capturing rain water, a great way to curb erosion and utilize rainwater.

For the ultimate in satisfaction, try growing your own edibles — herbs and cherry tomatoes are usually pretty cooperative. To create a garden that has a complete complement of veggies and fruit is an enormous challenge — requiring lots of time, energy and a certain amount of space. But creating and caring for an edible garden is one of the most effective ways to become more self-reliant and sustainable. Not to mention the obvious health and flavor advantages — fresh food plucked right out of the garden is just so nutritious and delicious. If you’ve got the space and can commit to the time involved, you might want to start by planting a patch of your favorite veggies. Maybe your neighbors can join in and everyone agrees to share their bounty.  City folk can plant herbs at the very least, and enjoy a container garden year round. Let me know how it goes!

Related: our earlier posts on natural pest control and green gardening