How To Turn Your Lawn Into An Edible Landscapes
Patti, the Garden Girl, encourages you to get rid of your lawn for a edible landscape.
Step 1: The garden lawn:
Hi, I'm Patti Moreno the Garden Girl and I'm here today to talk to you about America's unsustainable obsession with lawns. Traditionally lawns were a status symbol in futile Europe. Large green lawns meant that the estate had lots of sheep and lots of cattle, and that was the basis of futile economies. Americans have been obsessed with lawns since the 1950s. But that mindset is changing. It's time to re-think our lawns. Lawns use up a staggering amount of energy to maintain. They use up lots of water, they take up valuable real estate and the pesticides and petrochemicals you use to fertilize your lawn seep into and contaminate our ground water. And hey, those power tools, they contribute to air pollution and noise pollution. It's time for America to transform its green lawns in to green landscapes.
Step 2: Rethinking the lawn:
Some of the things you can do are decrease the size of your lawn or eliminate it entirely like I have in this area, and design a more natural landscape using native plants that thrive in your area. Native plants shouldn't use more water then falls in your climate. I live in the Northeast and I have maple trees, lilac bushes and my personal favorite ... rhododendron. How about turning your lawn in to an edible landscape by starting your own mini orchard using dwarf and semi-dwarf apple trees. You'll have flowers in the spring, shade in the summer and fruit to eat in the fall. Don't forget to put at least a two inch thick layer of mulch. It will keep the moisture in and the weeds out. But if you just can't live without your lawn, here are a few eco-friendly things you can do. Get rid of those power tools for more traditional methods of cutting your grass, like a push mower, clippers, or this hand tool. Set up a rain collector under one of your down spouts. Attach a hose and use it to water your lawn and landscape plants. Another thing you can do is add a water feature. They add interest, beauty and a natural quality to your landscape and if you have kids they are pretty educational too. Use organic fertilizers available at your local garden centers. Organic fertilizers are clearly marked on the label, but these can be pricey, so consider starting your own compost.
Step 3: Sustainable Planet:
For the more adventurous gardeners use chickens and a chicken tractor like me. The chickens eat the grass and leave the manure behind as fertilizer. When it's time to move the cage, the chickens go with it.
So, for a more sustainable planet, it starts with you. I'm Patty Moreno the Garden Girl. Thanks for watching.
