Remember those words, “Honey the lawn needs cutting”? Those words are heard less and less as landscape companies are hired to mow one’s lawn on a “regular” basis. That means on “their schedule” not on the “lawn’s schedule”.

I live on a street with common land. Over the time that I have lived here, lawn mowing has gone from 7 times annually to 17 times last year. That’s 10 times more gas and noise pollution. At times, the dust raised by the mowing due to the fact that the grass hasn’t grown, hangs in the air. I recently asked that the area in front of my home be mowed less often since I enjoyed the clover and watching small animals use it as cover. Since the area was defined by shrubs and trees, I didn’t think it would be a visual impairment. Quelle horror!!! The landscaper could not comprehend leaving a portion un-mowed every other mowing.

Besides over mowing, many landscapers also love the use of pesticides, insecticides and herbicides. The NH Dept. of Agriculture has an excellent program called Integrated Pest Management (IPM). This is an environmentally-friendly program with several steps. Basically, don’t do anything until you see an issue; then, use the least invasive method first for management: think hand pulling or picking. Recently, I saw a landscaper’s maintenance schedule for “pre-treatment” at a condominium complex. The list of chemicals being applied was astonishing – AND there wasn’t a problem.

Grubs are a great example. Almost every landscaping company promotes grub treatment. Yet, there is a very effective biological treatment for grubs when they become apparent. Sidney, my resident skunk, tells me when I have grubs. I see minor lawn damage from his/her digging. I bring out the milky spore disease and spread it around. Does it take a little time to take effect? Yes. Does that area of the lawn look unsightly for a while? Yes. But that’s life. It’s not perfect. And this striving for perfection at the expense of the environment is suicide.

We hear all the time about the loss of pollinators due to pesticides. It is imperative, as homeowners, that each and every one of us employ environmentally-friendly practices. Plant native vegetation that pollinators, birds and small animals eat. The eggs that butterflies lay on various plants become caterpillars that are used to feed young birds or grow into more butterflies to pollinate our plants. Knowledge is power and can lead to one asking insightful questions. Know what landscapers are using on your property. Ask if it is the least environmentally damaging. Read labels carefully if you are a DIYer.

Earth Day is Every Day.

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