Super Eco

Photo credit: Annie Mole, flickr

Like the water that nourishes your Spring seedlings, every little bit counts when it comes to greening your garden. Don't worry. We’re not going for a meticulous, no-leaf-unturned makeover here, just a few minor, no-stress, low-cost eco adjustments.

To get you started in time for planting season, we dug up easy 5 ways to green your garden gear:

1) Rock recycled gloves. Give your green thumb (and your organic garden) the white glove treatment with Clean Air Gardening’s lightweight knit gardening/work gloves ($7.99/pair) made from recycled post-industrial material (95% recycled polyester, 5% recycled acrylic).

2) Tip your (sun) hat to upcycled rice bags. How can you sustainably save face from the harsh effects of the sun and support green crafters? By donning a vibrant, handmade upcycled rice bag sun hat ($6.95/each). Or, if you’re crafty, DIY and crochet a wide-brim bonnet from leftover plastic bags. Green your sunscreen too.

3) Dig DIY dirt diggers, etc. It’s a cinch to upcycle old yogurt containers, shampoo bottles, margarine tubs and milk cartons into soil scoopers, flowerpots and bird feeders. Styrofoam egg cartons make perfect seedling sanctuaries too. Don’t forget to rinse and recycle them.

4) Shine a green light on your greens. Brighten up your garden luau with these affordable ($24.99/each) solar-powered tiki torches or these adorable, ($7.95/each) LED, lithium battery-powered Chinese paper lanterns. Shine on for 15 hours! Or, let your old shopping bags glow.

5) Spring for recycled garden sculptures, from reclaimed tin roof shingle bird baths to recycled tool bugs (you can live with). Perk up your plant beds with one of Fred Conlon’s cheeky grasshoppers or a funky upcycled frying pan birdfeeder ($25/each and up).

When you're done, sit back, relax and watch your greenest green thumb efforts blossom.