Easy Steps to a Natural, Pesticide
Free Yard
Barbara Kinnie
The Calgary Herald
June 25, 2004
Many urban dwellers are moving in the
direction of natural/organic gardening to show their
commitment to caring for the earth. Sadly, city living can
sever our connection to the land, which has contributed to
our creation of an unsustainable, disposable, quick fix
society. And while we may be managing only a tiny piece of
land in cities, urbanites are increasingly viewing their
responsibility as one of caretakers of this plot of land.
Remember, the foundation beneath
natural/organic gardening is the knowledge that healthy
yards need healthy soil, which is best achieved by
adopting practices that encourage soil health. An organic
gardener works with nature to establish ecological
balance, which includes soil rich in beneficial soil
organisms.
Perhaps the biggest challenge in
managing our yards is lawns. Our obsession with these vast
expanses of green has led us to embrace a monoculture and
shun biodiversity. It has also led us to do just about
anything to achieve that perfect golf course look.
By following 10 easy steps, you can
achieve a lawn and yard to be proud of. And if 10 steps
are too many, start with those you find easiest to
implement.
- Cut high. If you can make just
one change, this should be it. Set the cutting height
of your mower to 2 ½- 3 inches. Longer grass retains
more moisture and crowds out weeds. Never scalp your
lawn; it stresses grass and gives weeds a chance to
get a foothold. Mowing when the grass is stressed by
heat or moisture can damage your lawn, so mow in the
evening or on cloudy days.
- Grass cycle. Leave your grass clippings
on the lawn. Clippings can provide up to 30% of your
lawn's fertilizer needs and will help retain moisture,
important in our dry climate. Grass cycling also keeps
clippings out of the landfill.
- Water deeply and less often. Lawns
need about an inch of water once a week, delivered slowly,
through a sprinkler. Early in the day is the prime time to
water. Frequent light watering encourages shallow roots
and wastes water.
- Choose the right grass. Conventional
lawns and ornamental gardens are responsible for consuming
60% of daily domestic drinking water in North America. It
seems ironic that in our dry climate we plant Kentucky
blue grass, a water "pig" requiring huge amounts
of water. It would be much wiser to plant a grass seed
mixture containing more drought tolerant species, like
fescues and perennial rye grasses. Overseed in the spring
or fall, with a drought tolerant seed mixture, to
establish a thick lush lawn that will crowd out weeds.
- Rake. Each spring, when temperatures
warm up and the lawn has dried out a little; give your
lawn a light raking.
- Aerate. The more we use our lawns the
more the soil beneath gets compacted. If you have healthy
soil to start with, alive with organisms and earthworms,
nature's aerators, chances are you shouldn't need to
aerate. For those needing to improve their soil health,
aerating lets your lawn breathe and allows water and
nutrients to get to the roots.
- Fertilize. Use an organic, slow
release fertilizer.
- Nourish the soil foodweb. Use high
quality compost or Soil Foodweb Inc. approved compost tea
to establish and nourish the life beneath your soil. This
will reduce fertilizer needs.
- Eliminate some lawn, consider
alternative plants. Get creative and start replacing your
lawn with more interesting shrubs, trees and plants. Start
with your front lawn, especially if you don't use it.
Native species work best in our drought climate.
-
Control weeds and insects naturally.
Remember, a few weeds or insects doesn't mean you have a
problem. With healthy soil and healthy plants, you won't
have unmanageable problems. Commit to finding safe
alternatives to chemical pesticides if a problem arises.
People are actively seeking ways to
manage their yards in a natural way, and caring for the
land in the process. By following these easy steps, many
are discovering that they can create a beautiful and
healthy yard, with the added bonus of being safe for
children and pets.
-- This is the third in a four-part
series on natural gardening.
© The Calgary Herald
2004
To write letters to the editor, send to letters@theherald.canwest.com.
