Town of Riverside recently issued the following announcement.
Whether through your garden, lawn, or potted plants, you can make a difference in how plants and soil interact to improve soil health so that it can perform its critical role on earth.
- Grasscycle – Leave mowed grass on the lawn and apply less fertilizers. Over-applied fertilizer pollutes groundwater and surface water.
- Plant perennials – Plants that live longer accumulate
- Apply mulch – The biggest source of water pollution is eroded soil and the pesticides and nutrients it carries. Reduce erosion by applying mulch to exposed soil.
- Covering soil helps reduce erosion, conserves moisture, and supplies nutrients to the soil.
- Less erosion means less pesticides and nutrients entering our streams, rivers, and ocean.
- Avoid harsh chemicals and pesticides. Dispose of motor oil and other wastes properly.
- Compost and add organic matter such as the materials below to enrich the soil and improve its structure:
- Food scraps
- Grass clippings
- Leaves
- Pruned branches
- Coffee grinds
- Manures
- Plant trees to secure topsoil and prevent soil erosion. Take advantage of the Tree Power Program offered to Riverside Public Utilities customers
- Visit a local farm, farmers market and community garden
- Get Involved
- Food Rescue & Waste Prevention Ambassador Certification Program
- Riverside Food Co-Op
- Riverside Garden Council
- Riverside Food Systems Alliance
- Riverside-Corona Resource Conservation District
The more CO2 is stored in the soil as organic matter, the better for the climate, our water, and the air. Keeping this finite resource healthy is vital to life on earth.
Original source can be found here.
