This Spring go Green in your Garden
By Kelley Guiney
The return of spring is unequaled in its power to inspire and rejuvenate even the most melancholic, sunlight-deprived northwest resident. Numerous poems and other works of art have been dedicated to the rebirth of green-the inevitable joy of the return of light after the dark winter.
Unfortunately, spring can also signal a renewed outburst of chemical
fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides, and no matter how much
collective joy springs forth at spring's advent, there is nothing
poetic about a toxic dump. And a toxic dump is exactly what a
garden or lawn will become unless care and thought are used in
the gardening and lawn care rituals that are so often a celebration
of the season.
It's important to remember that what goes into the air, soil and
water is then distributed throughout the surrounding ecosystem.
In other words, what you spray on your lawn or garden is going
to end up in your soup. Washington Toxics Coalition reports that
in a recent study of water quality throughout the northwest, including
Washington, Oregon, Idaho and California, 35 pesticides were found
in five major river systems. Sixteen of these pesticides were
found at levels which put salmon and other aquatic life at risk.
Household and commercial use of toxic pesticides, herbicides
and chemical fertilizers have been linked to soaring cancer rates,
especially among children. Pollutants such as these can act as
hormone disrupters, interfering with important developmental stages
and processes in humans and animals. It's not surprising, then,
that the use of these products is also implicated in deformities
found in alligators and frogs, an increase in lower sperm counts
in men, and a rising occurrence of endometriosis in women. This
is just a small sample of the widespread damage caused by toxic
chemicals.
Furthermore, in 1997, Seattle Times reporter Duff Wilson, in an
award-winning series, exposed a chilling reality: manufacturers
were recycling a wide variety of toxic and even radioactive waste
by putting it into commercially sold fertilizer. This fertilizer
was sold to unknowing farmers who in many cases watched their
land and cattle sicken and die. Any waste material with fertilizing
qualities could be boxed up and passed off as fertilizer, even
if it contained all manner of heavy metals, including lead, nuclear
waste, etc. Wilson went on to write an acclaimed book on the
subject, titled Fateful Harvest. The series caused an uproar;
however, as far as I can tell from my research on the subject,
Washington's laws haven't changed enough for the average consumer
to regain any peace of mind regarding the contents of conventional
fertilizers. The impact of this scandal has obvious and far-reaching
implications.
The good news is, any effort one makes to garden responsibly and
naturally will make a difference. There are numerous resources
available throughout the area to educate and assist residents
with responsible lawn care and gardening. With our water and
soil already saturated with chemicals, it stands to reason that
natural and organic methods should be a priority. When one must
resort to chemicals, it is important to use them responsibly.
The key to responsible gardening often lies in simply using common
sense and putting some thought and education behind our actions.
One of the most common mistakes we make is to use chemical products
without knowing for sure if they are really required, or assuming
we have a problem without verifying that the problem actually
exists. Just because you have some crane flies or funny looking
bugs in your garden doesn't necessarily mean that you have to
arm yourself with pesticide and let fire. Crane flies may well
be at harmless levels, and that funny looking bug might be a ladybug
larva, which you'd be crazy to get rid of, as ladybugs are natural
pest killers. (To check for crane flies, dig up a square foot
of lawn, about one and a half inches deep. Even up to 40 or 50
larva per square foot is a safe amount.) It's important to first
make sure you have a problem before you go to combat. Then it
is very possible that there is a natural method that can take
care of the problem.
Just a small amount of research can unearth safe solutions. For
example, to combat slugs, place a container of beer near your
garden, buried at ground level. Slugs are attracted to the scent,
and will meet their demise in the clutches of your favorite brew.
There is also a non-toxic combatant known as "worry free."
For weeds in the flower beds, put strips of newspaper between
the beds, and cover them with mulch. Corn gluten is the latest
non-toxic, weed-fighting alternative to herbicides-it inhibits
the growth of seeds, and can be used in a garden or lawn that
is already growing. Potato bugs will not dare to cross a copper
strip-place them near the plant beds. Diatamateous earth can
take care of earwigs, fleas and slugs. Nematodes are microscopic
worms that you can release into the ground-they will take care
of crane fly larvae. Ladybug larva and other natural pest killers
can be purchased at most nurseries. Again, it is important to
destroy pests only if it's absolutely necessary, for all insects
contribute to a healthy ecosystem.
Another important factor to remember is that the classic uninterrupted
expanse of green known as a front lawn is actually an unnatural
phenomenon. A putting green may look good, but in most cases it
is a toxic dump. Many gardeners consider moss to be a nuisance,
yet although it can overcome a lawn, it's otherwise harmless in
most cases. I personally find moss to be aesthetically preferable
to grass.
The Northwest houses a wealth of information on natural and organic
gardening methods. Keep your eyes open for classes and talks.
Visit Seattle Tilth's public garden at Wallingford Center for
an example of what organic gardening can produce. Washington Toxics
Coalition has a wonderful Web site with a library of information
and publications; most of it is on the Web site for free. The
publications that are available are very reasonably priced at
just a few dollars. Washington State University's Agricultural
College is a great resource. There are also many local landscaping
companies that use natural and organic methods. Please be conscious
of our already overburdened ecosystem, and have a wonderful spring.
Many thanks to Marsha Bennett -Reinert and Master Gardener Dave Kingery from The Grange in Issaquah and Mark Gile from In Harmony. Thanks also to these resources, check them out for more info:
· Washington Toxics Coalition: http://www.watoxics.org
· Seattle Tilth: www.seattletilth.org
· Organic fertilizer and compost tea is available at:
http://www.hendrikus.com,
or http://www.soildynamics.com
· A Seattle organic landscaping company: http://www.inharmony.com
· King County "Yardening" Program: http://www.dnr.metrokc.gov/topics/yard-and-garden
· Request a "Green Home Kit" which includes
tips on natural lawn care and gardening: call (206) 296-4692