The Sun Bay Paper Page 3 May 6, 2022 - May 19, 2022 If planting flowers that are popular with honeybees is something your brown thumb just won't allow, try this easy idea to help bees and other pollinators: Let your lawn flower. Instead of pulling dandelions and clover flowers from your lawn, let them be. Even though they are considered weeds, they are technically wildflowers. And they are flowers that are important food sources for bees. Just wait until the blooms go to seed before mowing the lawn. Whether it's ground turmeric, dried rosemary or fennel seed, consider making all of the seasonings in your spice rack organic. Conventional dried herbs and spices are grown with chemical fertilizers and pesticides and are often irradiated to kill bacteria. Organic herbs and spices, on the other hand, are cultivated without chemicals and are rid of pests and germs through steam heat or a deep freeze. Many recipes call for unwaxed citrus fruit, especially if you are zesting the skin. But finding unwaxed fruit at your supermarket can be impossible. Growers spray wax to protect the fruit and to give it a sheen so it looks good in stores; while considered safe to eat, many people prefer to avoid it. To remove the wax at home, just microwave a lemon or orange for 20 seconds; use a brush to remove the melted wax. Rinse and wipe with a clean towel, and you'll be good to go. Most of us know items like vegetable scraps, fruit peels and eggshells can be added to the compost bin to biodegrade down into mulch. But did you know expired pantry staples like herbs, spices, jams, jellies and preserves can also be added? So long as they are made from all-organic materials, they, too, can break down. But when it comes to anything sweet, be sure to mix it with other organic materials - - like leaves and grass clippings -- to prevent insects from invading your compost bin. Composting It's a smart idea to give babies and toddlers a healthy diet of organic food, since pesticides and herbicides can harm their developing brains and nervous systems. But once they grow up and are running around the house, it's still important to think organic. Conventional apples, for example, have the highest level of pesticide residue of all commercially grown fruit, so organic apple sauce is much better for kids. The risk of harm to children is still higher than adults, since kids eat more fruits and veggies relative to their body weight. Baby Food We just had Arbor Day! One of the greenest things you can do to help the planet is to plant a tree. The National Arbor Day Foundation wants to make it easy for you to help the environment and beautify your yard. When you sign up for a sixmonth membership ($10), the nonprofit will send you 10 free trees to plant. You can also choose to send your free trees to a threatened rain forest or to one of the nation's national parks instead. To learn more, visit arborday.org. Danny Seo Arbor Day When buying a dozen eggs, look for paper pulp or cardboard cartons. The majority of egg cartons are already made from recycled materials, and they are also 100 percent biodegradable. Tear up the paper cartons and add them to your compost bin or even work them into your garden as mulch. Just break them into small pieces and use a small hand shovel or trowel to place them around plants. They'll break down quickly and help with drainage in the soil. Get Cartons Organic Spice Lawn Flowers Waxy
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