A list of the education component sustainable landscape actions are included below, for your reference while working on your landscape. When you have completed your projects and are happy with your efforts, please check off the achieved sustainable practices from the scorecard for point values. The scorecard can be opened using the “Green Landscapes Metrics Scorecard” link below.
Action items already existing or practiced in your landscape can be counted too, so check those boxes as well!
Add your education component subtotals to create your grand points total at the bottom of the list. A minimum number of 70 points will be necessary to meet the requirements and gain “Certified Georgia Landscape” status.
Sustainable Landscape Topic 1: Composting at Home
Compost yard waste. Leaves, grass clippings, branches, and tree/shrub trimmings.
I do not compost weed seed heads or rhizomes, invasive plants, or diseased/insect ridden plants.
Compost kitchen scraps. Fruit and vegetable, egg shells, coffee grinds, and even sawdust from the workshop!
I do not compost dairy, meat, bones, pet waste, oils, mayo and whole eggs.
Turn your compost material regularly to aerate and maintain proper moisture level (a damp sponge). Sprinkle with water to moisten, or add browns – dry leaves, straw, twigs to reduce moisture.
Sustainable Landscape Topic 2: Mulch
Keep tree root flares exposed and leave a few inches of space between mulch and the trunk. Do not pile mulch against the base of the trunk.
Use a tree’s own leaves as mulch.
Form a mulch ring 2 to 3 inches deep to the tree drip line to help compete against grass and other plants for resources.
I do not pile mulch to cover small plants. Leave a small space between mulch and the stem while adding mulch 2 to 3 inches deep elsewhere.
Sustainable Landscape Topic 3: Welcoming Pollinators
Provide food for pollinators. Bare soil, diverse sources of forage and nectar year round, pollen, insects, and native plants.
Provide areas that collect water puddles (rocks, bare soil, leaves, large rocks), birdbaths, or a shallow dish.
Provide habitat with shelter. Logs, rock walls, pithy or woody stems, bare soil, or insect hotels.
Provide habitat with structure. Vertical vegetation layers (trees – shrubs – ground cover), overgrown vegetation, stumps, logs, brush piles, leaves, stone surfaces.
Use pesticides wisely, if you must. Diagnose the pest correctly before treatment, follow the label directions, use low toxicity and selective formulas, use the correct formula, use sprays instead of powders/dusts, mow the lawn before applying, avoid broad application, prevent drift, do not apply during bloom, and spray in the late afternoon or evening.
Participate in the Great Southeast Pollinator Census using plants in your garden: https://gsepc.org/ . Learn about pollinators while generating useful data about their populations.
Sustainable Landscape Topic 4: Welcoming Wildlife
Provide a food source with native plants: fruits, seed, forage, nectar, and pollen.
Do not feed wildlife, other than birds, and do not feed bread to waterfowl. Your native plant landscape will suffice.
Clean and sanitize bird seed feeders regularly, and change and sanitize your hummingbird feeders daily in South Georgia, and multiple times per week in North Georgia.
Let insects live. They are part of the ecosystem too!
Provide water with bird baths, puddles, a shallow dish (with rocks or marbles for insects), plants with cupped leaves, or rocks with depressions.
Provide shelter with leaf piles/mulch, decaying logs, stick or log piles, rock piles, snags, diverse vegetation, vertical structure, bird houses, and bat houses.
Provide space for wildlife. Dedicate 25% of your landscape as off limits to humans and minimize your passage.
Keep your distance. Wildlife do not like being harassed!
Do not use sticky traps, netting, poison, or moth balls. Only passively manage wildlife activity through landscape design.
Sustainable Landscape Topic 5: Water Quality
Test your water source for irrigation water quality.
If you use fertilizers, use slow release types and avoid over-fertilization.
Use integrated pest management and reduce your dependence on pesticides.
Avoid pesticide and fertilizer use in the riparian buffer.
Create an at-home kit for chemical spills and leaks.
Sweep grass clippings, fertilizer and soil from driveways and streets back onto the lawn.
Remove yard debris and trash from street gutters so it will not get washed into storm drains.
Direct downspouts and gutters to your rain garden or plant beds where rain will soak into the ground rather than run off your yard.
Reduce impervious surface coverage by using mulch, stone, or grass paths and parking areas.
Prevent soil erosion by using ground cover vegetation and planting beds along land contours.
Leave a vegetated riparian buffer between your lawn and streams or ponds, if you live next to those water bodies, or line your property boundaries with vegetation including grasses, shrubs, flowers, and trees to allow stormwater to soak into your landscape, instead of flowing into the street.
Sustainable Landscape Topic 6: Water Conservation
Design your landscape to use water efficiently. Follow plant requirement guides. Group plants with similar water needs. Include trees and shrubs, and shade gardens.
Practice water-wise landscaping (or xeri-scaping). Use drought resilient plants, mulch, and efficient irrigation.
Include a texture soil test when you submit for your basic soil sample test at your county Extension office.
Aerate or amend your soil to store water more efficiently and avoid soil compaction.
Adjust mower height higher in the summer by 1 setting and use a mulching mower.
Adjust irrigation systems, if you have one, to account for soil moisture or rainwater. Use a rain sensor shutoff.
Repair irrigation system pressure issues and leaks. Prevent sprayers from watering paved surfaces.
Water plants the correct amount.
Use a drip irrigation system for beds, shrubs, and vegetables.
Water between 4pm and 10am only.
Sustainable Landscape Topic 7: Stormwater Management
Install a rain barrel to reduce stormwater flow from your property. Use it to water your plants!
Install a rain garden to accept stormwater from your rooftop, sidewalks, patio, or driveway.
Build a bio-swale or vegetated grass swale to move and infiltrate water on your landscape to prevent stormwater and erosion.
Install pervious landscape pavers or porous concrete or asphalt in place of your impervious patio, sidewalks or driveway.
Install dry wells in stormwater problem areas, such as under downspouts or where rainwater funnels off paved surfaces.
Conduct routine maintenance on your stormwater infrastructure. Remove leaves, sediment, and debris when needed. Keep joints between permeable pavers clean.
Divert runoff to maintained stormwater infiltration areas in your lawn and avoid soil compaction. Do not drive or park vehicles through these areas.
Sustainable Landscape Topic 8: Invasive Plants
Don’t buy or share invasive plants.
Physically remove invasive plants, roots, and debris, then burn or bag and dispose in the trash.
Apply proper herbicide according to the label, such as glyphosate or triclopyr, to kill invasive plants. Use an aquatic formulation if you are near water.
Remove established invasive trees by cutting and painting the trunk with herbicide.
Sustainable Landscape Topic 9: Native Plants and Low Maintenance Landscapes
Plant native plants adapted to your climate and natural pests.
Put the right plant in the right place! Consider sun, soil moisture, salt tolerance, spacing, and temperature. Plant in groups of three.
Use natural mulch and ground cover. Leaves, pine straw, and woody debris.
Establish strong roots. Plant correctly, use native plants, and water deeply and infrequently.
Sustainable Landscape Topic 10: Encouraging Biodiversity
Incorporate diverse plant species in your landscape. Reduce monoculture coverage, such as expansive turf lawns, and remove invasive species.
Provide and preserve habitat with food, water, and shelter for a variety of wildlife, including insects.
Reduce or eliminate your contributions to pollution, including a pesticide free landscape. Prevent pollution and improper disposal of fertilizer, pesticides, cleaning chemicals, pet waste, and oil/fuel. Pick up trash and reduce consumption and reliance on one-time use products.
Keep 25% of your landscape naturally diverse and accept landscape “imperfections”. This means less labor and gives you more time to relax and enjoy your other efforts!