Truly “Green” Gardening and Lawncare
All of my grandparents were farmers and also off the boat so-to-speak. Farms were a la naturelle back then. My grandparents farming practices were brought here from the old country. I don’t know enough about farming today to lambaste the overuse of fertilizer and pesticides by farmers, but I have an ethnic background that was well versed in the natural care of just about anything including everything in the yard. I grew up in the country. My parents had a large yard and grew many things. Now I have a large yard and live in the country. Being a product of ethnicity at its finest I had to learn everything my parents knew at a young age. Yes folks, before I was twelve I knew how to wash, (wringer washer, 2 tub rinse, hang on the line routine), iron, sew, knit, crochet, cook, clean…oh brother. Never ever would I think of saying to my parents, “I’m bored.” It would not be the smartest thing to do. But without ever saying those words my dad still managed to have me totally educated with the riding lawnmower and all of its added equipment so that I could mow the entire 2 acres of lawn for him. And, I could back up a wagon and fit it into a tight space before I was twelve too. That sure came in handy all the years my husband and I had a boat and a very long driveway. I just told him to point where he wanted it. But, I’ve digressed enough. What I’m saying is that the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree.
As I’ve blogged before, I have all types of fruit trees, ornamental trees and shrubs, a vegetable garden, bulbs and perennial flowers, grapes and raspberries, herbs, etc. I try my best to stay all natural. I’m on a canal and do not want to pollute anything anymore than I have to with pesticides and fertilizer. If I use anything, I mix up Jerry Baker concoctions, or use products from Gardens Alive, http://www.gardensalive.com/Default.asp?bhcd2=1175870499. They work beautifully. But yes, they cost more money sometimes. We should know that chemicals, fertilizer, and many other things with which we treat our lawns are bi-products of my two (facetiously) favorite industries, petroleum and industrialized farms. The manure from an industrialized farm viewed as an actual nutrient is a statement of horrific consequence if we keep up with that practice. We will experience more tainted food crops for sure. As for the petroleum industry, the higher cost of all natural products is due to direct competition with the wealthiest industry in the world, oil, so duh.
In the long run going natural pays off. Your soil is healthier. There are such things as GOOD BUGS! For the bug squeamish, take a pill. Because I don’t use pesticides, and my neighbors basically don’t do anything to their yards period, I have delighted in the most beautiful variety of what many lump altogether as awful bugs. I have seen the biggest, most colorful dragonflies, butterflies, preying mantis, (good) lacewings, varieties of bees, earthworms galore, and yes gardener snakes and the occasional fox snake. Because I embrace nature these things delight me. I had a baby fox snake, a snake on the endangered species list for a while, raise its head and shake its tail at me last summer. A city slicker friend thought it was a rattlesnake and flipped out when I didn’t kill it. Now we know why it was on the list. Too many people mistake them for a rattler and kill them. They do have a bad habit of destroying duck and goose eggs in nests but we have a grandaddy around here somewhere that occasionally leaves its skin behind. My husband found him cooling himself in our pole barn one day. He’s a big one and a wonderful part of nature along with all the bugs I’ve mentioned because they either improve our soil or eat and feed off of the bad bugs that destroy everything. Nature is a balance. When we choose to kill with pesticide, the earthworms and everything else are destroyed also. Everything leaves the yard which is very detrimental
Obviously you can tell I’m countrified and a naturalist all along. So I can’t tell you how unnerving it is for me to receive literature and phone calls from TrueGreen ChemLawn every spring. I’ve spent 20 years wishing them out of business. To me they are an unnecessary addition to runoff pollution problems in this country of I-hate-to-say-it-but-it’s-a-fact, FAT PEOPLE. Does anyone else see the connection between working in the yard and getting a good workout? I still dig holes to plant trees, hand rake, hoe, push a wheel barrel, pull a wagon, and bend over constantly to pull weeds. When I start looking at it as a real chore, I remind myself, I don’t have to work out and I’m not overweight. Bending over to pull weeds is a reverse sit-up people! If we all did this, we would lose weight and have no need for TrueGreen. However, to my delight, and before TrueGreen lashes back at me, I must announce they now have what is called a “Natural Nutrient Program” that is a pesticide-free alternative to their regular lawn care service. It’s a start and a good environmentally friendly move by TrueGreen. Please people, if you are debilitated and cannot take care of your yard, or are a business that utilizes the services of TrueGreen, please consider their natural program. By doing so, TrueGreen will have a signal that the public wants more and work harder to develop more natural products. Considering their name, they should strive to do so anyway but I’m picking on them again and would rather go the route of encouragement.
I’m positive going natural with your yard care will produce a better lawn over time and help trim your waistline dramatically. There is a balance in nature. When we use pesticide to kill bad bugs the balance is destroyed because it really kills them all. Killing earthworms that loosen and enrich soil causes it to compact. Eventually your lawn develops ugly brown rings and needs replacement. The soil should be alive with many types of bugs that feed on each other. You should see preying mantis, lacewings, spiders, bees, butterflies, dragonflies, and snakes. When you do, you know you’re one with nature and not upsetting and destroying the balance. After all isn’t that what got us into this whole global warming mess in the first place, dumping tons of excess pollution on an environment only equipped to deal with it through nature or natural balance?
If you want to get started, I suggest using special grass seed for Michigan lawns available through Gardens Alive called Northern Turf. It is more dense so it chokes out weeds, has deeper roots that needs less watering, it doesn’t proliferate with runners like Kentucky blue grass so there is much less edging, and it is resistant to many diseases and insects. Try their WOW pre-emergence weed control with absolutely no pesticides so it’s safe for pets and kids. It utilizes a corn syrup base I guess. Their Soap Shield anti fungicide soap is fantastic for preventing all types of fungicide that wilts garden vegetables and many flowers. They have wonderful products for just about everything in your yard and even your pets. That said, happy “green” gardening.