Last week’s garden articles and my posts on social media show that there is a lot interest in making beautiful turf lawns. My husband shares my enthusiasm. I don’t. This makes for interesting conversations at the garden centres, even if they are sometimes loud. He wants turf fertilizer. I want an exotic, non-native plant that can survive in Northeast Florida. But it will still look beautiful beside the birdbath.
My husband isn’t the only one. Consider this as an example of how important our lawns can be to us. The $115 billion in revenue generated by landscaping companies that provide maintenance and lawn care, tree care, design and construction and irrigation services last year was a result of landscaping companies. The average household spent $170 per year on professional lawn and garden maintenance.
In 2017, the average amount spent by DIY-households at garden centers on lawn maintenance and gardening material was $503. Since then, we have witnessed a rise in gardening interest that has caused this average to climb. (More recent statistics are not available.)
The bottom line is that we spend a lot to cultivate the most expensive crop in America that we can’t eat. It makes us feel good about ourselves and we are willing to spend the effort to have our lawns.
There is more to it than just the monetary cost of having the most beautiful grass. There is also an environmental cost.
Our home landscapes don’t have grasses that are native to the area. Some aren’t even native to this continent. They are either hybrids, or sometimes accidental imports from Europe of European grasses. Our lawns will need additional irrigation irrigation as a non-native species without the best rainfall. This is because our underground aquifers in Northeast Florida are limited.
If you have only a small area of grass in your yard, it will not attract bees, butterflies, or other pollinating insect. It doesn’t take a gardener to remind you of the importance pollinators. You can also add native and non-native plants to your landscape to attract native pollinators.
Although it may seem counterintuitive to try to attract insects, beneficial insects can help reduce the damage done by garden pests. Ladybugs, green-lacewings, and some spiders are natural parasitizers and will take the place of many insecticides. They also help to maintain a more natural balance within our ecosystem. By simply adding plants with seeds, fruits, foliage, flowers, berries, or other food sources to your yard, you can invite beneficial insects into your garden.
Our obsession with mowing short, even grass reduces the number of insects in our garden. Susannah Lerman, a research ecologist with U.S. Forest Service, discovered that mowing less or more often provides insects shelter, food, and increases the diversity of the insect community. A homeowner can increase the biodiversity of their garden by becoming a lazy lawnmower. There are frogs, lizards, and insects everywhere. Birds will eat both frogs and insects.
Even if you don’t like mowing grass, tell your neighbors that studies have shown that gas-powered lawnmowers have a negative impact on the environment and reduce tree cover in yards. The climate also suffers from the presence of more lawns than those with trees. The average temperature in neighborhoods without trees is higher than those with shaded trees. Lerman states that this can impact air-conditioning costs and drive up carbon emissions.
All that said, the important question is: Can this suburban garden ever be saved? It can.
Before my husband left the house, I made sure he was properly dressed in safety goggles, gas masks, knee pads, work gloves and a scythe.
The Florida-Friendly Landscaping Programhttps://ffl.ifas.ufl.edu/) through the University of Florida was designed to help homeowners and businesses enjoy beautiful yards and green spaces by using research-based, environmentally-sustainable landscaping practices.
Understanding why regular lawncare is important is one of the FFL 9 Principles.https://ffl.ifas.ufl.edu/about-ffl/9-principles/The following steps are concrete actions we can take to preserve the natural environment. You can have impressive lawns while still managing pests and wildlife.
No goggles nor scythes are required.
The University of Florida reported that Lady Beetles are among the most well-known and beneficial insects. North America is home to approximately 475 species. Lady beetles’ larvae and adults eat aphids, immature and mature scale insects, mealybugs and other soft-bodied pests as well.
If you want to reduce insecticide use and save the earth, invite the Lady (beetles), to your next gardening party.
Paula Weatherby, a Master Gardener Volunteer, is with the Duval County Extension Service as well as the University of Florida/IFAS. Call the Duval County Extension Office (904) 255-7450, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. – noon and 12:30 p.m. – to speak with a Master Gardener Volunteer.