GREEN TIPS!

Recycle grass. Don't pick up the grass clippings after you mow. Clippings will return nutrients and moisture to the soil. Consider buying a mulching lawn mower. This will cut the grass clippings finer and blow them into the lawn.

Let your lawn breathe. Once a year, remove small plugs of earth to allow air and water to aerate the grass roots.

Invite a few weeds and insects into you garden. Think of your lawn as a small piece of nature where pests have their place. Often, nature provides its own pest control in the form of birds or other insects that feed on the insects we consider nuisances.

Use manual tools. Tools that don't require electric or gasoline engines are especially handy for small yards or small jobs.

Fromhttps://19january2017snapshot.epa.gov/www3/epahome/hi-spring.htm

For the bees:

Shared on Global News and contributed by Laurence Packer, professor of biology at York University’s Faculty of Science: Allow bare patches in your yard. Bees tend to build their nests underground. The bare patches are an ideal place for them to access.

No woodchips! they prevents bees from accessing the ground and building nests.

Leave dead stems in place. Yes, leaving brown, lifeless stems can be unsightly, but oftentimes bees will make their nests in the hollows of the stems.

Build nest sites. You can leave piping or other such hollowed-out places for bees to access. If you’re worried about accidentally upsetting a bees’ nest that you’ve created, just make sure it’s far away from doors, windows or any areas that people — especially children — might bump into.

Build south-facing rockeries. Rocks help warm up the soil, which in turn makes it an inviting area for bees to nest.

Note: more than half of all bees do not sting. Male bees do not have stingers.