A Green Thumb's
Green Issue
January 2011 - Vol 6 Issue 1
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Happy New Year!


We'd like to take this space to extend our thoughts to you and yours, for a peaceful, prosperous, healthful and loving year to come.
We also would like to extend a BIG Thank You to all of A Green Thumb's clients, and business associates who have brought us to where we are today as we approach our sixth year anniversary mark in March. Some of those include:
Mr. & Mrs. DeBraal of Clairmont; Mr. & Mrs. Wisbroecker of Scripps Ranch; Ms. Davidson of North Park: Dr. & Mrs. Mashouf Poway; Mr. & Mrs. Csiki of Del Mar; Ms. Kunii of Del Mar; Mr. & Mrs. Devry of Carlsbad Aristocrat Landscape; A & C Landscape; Ms. Judith Reale of Reale Designs; Mr. Joseph Vincent of Vincent Designs: Aeryk of RCP Block in Lemon Grove; Evergreen Nursery; Miramar Wholesale Nursery, Kniffing's Nursery, Summers Past Farms, and Mr. Walt Willis of Easy Turf for being my inspiration.

Taylor M. Murphy


What does Organic mean?
Organic is a term for products that have been produced or grown without the use of any chemicals, genetically modified or irradiated.
Organic plants and organic foods grown in organic soils have higher nutrients, and organic soils around your home lend to healthier humans free from pesticide driven allergies.
The most pesticide- contaminated fruits and veggies are: Apples, Bell Peppers, Celery, Cherries, Grapes, Pears, Potatoes, Spinach, Lettuce, Peaches and Nectarines.
Source: www.ewg.org
What is green?
In short, Green is the design, commercialization, and use of processes & products that are feasible & economical while:
Reducing the generation of pollution at the source.
Minimizing the risk to human health & the environment.

Get your home and garden green!
Plant Deciduous shade trees on the west side of your house: the leaves will shade your house during spring and summer months, and losing the tree's leaves during fall and winter will alow the sun to heat your house.
Create a certified wildlife backyard habitat: www.nwf.org/backyard; or a Monarch Waystation.
Collect rainwater, to use as water for your garden.
Here's a How-To.
Make a compost bin. There are several on the market available for home use.
Question of the Month: Where is the greenest city in the United States?

A: Portland, Oregon!
America's top green city has it all: Half its power comes from renewable sources, a quarter of the workforce commutes by bike, carpool or public transportation, and it has 35 buildings certified by the U.S. Green Building Council.
The city 's efforts earned it the top slot on Popular Science magazine's list of 50 greenest U.S. cities. San Francisco, Boston, Oakland, Calif., and Eugene, Ore., rounded out the top five greenest cities. Cambridge, Mass., Berkeley, Calif., Seattle, Chicago and Austin, Texas, finished in the top 10 list.
To see the complete rankings of the top 50 US Cities, click here.
Got Pests? Did you know that less than 2% of insects in the world are harmful to humans? Many so-called garden *pests* have natural enemies that are beneficial to plants. Here is a pictorial guide, bug by bug, to help you irradicate your garden pests the green way.
Here are some green How-tos for pest control without chemicals:

How to Control Gophers (PDF File)
How To Control Ants Without Chemicals.
Ridding Your Yard of Mosquitos.
Nature Moms has great green tips for pest control.


  1. 1. Mulch your flower beds and trees with at least 3 inches of organic material.
  2. 2. Weeds? By-pass Roundup! Spray with common household vinegar on a sunny day. (Cheaper too.)
  3. 3. For Fungus control, mix powered cinnamon in potting soil with seedlings. This will prevent *damping off* of seeds.
  4. 4. Apply compost to your soil a month before planting.
  5. 5. Soak compost in water to brew a 'tea', you can then use as fertilizer.
  6. 6. Select plants for your zone, soil, temperature range and sun/shade exposure.
  7. 7. Use natural and organic fertilizers instead of chemical ones.
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Sincerely,

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Taylor Murphy
A Green Thumb Landscape Consulting & Design

phone: 619-269-9501