Lawn, Garden, Land & Water
Living in the Upper Connecticut River Valley of New Hampshire and Vermont provides ample opportunities to celebrate the beauty of our landscape. Many of us have vegetable and flower gardens as well as access to wild forests and protected land. What we may not realize, however, is that the maintenance of our properties can unintentionally have dramatically negative impacts on the health of our soil, water and air. It seems hard to believe that gallons of fuel, mostly gasoline, are spilled each year when people refuel lawn equipment - that is more than all the oil spilled by the Exxon Valdez, in the Gulf of Alaska. It seems even harder to believe that one hour of mowing is the equivalent of driving 350 miles in terms of volatile organic compounds released into the atmosphere. (For more information, visit The People Powered Machines web site). Then there are the realities of the various chemical fertilizers we use to "nourish" our lawns, creating green grass while also polluting our groundwater and run-off.
This section of the Sustainable Hanover web site provides some strategies for mitigating negative impacts on the environment while maximizing the productivity of your landscape.
This section of the Sustainable Hanover web site provides some strategies for mitigating negative impacts on the environment while maximizing the productivity of your landscape.
Lawns
Eliminate Pesticide Use
Consider eliminating chemical fertilizers from your lawn maintenance plan.
Sustainable Lawrence, NH Living Lawn Campaign Reduce Lawn Size
Lawns are a modern invention, created by European aristocrats seeking to demonstrate wealth by not needing all of their land for food.
If you can reduce your total grass coverage to 8,000 square feet or less, you can switch to a REEL mower (REEL Mower guide) and get exercise while you mow! To learn more about the energy use of lawn mowers, visit the Energy page of this site. | Change Mowing Techniques
Gas powered lawn mowers are unregulated fuel wasters. Consider an electric mower, a reel mower, or a scythe.
To learn more about the energy use of lawn mowers, visit the Energy page of this site. Lawn Alternatives
UNH Extension: List of native plants and grasses.
Wildflower mixes are an easy and beautiful way to reduce mowing and increase the beauty of your landscape. You can also plant alternative grasses and groundcovers of different shapes and sizes, maintaining the green hues, but reducing the need for mowing. |
Gardens
Vegetable Garden Strategies
In the Upper Valley, there are numerous recourses to help you start a vegetable garden.
1. Talk to friends; 2. Read Henry Homeyer's weekly column in the Valley News or read his Blog: The Gardening-Guy. 3. Visit any garden center. Starting with a few plants in pots is a great way to begin. | Rain Gardens
Rain Gardens are a functional and beautiful strategy for managing storm water run-off (see below)
The Co-op Community Market, on Lyme Road, Hanover, has rain gardens in the front, on the side, and in the back of the store. Check them out! While less common in the Northeast, Green Roof Gardens or Living Roofs provide alternative strategies for managing rain water before it harms our rivers, stream or groundwater. |
Water
Water Conservation Tips
Water during the cooler parts of the day and don't overwater, causing overflow into the storm drain.
Incorporate drought tolerant plants into your garden. Integrate drip hoses. Get a rain barrel! The rationale for conserving water in a place that appears to have an abundant supply is that over time there are periods of extreme rain and then periods of extreme draught. With an increasing population pressure on water will increase, so learning how to use less and how to harvest what we already have will be helpful for your home gardens. | Managing Run-Off
Storm water runoff is precipitation from rain or snow melt that flows over the ground. As it flows, it can pick up debris, chemicals, dirt, and other pollutants and deposit them into a storm sewer system or waterbody.
Anything that enters the storm sewer system is discharged untreated into the water bodies we use for swimming, fishing, and providing drinking water. To keep the storm water leaving your home or workplace lean, follow these simple guidelines: 1. Use pesticides and fertilizers sparingly - even better, eliminate pesticides completely (see reference below) 2. Clean up after your pet; 3. Use a commercial car wash or wash your car on a lawn or other unpaved surface. 4. Clean paint brushes in a sink, not outdoors. Only Rain Down the Drain |
Land
Permaculture
Permaculture is sustainable land use design that is based on ecological and biological principles and that aims to create stable, productive systems that provide for human needs, harmoniously integrating the land with its inhabitants (Adapted from Wikipedia)
Whole Systems Design, LLC is a group of designers and planners who develop human habitats - landscape and building systems - that yield perennial abundance and enduring value. These are adaptive, resilient and secure places in a future of peak oil, climate instability, and deepening economic insolvency. Linden Landscaping, near Burlington, VT, offers a range of Urban Micro-Farm projects, including cedar raised beds, compost bins, mini chicken coops and orchards. Permaculture Demonstration Sites in NH. Visit this Wiki for a listing. (Sketch above from Satori Garden Design web site, which got the image from the Chico Permaculture Guild) | 12 Month Gardening?
Consider using cold frames or Greenhouses to expand your growing season and to take additional advantage of your land and sun.
Maine Garden Products in Friendship, ME has great designs for cold frame and residential greenhouses. Growing Spaces sells Growing Domes - greenhouses with a geodesic design, an innovative alternative heating system, and the opportunity to create a real indoor garden. |
