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King County Washington home

Keeping Earth Week going this spring: Natural yard care tips to help your garden thrive

People pose for a selfie in a long green house. A long, metal grated table with watering cans and seedling pots is in the middle.

Earth Week may be coming to a close, but it can serve as a way to springboard for continuing to make choices that help our community, environment and your gardens and lawns.

As the days grow longer and the air warms, spring is the perfect time to refresh your garden and rethink how you care for it in a way that’s safer for you, your family and the environment. Small changes in your yard can make a big difference by helping protect local waterways, support pollinators and reduce the need for hazardous chemicals in and around your home.

Natural yard care focuses on working with nature, not against it. By building healthy soil, choosing the right plants, and using safer alternatives, you can create a garden that thrives while also protecting your health and the environment.

Here are some simple, practical tips to get you started this spring:

Start with Healthy Soil

Healthy soil is the foundation of a thriving garden. Test your soil to understand its needs and enrich it with compost instead of synthetic fertilizers. Compost adds nutrients and beneficial microbes, boosting plant health naturally.

Choose Native Plants

Pick plants that are native to your region. They require less water, resist local pests, and thrive with minimal intervention. Native plants also support pollinators like bees and butterflies.

Mulch Mindfully

Apply a layer of organic mulch like shredded leaves, grass clippings, or wood chips around your plants. Mulch retains moisture, suppresses weeds, and adds nutrients as it breaks down.

Water Wisely

Water your garden early in the morning to reduce evaporation and fungal diseases. Use soaker hoses or drip irrigation to minimize water waste and deliver moisture directly to roots.

Attract Beneficial Insects

Encourage ladybugs, lacewings, and other helpful insects by planting a variety of flowers and herbs. These allies naturally control pests, reducing the need for chemical sprays.

Mow High and Leave Clippings

Set your mower blades higher to encourage deep root growth and shade out weeds. Leave grass clippings on the lawn. They decompose quickly, returning valuable nutrients to the soil.

Compost Yard Waste

Instead of bagging up leaves and garden trimmings, compost them. This reduces landfill waste and provides nutrient-rich material for your garden beds.

Embrace Organic Solutions

For pest or disease problems, choose organic remedies such as neem oil, insecticidal soap, or homemade sprays. Avoid pesticides and herbicides that can harm wildlife and pollute groundwater.

If you have used or unwanted pesticides and herbicides, you can dispose of them at a hazardous waste collection site. The Hazardous Waste Program offers free hazardous waste disposal for King County residents and businesses.

Not sure if your product is hazardous? Look for the words CAUTION, DANGER, WARNING, or POISON as indicators that it may be harmful to use. If you still have questions, give the Haz Line a call at 206-296-4692 or email haz.waste@kingcounty.gov. Staff are available 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, except for holidays.

Upcoming Garden Hotline Classes & Workshops

Looking for a more hands-on way to get started? The Garden Hotline offers workshops and classes throughout the year where you can learn directly from local experts and connect with other gardeners in your community.

From planting and soil basics to edible gardening and seasonal care, these sessions are a great way to build and improve your skills.Check out upcoming classes and workshops:

Growing Herbs Naturally

Learn how to choose the best herbs for you to grow. Explore annual, biennial and perennial varieties. Talk about best growing conditions, soil choices and pot sizes, and then plant some seeds for you to take home.

Seattle Public Library – Queen Anne
400 W Garfield St Seattle, WA 98119
May 1
2 – 3:30 p.m.

Garden Allies – Beneficial Insects and Pollinators

Less than 5% of insects in your garden harm your plants or property, and many insects of them help you manage those pests that do! Join us to learn about how to identify good bugs from bad ones, how they help keep the aphids away, and who is pollinating your flowers in the garden so you can get fruit or save seed. We will take a walk to the West Seattle Bee Garden at the High Point Commons and go on a hunt for beneficials and pollinators. 

Seattle Public Library – High Point
3411 SW Raymond St, Seattle, WA 98216
May 2, 2026
2 – 3 p.m.

Tilthe Alliance Edible Plant Sale

Our annual May Edible Plant Sale features the largest selection of organically, sustainably and locally grown vegetable plant starts in the Puget Sound region. All revenue from the May Edible Plant Sale benefits Tilth Alliance’s year-round programming.

Meridian Playground
4800 Meridian Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103
May 9-10
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

West Seattle Bee Festival

Come learn more about the most nature’s most popular pollinators and how to protect them at this annual event.

High Point Commons Park
3201 SW Graham St, Seattle, WA 98216
May 16
Noon – 3 p.m.