April 21, 2017
In
Feature, Home
While Earth day is April 22, everyday is Earth Day at Mahoney’s. Our commitment to finding you the best products to beautify and sustain our earth has been our passion for over 50 years. From organic lawn-care programs to locally-grown plants, tasty edibles, natives and so much more, here are a few tips and ideas to celebrate earth day right at home.
What’s better than picking fresh veggies and herbs from the garden? Grown locally in our Woburn greenhouses, our house brand of Uncle Mike’s herbs and veggies are grown specifically for the best performance in our Boston area climate. We’ve selected the best varieties for top-performance. Non-GMO and grown with Integrated Pest Management (the good bugs eat the bad bugs) so you can feel good about growing organically at home.
Airborne toxins such as formaldehyde, TCE and benzene are present in every home and office. That’s because these compounds are found in many products that we use everyday: paints, varnishes, plastics, rubber, insulation and particleboard. These all contribute to the quality of the air you breath. Houseplants like bamboo palm, ficus trees, and Chinese evergreens fight air pollution by absorbing these harmful contaminants. NASA researchers discovered that certain houseplants can reduce indoor pollutants by 87 percent in 24 hours! So, why not add several plants to your home and office? You’ll love the look and breathe easier too.
From lawn-care to plant care, we’ve been sourcing fertilizers and soil amendments before “organic” was even a thing. We pride ourselves in stocking the most contemporary chemistry out there in our lawn and garden products. From seaweed-based Neptune’s Harvest fertilizers to organic 4-step lawn programs, lobster compost soil amendments and chicken manure- our buyers are always focused on bringing you the best in organic garden care.
Trees help purify the air, give wildlife a home, and could save big on energy costs. Large deciduous trees planted on the east and west sides of your home create shade from the hot sun and reduce summer air conditioning costs.
Plant pollinator friendly annuals, perennials, trees and shrubs to create a haven for pollination in your yard. Flat or shallow blossoms such as daisies, sunflowers, alyssum, zinnias, asters, petunias, echinacea, butterfly bush and verbena will attract the largest variety of pollinators because the nectar is easily accessible. Bumblebees are also attracted to flowers with hidden nectar spurs such as larkspur, monkshood, monarda, columbine, and snapdragons.
By planting native trees, shrubs, and perennials you are restoring part of the natural ecology that is a haven to wildlife and pollinators. Aside from regular watering during their first season, most native plants require little maintenance.
Usually we mulch our gardens each year because it polishes up the appearance of your yard. Did you know? Mulching helps conserve water resources. Mulch insulates the soil, maintaining soil moisture and preventing rapid evaporation from the hot sun so your plants are healthier and you water more efficiently.
