How can gardeners care for land resources

A third place that some types of garbage can go is into a compost pile. A compost pile is made from natural garbage such as food scraps, leaves, and grass clippings. Compost piles help this garbage rot. After it rots, it can be put back on the earth to fertilize plants.

The movement of garbage from a home or community to one of these places, like a landfill, is called the waste stream. Natural resources, both renewable and nonrenewable, are important to all of us. We must conserve and carefully use natural resources.

Our future depends on them. Written by Sanford S. Deeter, undergraduate student. Support for the production and printing of this document was provided by the U. Let's Stay Connected. By entering your email, you consent to receive communications from Penn State Extension. View our privacy policy. Thank you for your submission! Home Renewable and Nonrenewable Resources. Renewable and Nonrenewable Resources. This article is part of an educational series for third and fourth graders.

Renewable and nonrenewable resources, fossil fuel, and recycling are discussed. Recycling conserves resources and reduces waste. Renewable natural resources Let's look more closely at renewable natural resources. Recycling a cardboard box By-products are things made out of leftovers. Nonrenewable natural resources Now, let's look at nonrenewable natural resources. Are ears of corn a renewable or nonrenewable resource? What about coal? Is it renewable or nonrenewable?

Are rocks and minerals renewable or nonrenewable resources? Is wood a renewable or a nonrenewable resource? So what can you do to take care of natural resources? Deeter, undergraduate student Support for the production and printing of this document was provided by the U.

Sanford S. Smith, Ph. Why do we need this? Entering your postal code will help us provide news or event updates for your area. Related Products. Co-firing Biomass with Coal Articles. They offer classes for adults , teens, and kids on everything from veggie gardening to urban livestock care , as well as intensive teacher training courses and s ummer camp programs. They offer farm tours, cooking classes, and more. Check out their list of upcoming events and workshops HERE.

Bullocks Farm: Bullocks offers an intensive 3-week permaculture design couse on their 30 year old permaculture homestead on Orcas Island. They offer classes , fieldtrips , plant sales , and tons of information on growing and identifying native plants.

City Fruit: City Fruit h e lps tree owners grow healthy fruit, provides assistance in harvesting and preserving fruit, promotes the sharing of extra fruit, and works to protect urban fruit trees. Burn potential. Low temperature response. Residual effect. Activated sewage sludge. Very low. Ammonium sulfate.

Ammonium nitrate. Calcium nitrate. Moderate to low. Potassium nitrate. Resin-coated urea. Sulfur-coated urea. Urea f ormaldehyde. Moderately long to long. Urea solutions. The best time and method of applying fertilizer vary with the type and age of the plant.

Remember that nitrogen has its greatest effect for three to four weeks after application. Late fall or early spring is the best time to fertilize.

At planting, nitrogen requirements are relatively low. Most established woody plants perform well with just one application per year, but if you are trying to push the growth of a young hedge, make several light applications of fertilizer per year. As woody plants mature, the need for nitrogen decreases. Rapid growth is no longer needed or desired. Plant roots normally grow twice as far as the branches, and trees and shrubs near lawns pick up part of the fertilizer applied to the lawn.

This may be sufficient fertilizer for established plants. Before applying fertilizer. What kind of fertilizer. When to fertilize. How much fertilizer. How to apply fertilizer. Where to apply fertilizer. After fertilizing. Fertilizer and soil are not the only substances that can add nutrient pollution to rivers, lakes, and streams. Grass clippings, leaves, compost, manure, and other yard waste can move into street gutters and ditches with stormwater.

Water from storm drains is not treated by municipal or other water treatment facilities and empties directly into streams and rivers. Research has shown that preventing grass clippings and leaves from entering the water supply through street gutters and ditches can reduce the level of phosphorus in lakes.

When mowing, do not direct clippings into a ditch or street. Also, remove grass clippings and leaves from hard surfaces as soon as possible. Do not dump yard waste in or near lakes and streams. As organic debris like leaves, dead grass, and weeds decompose, soluble forms of nitrogen and phosphorus are released. The microorganisms that decompose these materials consume and possibly deplete oxygen in the water. A lawn of 1, square feet can produce up to pounds of clippings in one growing season.

Many homeowners bag lawn clippings because they think the clippings add to the buildup of thatch. This is not true. Clippings that remain on the lawn decompose quickly and release valuable nutrients. You can reduce fertilizer needs by 20 to 30 percent if you leave the clippings on the lawn. The shorter the clippings, the deeper they fall into the turf. Create a compost pile and recycle yard waste.

Compost can be used as a soil conditioner to improve soil structure, texture, aeration, and the ability to absorb rain or irrigation water.

Planting beds can be used as a place to recycle fallen leaves, small branches from pruning, and grass clippings.

The back corner of a natural area is a good place to dispose of dead weeds, Christmas trees, and spent flowers. Other potential causes of water pollution include pesticide , gasoline, and motor oil spills.

Fill lawn mowers with gasoline carefully. Conduct such activities over lawn areas instead of on hard surfaces. Stay away from wells, ditches, waterways, sewer inlets, and street gutters. Take paints, solvents, cleaners, and pesticides to a county household hazardous waste center.

Use plants that are adapted to the specific site chosen and are more pest tolerant to reduce the use of pesticides and fertilizers.

It is important to select plants that will grow in the conditions present shade, sun, drainage conditions. Pet wastes that enter waterways add nutrients and can be a source of bacteria that pose human health hazards. Dispose of pet waste by flushing the material down the toilet, burying it in the yard, or placing it in the trash.

Do not use pet waste as a fertilizer in the vegetable garden. Also, do not add pet waste to a compost pile. Temperatures in the compost pile do not reach levels that will kill all harmful organisms.

Animal and pet pens should be located so runoff water can be filtered by a grass border before it enters a ditch or street gutter. Compost and Mulch:.

Organic Gardening:. Soils and Fertilizer:. This publication is a revision of an earlier version. The authors would like to thank Erv Evans for his earlier contributions. Publication date: Jan. Cooperative Extension prohibits discrimination and harassment regardless of age, color, disability, family and marital status, gender identity, national origin, political beliefs, race, religion, sex including pregnancy , sexual orientation and veteran status.

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Other Benefits of Coring Enhanced water uptake. Solutions Contribute Definition Causes Effects Solutions Land pollution solutions. Small market. Initial market. Large market. Browse Efficient Solutions. Contribute What can you do? Photo by Thomas Richter on Unsplash. Submit your solution As a company, you develop an efficient solution and you would like to get the Solar Impulse label Apply for the label. Recommend a company Do you know an innovative company developing efficient solutions?

Let our team know about them Drop us a Note. Photo by Alex Knickerbocker on Unsplash. Definition What is land pollution?

Causes Land pollution Causes Human activities are the main causes of land pollution:. Photo by Erlend Ekseth on Unsplash.

Agriculture Agricultural activities are one of the major sources of land pollution. Photo by markusspiske on Pixabay.

Deforestation Because of deforestation and forest fires, soils lose their vegetation cover. Photo by Holger Link on Unsplash. Urbanization Urbanization is another source of land degradation. Photo by Dominik Vanyi on Unsplash. Mining Mining waste is usually left behind in the form of spoil tips. Industrial waste Heavy industry often produces quantities of undesirable chemicals. Photo by Bas Emmen on Unsplash. Waste disposal We produce large quantities of household waste every year, many of which could and should be recycled or degrade naturally.