How to Enter
Aside from the many benefits of growing pesticide free, there are many, many ways to win in the
Digs My Garden Contest.
The first step is to view the four categories below, then
sign up as an individual or as a community.
STEP # 1 -
Individual--If you’re the green thumb in the house, we want you on board!
Community--We’re curious about who’s growing plants and community at the same time. A ‘community’ can be any configuration you can of
– a neighbourhood block, baseball team, office, book club, faith group, Brownie troop, Thursday-after-work pub buddies, even a whole town!
STEP #2 - Choose from any of these four categories (click each for info)
Don’t know yet? You can decide when you submit your photo and story.
Sign up now though for tips and facts on gardening drug-free this summer!
Take a look at the 2007 winners for great ideas!
Watching grass grow has never been this fun!
Getting your lawn off drugs is kinda smart, too.
In the race to have the best lawn on the block, we spread 67 million pounds of toxic pesticides onto our lawns every year. It’s foolish, and dangerous - especially to small children and pets.
Over 1,000 toxic pesticide products for sale in Canada have been banned in other countries. Exposure to pesticides can lead to serious illness such as cancers, neurological diseases and reproductive problems.
Other reasons not to use pesticides?
• They kill off beneficial insects such as ladybugs and honeybees.
• They accumulate in the food chain – damaging birds, fish and other animals.
• They destroy bacteria and nutrients that improve the soil and nourish plants and seeds.
• When it rains (or you water), they end up in our water table.
Tips to get you started:
Think outside of the golf course this summer. Depending on where you live, you can plant clover, thyme, flowering mosses and all kind of grass varieties. It doesn’t have to be just grass. Xeriscaping is a great approach to customize your yard to a local climate. It also happens to require less water and maintenance.
Sign-up now to get tips all summer long on how you can create your ultimate refuge.
Next to walking, gardening is the most popular physical activity in Canada. Besides being outside and reducing stress, growing your own food (drug free) is a great way to protect yourself from harmful pesticides.
Did you know, thousands of Canadians, mostly children, are poisoned by pesticides each year?
Two recent studies found a disturbing variety of pesticides coursing through the veins of regular Canadians – do you think the food we eat has something to do with this?
The average Canadian meal travels approximately 2400km from farm to plate. Our food’s jet-set lifestyle has major environmental implications.
More and more Canadians are addressing these issues by buying local and growing their own organic fruits and veggies.
Tips to get you started:
Every good garden starts with a great foundation. Make sure you give your garden the best organic nutrients. Try composting your leaves and kitchen scraps—it’s free, and effective.
Sign-up now for tips on growing the ultimate veggie salad this summer for your friends and family.
It’s all about the birds and the bees.
Your garden's flowers attract pollinators like hummingbirds, bees and butterflies, but applying pesticides can harm these helpful creatures.
There are more than 800 types of native Canadian bees, and an amazing 88% of plant species rely on them for pollination.
Tips to get you started:
There are many ways to make your garden beautiful without poisoning yourself or mother nature’s little helpers. Start by planting native species (check with your local garden store), use a wide variety of plants-- and don’t overcrowd!
Sign-up now for tips throughout the contest on easy quick ways to make the transition
With over 50% of the world’s population flocking to large cities, urban landscapes can be hot places throughout the summer.
Tall buildings, roads and pavement in a city are hotter than a natural environment. Try standing on a hot black-top road, then go out onto a grassy field—you’ll feel the difference. Look at your local weather report to see how an urban centre can be 5-7 degrees hotter than outlying areas. This phenomenon is known as the “urban heat island” effect.
That's why green balconies and rooftops can help make our cities more comfortable.
Not only that, but hangin’ out on your balcony is even cooler when you aren’t sweating over the exposure to chemical pesticides. Just dust off your balcony lounger, sit back and enjoy !
Tips to get you started:
It's easier than you think to grow food like salad greens, carrots or fresh herbs right on your balcony.
Just get a container, add soil, put in seeds, add water regularly, and keep it in the sun! You can give new meaning to a bucket or old wooden packing box while you're at it!
Sign-up now and we’ll send you easy tips on creating your own urban oasis!
If you are wondering about the legal stuff, check out Rules and Regulations
didyouknow
