Get a head start on next year’s garden

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Gardeners may be getting ready to put away their gloves for the year, but now is the perfect time to get a head start on environmentally friendly landscaping projects.

Planning ahead can make yard maintenance easier, save money and conserve natural resources.

“There are a lot of things people can do to have a sustainable landscape,” said Bob Brzuszek, an associate professor in Mississippi State University’s Department of Landscape Architecture. “It’s about taking a holistic look at the property and making smarter choices about the installation and management of plants, the habitats they create and the water that runs off of it. There are a lot of easy things people can do around their houses to reduce their impact on natural resources, and they do not have to cost a lot.”

Now is the perfect time to start a compost pile, design a rain garden, construct a rain barrel or install a patio.

“A compost pile is a great way to reduce the load in our landfills,” said Brian Templeton, Extension associate with MSU’s Department of Landscape Architecture. “Yard waste is a key component to the proper breakdown of the pile. Organic matter, such as grass clippings, leaves and branches, helps to create a nutrient-rich, loamy compost that can be added to a planting bed or potting soil mix.”

Composting can be done by simply piling up yard debris and turning it over with a shovel or pitchfork, but commercial products can make the process more convenient.

“Compost bins can be elevated and have handles, which can make it a little easier to turn the pile over,” Templeton said.

Rain gardens and rain barrels can reduce erosion, flooding and pollution. Rain gardens allow water to pool for a short time in the landscape until it can be absorbed into the ground, irrigating nearby plants instead of running into the community storm drain or causing flooding.

“Controlling the direction and speed of rainwater runoff from properties, especially in residential areas, is extremely important because it helps keep fertilizers, oils and other pollutants out of nearby streams and creeks,” Brzuszek said.