The Sustainable Lawn

Objectives & Benefits To Positively Affect Climate Change And Health

The Sustainable Lawn With Reduced Toxic Carbon Exhaust Footprint

Objectives 

• Do not cut the grass in the hot dry weather of summer occurring from June 15th to September 15th. The grass goes into a dormancy period and stops growing during the hot dry weather periods of summer.
  

  Native Elderberry Shrub Plus Native Strawberry Ground Cover Both In Bloom With White Blossoms, In The Ecological Sustainable Plantscape.

• Do not cut the grass too short especially on the knolls, crowns and hillsides. The highest setting on the mower is recommended. In terms of the health of the grass plants and having adequate green leaf blades for food manufacturing, the high setting on the mower is actually a low setting for the plants.
• Do not cut the grass on a fixed day each week but cutting according to the amount of leaf growth and if the soil moisture conditions from rainfall are good for growth.
• Entirely eliminate the use of poisonous cosmetic use pesticides.
  

  Native Strawberry & White Clover, An Alternative Low Growing, Low Maintenance & Non Polluting Ground Cover/Lawn, Central Newfoundland.

• Drastically reduce the climate altering toxic carbon exhaust emissions and noise pollution by the cosmetic manicuring of the lawn and garden with the use of gas powered machines. The gas powered engines include the riding and power lawn mower, buzz saw, trimmer, leaf blower, chain saw, rototiller and the machine used to spike or core the lawn.

Benefits

• There is reduced capital and operating costs from less purchasing and operation of gasoline-powered machines.
• Reducing the climate altering toxic carbon exhaust emissions is extremely desirable and commendable. The small engines contribute 20% of the toxic carbon exhaust emissions from the internal combustion engines.
  

  Lady’s Tresses, Native Orchids In Bloom With The Native Strawberry & White Clover In The Low Growing, & Non Polluting, Low Maintenance Ecological Sustainable Lawn, Central Newfoundland.

• There is reduced noise pollution and the need for ear protection equipment from less use of riding and power lawn mower, buzz saw, trimmer, leaf blower, chain saw, rototiller and the machine used to spike or core the lawn.
• A healthy environment is created by the reduction in air and noise pollution. Positive signs include;

1. An increase in beneficial and pollinating insects, song birds and other wild life. This keeps insect pests down.
2. A more quiet atmosphere and cleaner air to breathe.
3. There is less contamination to ground and pond water.
4. There is less wastage of potable drinking water.
   

   Native Strawberries Ripe Red & Sweet. Low Growing Non Polluting Ground Cover With Low Maintenance Except For Picking & Eating.

5. The reduced climate altering toxic carbon exhaust emissions has a positive effect on the climate change.

The adoption & incorporation of these steps is  focusing on a greener healthier sustainable lawn and garden. It could represent the right opportunity for an individual to contribute positively to affect climate change and reverse a common negative trend of polluting the air & soil.

Mulching, Composting, Organic Plant Food Plus Improved Soil Conditioning

Objectives 

• Utilize the mulch produced by the garden on the organic pathways, around trunks of trees and the foundations of shrubs. Mulch material consists of grass, leaves, twigs, bark and wood chips, cut up branches and boughs. Mulching conserves moisture for the plant root systems so they can pick up the soluble plant food and allowing them to flourish properly. Mulch keeps the weeds down.
  

  Ripe Plump Red Raspberries Ready For Harvest & Eating. Planted In A Row, As A Border Or Boundary In The Garden Under Bright Sun Light.

• Raking the lawn in the spring is not needed. Last year’s dead grass is this year’s plant food. The dead grass protects the plant crowns from drought and freezing temperatures. Raking the lawn damages and scars the plant crowns exposing them to the elements. Grass and leaves rot quickly during the growing season for a slow-release of plant food and makes the richest soil.
• Collecting up the grass clippings after mowing is not needed. The grass clippings rot easily and provide a sustainable gradual release of plant food during the growing season. There is no volatilization, leeching and losses of plant nutrients. There often are heavy losses through volatilization and leeching with commercial fertilizers, particularly those that contain nitrogen.
  

  Native Saskatoon Shrub In Full Bloom In Early Spring, Central Newfoundland.

• Utilize the discarded biological organic material from the kitchen, garden and workshop for plant food, mulch and compost in the lawn and garden.

Benefits

• The biological organic waste becomes something that is very useful and saves money. Reusing, recycling, mulching and composting of the biological organic material produced in the kitchen, garden and workshop is a beneficial and practical free plant food source. The biological organic compost is superior to chemical fertilizers. Compost not only contains the three major nutrients common in the commercial fertilizers but it also contains minor nutrients. Minor means in terms of quantity. They are equally important as the major nutrients but are needed in lesser amounts. The compost contains these minor nutrients plus fiber and organic matter that the commercial fertilizers do not contain. The fibre and organic matter is essential for the proper soil mix, moisture retention and nutrient availability to roots and plants when added to the soil in the lawn and garden.
  

  Deep Blue Ovate Shaped Saskatoon Berries Ripening Early August In The Ecological Sustainable Plantscape Garden, Central Newfoundland. Saskatoon Berries Are A Key Ingredient In The Emerency Food Ration By The Native Plains Cree People Together With The Meat & Fat Of The Prairie Bison. The Birds Especially The Robins Love the Saskatoon Berries Too.

• Increased water conservation and soil moisture results in increased availability of plant food and the health of the plants by the use of mulches and compostable products from the kitchen, garden, and workshop.
• Drastically reduced and or elimination of gulls and crows opening up garbage bags at the roadside by;

1. Diverting all biological organic material from the kitchen, garden and workshop  to the compost and garden soil.
2. Separating all paper, cardboard and packaging for recycling.
3. Washing and rinsing all the glass, plastic and metal containers for recycling.

• These measures provide no attractant for the avian scavengers.
• These steps taken prevent any biological organic material from ending up at the curbside for disposal. Two-thirds of the waste going into the landfill or incinerator previously, is biological organic in nature.  Reduced transportation and processing costs plus reduced climate altering toxic carbon exhaust emissions are a significant feature by not transporting the biological material in the community waste management and disposal system.
  

  Plump Red Raspberries Picked Fresh For The Table; Native Ripe Elderberries On The Shrub Above, A Favoured Food Of Birds, Middle Of August, Central Newfoundland.

Bio-Diversity – Its Advantages

Objectives

• Build a lawn consisting of a mixed array of plants rather than a grass monoculture. Having only grass is unstable, unsustainable, has very high maintenance costs and a high consumptive use of water. The array of different native plants in the lawn reduces the risk and severity of insect pests and disease infections such as the Chinch Bugs in the grass roots. No deadly insecticides or watering with the community’s treated drinking water is needed in a mixed plant culture.
• Allow low growing white clover to flower, seed and spread. In areas that are thin and bare, white clover can be successfully seeded in the fall or spring just before a rain. The clover seed can be mixed with dry sand in the seeding for an even distribution. The low growing white clover feeds the grass and other native low growing plants so additional fertilizer is not needed.

Benefits

• There is no thatch or matted grass buildup because of the bio-diversity of the plants in the lawn.
  

  Ripe Red Elderberries On A Healthy Shrub Provide An Abundant Food Source For Local & Migrating Song Birds In The Ecological Sustainable Horticultural Garden.

• There is increased health of plants in the lawn and garden with no synthetic chemicals or cosmetic use pesticides on the lawn. A robust healthy lawn with a variety of different plants that are allowed to grow, develop, and flourish without frequent low cuts, crowds out imported weeds and eliminates the dependency on herbicides or weed killers.
• A reduction and prevention of insect pest and disease infestations is a very desirable situation to have in the lawn. Deadly insecticides are not needed; for example, Chinch Bugs develop primarily in the grass monoculture lawn.

Water – A Recognition of its Value

Objectives

• The elimination of using potable drinking water paid for by the taxpayers of the community for watering established lawns. Rain barrels collecting water from the eaves and roof provide water for trees, shrubs and plants in dry weather or after transplanting. Soapy dishwater is a good source of nutrients and water for plants, especially, young establishing plants.
  

  Native Low Growing Blueberries In Bloom As Part Of The Ground Cover Plantscape In The Ecological Sustainable Horticultural Lawn & Garden.

Benefits

• Increased water conservation and soil moisture results in increased availability of plant food and the health of the plants.
• Steps can be taken to reduce the cost and wastage of potable drinking water paid for by the taxpayers of the community by not watering established lawns or hosing down the driveway, sidewalk and roadway.
• The following water conservation practices result in increase soil moisture. The practices include;

1. The use of mulches and compost in the lawn and garden.
2. The collecting of rainwater from the eaves and roof.
3. The use of soapy dishwater as a nutrient solution for watering plants, especially young establishing plants.

Elimination of Poisonous Chemicals

Objectives

• Drastically reducing the use of chemical fertilizers and the elimination of poisonous cosmetic use pesticides. Leeching of nitrates from the fertilizers and poisonous chemicals from the pesticides contaminates the ground water.
  

  High Yielding Rich Coloured Blueberries Growing In Soil With High Organic Matter & Amongst Mixed Planting Offering Shelter, Protection & Increased Moisture Conditions. .

• Poisonous fumes from the pesticides contaminate the air in the neighbourhood for unsuspecting animals, pets, birds and people, including children. These noxious fumes further aggravate the problems some people have with breathing. There is a risk of children putting contaminated objects or fingers in their mouths.
• Severely reducing the use of treated wood such as with creosote as the poisonous chemicals are injurious to plants, animals including pets and children. Used motor oil can be applied to the wood for a few inches above and below the soil line to keep the wood from rotting where it is most susceptible.

Benefits

• The reduced air and ground water contamination means a healthy environment to build a healthy community.
  

  Native Cranberry High Bush, Joint Wood Berry, NL In Bloom, Central Newfoundland.

• Increased air quality and less breathing problems are significant positive results by not using poisonous cosmetic use pesticides and reducing drastically or eliminating the use of gas powered engines to manicure cosmetically the lawn. Reducing the toxic carbon footprint positively affects the climate change. Reduced costs and the toxic carbon exhaust emissions result from purchasing less commercial fertilizers, pesticides and poisonous wood preservatives.
• There is increased health of plants in the lawn and garden with no synthetic chemicals or poisonous cosmetic use pesticides on the lawn.

Beneficial Landscaping

Objectives

• Construct porous driveways and pathways of gravel,
  

  Native Red Ripe Cranberries High Bush, Joint Wood Berries NL, Central Newfoundland.

  stone or brick to allow the rain water and air into mother earth to nourish the tree and plant roots. The excessive amount of pavement and concrete covering the ground in the urban areas severely restricts the growth of tree and plant root systems. Water drainage is severely restricted during flash floods from sudden heavy storms in any season as a result of the large amount of the ground being covered with impervious material of buildings, pavement, concrete and culverts instead of bridges. There is less soil and room for the rushing water to soak into the ground. It is important to use bogs, wetlands and flood plains along streams, rivers and lakes for flood prevention and control.

Benefits

• Planning ahead for high water run-off and flood control reduces the need for reconstruction, rebuilding and high maintenance costs. A parallel and higher corresponding reduction in the climate altering toxic carbon exhaust emissions is a significant advantage.
  

  Ruffed Grouse Feeding On The Fruit Buds Of Apple, Native Pin Cherry & Saskatoon Shrub During The Winter In The Ecological  Sustainable Plantscape Garden, Central Newfoundland.

Enhanced Plantscaping & Cardio-Vascular Health

Objectives

• Grow, establish and transplant tree and shrub plants along fence lines, hillsides and in exposed areas utilizing native fruit trees, shrubs and plants which encourage song birds, wild life, pollinating and other beneficial insects plus providing fruit in season.
• Grow more fruit and vegetable produce in the lawn and garden and buy more locally produced produce. The average distance traveled for food from producer to consumer is 2,000 km.
• Manually weed out aggressive imported weeds like the dandelion which originates from Europe. This is done by removing the buds and flowers that are easily spotted for three-four weeks in late May to mid-June.
  

  Native Strawberry Ground Cover/Lawn Exhibiting Rich Red Fall Colours In The Ecological Sustainable Horticultural Garden, Central Newfoundland. No Need To Mow This Lawn.

• The seed heads have 120 seeds per head and the plants have 20 – 40 buds per plant. One substantial robust healthy plant is capable of producing 4,000 seeds. It does not take many plants to produce a “sea of yellow” in the area. A substantial portion of the carrot-like root system has to be dug out so the plant does not regrow. The tenacious root system comes out of the ground more easily after a soaking rain. The removing of the buds, flowers and seed heads plus digging up the roots can be treated as a season’s exercise program. A little bit each day.  However, this plant is utilized for food and medicinal purposes. The leaves for edible greens are at their peak before the plant blooms. The flower and stems are utilized for wild edibles.
  

  Song Birds Especially The Robins Enjoy The Ripe Red Elderberries In The Ecological Sustainable Plantscape Horticultural Garden Starting In August, Central Newfoundland.

Benefits

• The increased foliage from the establishing, growing and transplanting of trees, shrubs and a variety of healthy plants purifies the air and improves the quality of the environment. Song birds, pollinating insects and other wild life are increased. This helps keep insect pests down. Through the natural process of photosynthesis, carbon dioxide is consumed by the increased green leaves and oxygen is produced. The increased foliage buffers against noise and exhaust pollution. The result is dramatically reduced climate altering toxic carbon exhaust emissions and more peace and quiet.
• Increased produce comes fresh from the garden including fruits, vegetables and floral arrangements of native and wild flowers. The native fruit trees, shrubs and plants provide tasty nourishing fruit within a few steps from the door. They attract song birds, pollinating and other beneficial insects which keep insect pests down. Some vegetables have attractive canopies or flowers like potatoes and green onions.
  

  Carrots Grow Well In Soil That Is Deep, Slightly Acidic, Without Obstructions & Is Especially Rich In Well Rotted Or Decoposed Organic Matter.

• Other vegetables like peas and carrots have superior flavour, nutritional content when harvested and eaten fresh from the garden. There are opportunities in the Exploits Valley of Central Newfoundland where pesticides are not needed to grow potatoes as is the case in other parts of the country and continent. These options of growing food become more attractive with ever-increasing fuel prices. The average distance traveled for food from producer to consumer is 2,000 km.
• By growing more fruit and vegetables in the garden and buying more locally produced food, the distance traveled for food and the resulting carbon exhaust emissions is reduced. It is estimated that Newfoundland has only three or four days supply of food on hand at any given time. Witness the empty shelves in the grocery stores when the ferries are held up at the coastal ports for a few days due to adverse weather conditions.
  

  Rich Red Fall Colours Of Low Growing Blueberry Foliage As Part Of The Ground Cover In The Ecological Sustainable Plantscape Horticultural Garden, Central Newfoundland.

• The increased physical activity, fitness and better health results from gardening, weeding and hand pruning which includes stretching, pulling, reaching, walking, bending, hoeing, shoveling, squeezing and lifting using all the muscles. It is recommended that stretching exercises be done before gardening. Gardening can be incorporated into the cardio-vascular exercise program to keep fit, lower blood sugar and bad cholesterol plus raising good cholesterol, keeping weight and blood pressure down. This form of physical activity has a number of advantages in that there is not a problem of shin splints or heavy pounding on knee and hip joints.