Simple changes you can do to help the environment:
Many people may already be practicing “green” and not even know it.

 

One of the simplest things is planting trees and vegetation native to the area. Did you know this helps clean the air in Portland?

 

Another great idea is placing a rain barrel by your house to collect rainwater and use this to water all your plants. Collection barrels have a hole in the top where a roof downspout can fit snugly and a valve near the bottom allows you to fill a watering can or connect a hose. It is also possible to hook up your irrigation system to use rainwater.

 

Avoid using fertilizers that contain weed killer or insecticide. These chemicals should only be used as a last resort when other environmentally friendly options have failed. In most cases, all-natural fertilizers can provide the same service and are much safer for the environment, people, and pets.

 

Applying a layer of mulch around trees, shrubs, planted beds and on any exposed soil area will reduce water loss, control weeds and prevent runoff. Maintaining a 2 to 3 inch layer of mulch reduces evaporation from the soil's surface, moderates soil temperatures and suppresses weeds.

 

Reminder: Keep mulch 1 to 2 inches away from stems and trunks of plants to prevent stem rot.

Green Practices

Croak Creations is dedicated to the environment and strives to educate all our clients on the benefits to using eco-friendly products in our landscaping services. Practices that help our environment are not always easier but we firmly believe that even small changes will make a positive impact. If we can persuade our clients to use eco-friendly products and practices, it can and will make a difference.

 

While Croak Creations believe in using environmentally friendly materials and practices, we do not force our customers into only using green products and methods. We give them the information and let them decide what is best for them and their situation.

 

 

Croak Creations has experience in these environmentally friendly practices and can help you incorporate them into your landscape design.

 

• Rainwater Collection
• Drip Irrigation
• Recycling Building Materials
• Composite Decking
• Native Plant Design and Installation
• Bioswales
• Pervious Paving

 

We know what you’re thinking, what is pervious paving and what’s a bioswale?

 

Pervious pavings (or pervious concrete) combine hardscape surfaces with storm water management. The material allows 3 to 8 gallons of water per minute to pass through each square foot. By allowing rainwater to seep into the ground, pervious concrete can be instrumental in recharging groundwater while reducing storm water runoff.

 

If you haven’t heard the term bioswale before, you are not alone. They are sometimes called grass swale filters and they are open drainage channels with gentle sloping sides having a dense cover of grasses and other herbaceous plants through which runoff is directed during storm events. These drainage ditches collect and slowly channel the runoff flow downstream. The result is an economical, ecologically sound, self-maintaining system that decreases erosion and helps prevent pollutants from entering the storm sewer.