| Green gardening might sound repetitive, but it means | | | | a slightly larger pot than before. |
| organic gardening; not using pesticides and manmade | | | | 5. Search for and remove aphids |
| fertilizers to make your garden grow. You don't need | | | | Aphids can weaken plants and transmit disease, |
| to know everything there is to know about a garden | | | | which is why they need to be killed as quickly as |
| to start organic gardening, but knowing when things | | | | possible. The good thing is they're easy to get rid of. |
| should be pruned, picked and planted is a good place | | | | If you are trying to save money you can simply |
| to start. Green living is incorporating all parts of your | | | | spray them water, or use an organic gardening |
| life to be more eco-friendly, and that includes your | | | | insecticide like insecticidal soap. |
| gardening! | | | | 6. Suppress parasitic leafhoppers |
| Here is a list of green gardening tips for the month | | | | Use a green gardening safe horticultural oil to |
| of May: | | | | suppress the population from growing. Leafhoppers |
| 1. Remove faded Lilac flowers | | | | are most prevalent on black-eyed susans, |
| This green gardening tip helps promote better | | | | coneflowers, and lespedeza. |
| flowering next year and will rejuvenate tired, bare | | | | 7. Remove faded daffodil stalks |
| plants by taking out the thickest stems entirely. | | | | Remove the stalks, but keep the leaves until they |
| 2. Sow cosmos seeds | | | | begin to yellow in June. Be careful not to braid or fold |
| Cosmos is a type of flower that tends to become | | | | the leaves, because this leads to bulb growth |
| weedy, but if properly sowed (in a grid pattern) | | | | impairment. |
| weeds can be deterred. | | | | 8. Spray eastern tent caterpillars |
| 3. Cut back late-season Perennials | | | | A biological control called Bt can be sprayed on the |
| Cutting down about half of the late-season perennials | | | | larvae of these blue-striped caterpillars. These guys |
| helps promote bushier growth and better flowering. | | | | are especially treacherous to roses, crab apples, |
| Contenders to keep an eye on are buddleias, | | | | cherry and peach trees and cotoneasters. |
| eupatorium, asters and goldenrods. | | | | Since it is May, don't forget your green spring |
| 4. Repot pot-bound houseplants | | | | cleaning either! Cleaning your house as well as cleaning |
| Repotting plants helps prolong the life of the plant as | | | | your garden is a springtime tradition that not only |
| well as the beauty of the flower/growth of the | | | | cleans out clutter but can help your mental and |
| vegetable. Simply take the plant outside and hose off | | | | physical health! |
| the old soil. Trim the roots if necessary, then repot in | | | | |