This post is written for the “Save the Ocean” group-writing project by Julie, a special education teacher from the Philippines. She is married with three young children. She writes at Teacher Julie.

Growing your own garden does not just entail taking care of the plants that grow there. Growing your own garden affects the conditions of our oceans.

Image credit: Julie.

How?

Pesticides that you use in your garden and yard can wash into the ocean. When these happen, these chemicals contribute to the pollution of the ocean waters and can cause red tide and poor water quality. By not putting trash, pet waste, and chemicals near storm drains can help prevent these pollutants from which can flow to the sea carried by storm water.

Nutrient pollution from lawn fertilizers and sewage that go into natural water formations like rivers and lakes can end up being in the ocean waters. When these happen, there is a reduction in the water quality. One of the things that would most likely happen is lack of oxygen which is needed by the fish and shellfish in order to survive.

So what are some of the ways to ensure that your garden is not contributing to the further pollution of the ocean?

Mulch your garden. Mulching is simple and beneficial. Mulch is a protective layer of the soil composed of organic materials like grass and leaves clippings, straw, and barks chips. Mulching improves the soil’s condition by providing organic matter that improves root growth, and the water-holding capacity of the soil and increases absorption of water. Mulching is a great source of plant nutrients and ideal for earthworms and other organic organisms to stay, which can contribute to the plants nutrients. Inorganic materials can also be used such as stones and brick or clay chips for mulching but this can only be used in some landscape projects.

Use organic fertilizers. Making your own mulch from vegetable waste, grass and leaves clippings as well as compost, are harmless to the soil. Some other materials to make up an organic fertilizer are manure, seaweed, peat moss and green manure.

Tips on how to have a natural yard and garden:

• Use organic fertilizer.
• Choose native plants that do not require special need and care. Plants native to its immediate environment are used to the soil and water supply as well as to the climate and are easier to take care.
• Compost your vegetable food waste like fruit and vegatable peelings and use these to make the garden healthy.
• Leave the grass and leaves clippings behind to serve as natural fertilizer.
• Mulch your garden. By mulching, you do not need to water very often, thus saving on this precious natural resource.
• Water the plants in the morning or in the evening when the water is unlikely to evaporate quickly, thus saving precious water from waste.
• Use chemicals, only if you have to, sparingly and according to the instructions.

Image credit: Julie.

A healthy and clean ocean can mean a big difference to the future generations. If we all do our share in helping to save the Earth, the world would be a much nicer place to live in. We can start by doing things one step at a time.

January 2008 is “Save the Ocean” month here at The Giving Hands. Click here for more information on how you too, can save our oceans, and remember to subscribe to The Giving Hands for your daily updates!