Gardening

Fertilizer: Use natural soil amendments (eg. blood meal, fish meal, fish emulsion, seed meal, bone meal, rock phosphate, greensand, kelp meal, manure, and compost) that release nutrients slowly over a longer period of time than chemical fertilizers do. Learn how to compost at home. Consider planting an eco-lawn that requires less fertilizer and water. Visit Healthy Lawns for more information.

Aphid Control: Know your insects. Most of them are either harmless or beneficial. Remove aphids by squishing them or hosing off the host plant. Encourage beneficial insects like ladybugs, lacewings and hover flies that prey on aphids by planting "good bug" food sources like bronze fennel, alyssum, and Shasta daisies. If these measures are unsuccessful, mix 1 tbsp castile or liquid vegetable oil-based soap (detergent can burn plants) with 1 tbsp vegetable oil and 4 litres of water. Place in a labeled squirt bottle and test spray on infected plant parts. Soap kills soft-bodied insects by damaging their cuticle. If the plant appears unaffected, treat the remaining infested areas. If the spray affects the plant, then reduce the soap content and re-test.

Hot Compost: Mix a pile of 2 parts brown leaves or straw (carbon-rich materials) to 1 part fresh lawn clippings (nitrogen-rich materials) and a few scoops of topsoil. Keep the pile covered and at a moisture level close to that of a wrung-out sponge. Lift and turn the pile every week to aerate. The pile will remain hot during the decomposition process. Once the pile cools, cover and cure for 2 weeks before using. Do not compost diseased plants, weeds with seed heads, invasive plants like bindweed, pet feces, dead animals, breads or grains, meat or fish, dairy products, grease, cooking oil, or oily foods. For more information on composting call the Compost Hotline at 604-736-2250.

Ant Bait: Blend 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar and 1 tbsp of borax. Sprinkle the mixture in ant traffic areas, but not where children or pets might eat it. This is not enough borax to kill the worker ants immediately-they take the mix back to the nest, where it will eventually destroy the whole colony. If you do not want to kill the whole colony, mix 1 cup borax, 1 cup sugar, and 3 cups water in a bowl. Pour the mixture into four small screw top jars. With a hammer and nail, make 4 to 8 holes in each jar lid. Place the jars in an area where you have ants, but keep them away from children and pets. This trap will catch the worker ants, but not the queen.

Moth Repellents: For long term storage of woolen clothing, place garments in the freezer for several days to kill adult moths and larvae, then place clean woolens in sealed plastic bags or airtight containers. When washing woolens it is better to use a mild soap and hand-wash outfits instead of dry cleaning them because dry cleaning is a significant source of air pollution. For ongoing moth control, vacuum rugs, carpets, and upholstered furniture regularly. To make a moth repellant mix for sachets to be hung in your closet or placed in drawers, blend together 1/4 cup each of dried rosemary and mint, 2 tbsp each of dried thyme and ginseng, and 1 cup of whole cloves.

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