lawns contriubute to global warming: shocking! (not really)

Recent research has landed yet another strike against our obsession with the lawn, once again pointing out that just because lawn is green, is not really "Green".

Numerous reports have pointed out that many of the pesticides and herbicides can be harmful to non-target plants and animals (including your pets and your family), and groundwater. Fertilizers are used in great excess on lawns and in-turn pollute streams and lakes. And nearly 1/3 of our fresh, clean, drinkable water is used to water lawns, and half of that is wasted, not even making it to the plants its meant to water (EPA). If you ask me, putting so many resources into a lawn is a waste to begin with.

Now, a recent study confirms the obvious: lawns contribute to global warming. Sure, lawn grass is a plant, all of whom take carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere to make food. However, lawn roots are too shallow to store much carbon. Emissions from decaying lawn clippings, decomposing fertilizers, and (here's the biggie) emissions from lawn maintenance equipment are four times greater than what the lawn manages to store.

There are many great reasons to choose native plants instead of defaulting to a boring lawn. As far as global warming is concerned, native plants are powerful carbon sinks, with deep roots to draw carbon compounds deep into the soil where they can be stored for thousands of years. You don't need to run a lawn mower over them ever week either.

Ahead of the Curve

I am attending the Mid-America Horticultural Trade Show this week to learn a bit more about the mainstream landscaping industry. The theme this year is "Sustainability for a Greener Tomorrow" and I am feeling pretty good that Good Oak is well ahead of the curve on this. Emphasis is on choosing plants that are well adapted for the site, reducing water use, reducing run-off, cleaning, cooling and slowing water before it reaches streams and sewers, soil heath, and inteligent, proactive design. The plantings, prairies, rain gardens, shoreline buffers (and more) that we install, all planted with native plants, already accomplish these goals. I'm looking forward to continue to lead the way in 2010 and beyond.

Location:S Indiana Ave,Chicago,United States

Invasive Christmas Decorations!

Sure, the title of this post sounds like it could have been ripped from a tabloid magazine (it sounds more like a 50's sci-fi/horror movie to me), but its true some Christmas decorations are made out of invasive species. Oriental bittersweet has long been used in wreaths due to its bright red and orange berries, and wreath disposal is a likely source for many infestations of this extremely aggressive weed. But the Wisconsin DNR warns that other invasive species such as teasel and multiflora rose are being used in Christmas decorations as well.

So how should you dispose of your 'natural' holiday decorations? While you may be tempted to compost them or simply toss them in a "wild" section of your property, it is better to use caution and just put them in the trash if you are not sure what they are made of. We really cannot afford to spread more of these invasive weeds around the landscape. Evergreen trees, poinsettias and mistletoe should be safe to compost or dispose of in the woods by the way. An old Christmas tree stood up outside can even be good cover for winter birds, just be sure there is no tinsel or ornaments left on them that animals might eat and get sick from.

Three New Weed ID Sheets

This week we've wrapped up three new "weed identification and control sheets" for sow thistles, foxtail grasses and lamb's quarters. Check them out in the Knowledge Center.

Protect your woody plants this winter

Winter is a tough time of year for wildlife. Animals like rabbits and deer that would prefer to be eating succulent leaves, buds, fruits and roots are reduced to eating bark and tender young branches off of shrubs and small trees to survive. In areas where deer are over-populated, this can have a tremendous impact, wiping out nearly all oak seedlings for example. In urban areas, rabbits are usually responsible for a great deal of damage to young shrubs.

If you have young trees and shrubs on your property that you would like to see again next year, you really should protect them from hungry herbivores. This PDF file will tell you ways to protect your shrubs from rabbits, and similar measures can be taken against deer, though with larger and more robust defenses. If you are interested in purchasing any Liquid Fence, please contact us since we are considering putting together an order for our clients.