We can do it, I know we can. Gardeners, I believe, by nature have an indelible urge to improve their plot of environment and leave the earth a more luscious, hearty and healthier place than when it was given to them…what came to us as a seed we want to pass on as a blossom and we hope that blossom is extended on to the next generation as a fruit. Why else bother, right? I think gardening is altruistic, you cannot be in it to impress the neighbors your interest will eventually wane and it cannot be strictly for aesthetics and property value purposes because gardening is too much work and that reasoning too will fade. We garden because it feels good, it brings us up close and personal with nature, it centers us and getting dirty is fun. So, I know we as a collective group of concerned gardeners, novice or experienced, can start this growing season off in the greenest ways possible. The goal is to gently persuade through the presentation of logical, desirable, economically wise and easily doable alternatives to becoming the most eco-friendly gardener’s around.

While you might think Al Gore is full of phooey, and you’ll argue at any dinner party that this warming trend is just another one of the ebbs and flows of nature’s natural progressions, and Fox News might be your source for all things worthy of hearing. It still might make you feel good to use less, recycle your waste and do some little things not because it is a “hot-button” political debate but because you are a gardener and the earth is your canvas.

What better way to begin spring than with the intentions of gardening with the environment in mind, this will allow you to enjoy nature while maintaining a robust ecosystem and who better to confer with than a group of professionals in the Environmental Studies Department at The University of Kansas. I posed questions pertaining to the vast lawnscapes we have created, the importance of composting, how to best stretch our water consumption, and any other superlative issues having to deal with this gargantuan topic.

Gas ‘r Up

Did you know that running a gas lawn mower for one hour is like driving a car 350 miles! I read that statistic many years ago and it never ceases to blow my mind that with the prices of gas, and the sheer gluttony of keeping a lawn green in August that lawns have not shrunk, on the contrary, new housing developments and upper-residential areas are grass carpeting as far as the eye can see. Val H. Smith, a Professor in the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology in the Environmental Studies Program, has some thoughts on mowers, he says, “In addition to their consumption of gas, older model lawn mowers (as well as gas powered trimmers and leaf blowers) create unacceptable levels of air pollution. Newer models are available that put out less pollution and noise. But the best solution is going electric. I also favor mulching mowers that shred the clippings and leave it in place; bagging the clippings and disposing of them simply exports the plant nutrients that would otherwise remain in place and expands the waste stream.”

Sharon Ashworth, a Lecturer at the University of Kansas in the Environmental Studies Program, says this of our grass obsession, “Reduce the size of your lawn. Replace portions of the lawn with gardens and edges planted with native and perennial plants. Try mowing with a reel mower, it provides great exercise, no noise and no pollution.” I might add that a reel mower does not need to spend weeks at the shop every spring and they now are producing models that weigh only around 15 pounds.

For change in the way we think about lawns, Karl Brooks, PhD, specializing in American Environmental History, suggests, “Lawn and garden industries have a real power for change: they have a huge influence over builders, developers, lenders and various others who create the landscapes for our neighborhoods. If these industries would focus on lower-till and lower maintenance vegetation, we’d see some changes. Also, really, we just need to be happier with less-managed landscapes, smaller acreages, and shaggier lawns.”

Recycle Waste

Compost can reduce the need for water, fertilizers and pesticides. Compost regenerates poor soil; it encourages the production of beneficial micro-organisms which in turn break down organic matter into humus. Additionally, compost suppresses plant diseases and pests in turn reducing or eliminating the need for chemical fertilizers and you’ll see a higher yield of edible crops when applying compost. Ashworth says, “Just think how much more garbage would end up in the landfill if we did not compost!” Brooks agrees and adds, “If we aimed to grow more vegetables, flowers, shrubs and less lawn grass, we’d probably have more use for compost created at home. And how about groceries dumping old produce out back: it would start as a place to help feed needy people and then, after a certain time, be available for composting for anyone willing co come pick it up.” A need for change is often the mother of creative thought, re use and invention.

And So It Flows

Most of the earth is covered in it but that doesn’t mean water is a resource of unlimited use, in fact, very little irks me as much as people who have timed their water systems to spray in the middle of the day. Most of the water evaporates before it even hits your plants and lawn if you water in the full rays of sun and heat of the day. Water in the mornings, water less frequently but deeper this will allow the roots of plants to travel down in the earth instead of staying shallow and on the surface. Use soaker hoses, they get right to the roots avoiding droplets on leaves and blooms, use mulch it keeps the soil moist and collect rainwater. Add drought-tolerant plants to the landscape and keep exotic flora or plants you have to baby to a minimum. Ashworth states, “We really do need to reduce our water use. Our reservoirs in Kansas are silting in and we may be dealing with more severe droughts as the planet warms up.”

As we grow we are taking away the natural habitats of the wild, this makes it increasingly important to add wildlife-friendly areas to our yards. Brute force is often the best medicine for an eco-friendly garden, which means get out the rake (leave the blower on the shelf in the store) and clean up debris, this manual labor will prevent pests and diseases, hand-pick and hand-prune when you see weeds or decaying matter rather than pulling out the chemicals, simply bend over. Plant a variety of flora this will balance the ecosystem in your yard, providing food and living conditions for a number of beneficial living things that will aid in controlling pests, like the lady bug and the spider.

There is a lot we can do to not only create the garden of our dreams this spring but a healthier planet for the many springs yet to come.

For more information:

www.greengrasscutters.com

www.epa.gov

www.goforgreen.ca

www.worldwildlife.org

Suggested Reading Recommended by Karl Brooks:

American Green: The Love Affair with the Lawn, by Ted Steinbergs