In this first edition of a new series called Home Transformation – Before & After, we feature this home in Southern California:

Before:

A long and narrow lawn area was the main focal point of the front yard. The lawn was subject to full sun exposure all day, and the angled slope made it hard to avoid run-off. “When the days started to get hotter, it became increasingly hard to keep the grass looking green without really increasing the watering schedules. I wanted a solution that would allow me to keep some of my front grass, while also integrating regional drought-resistant plants,” the homeowner commented.

On the other side of the home, there was a narrower grass strip with a tree planter box. “The tree planter box offered some shade to help the grass, but the narrowness of the strip made it hard to water effectively without a lot of over spray,” the homeowners describes.

After:

More than half of the grass was removed from the front main lawn, leaving only a smaller level square patch. Once the grass was removed, mulch was added to bring back some nutrients into the dry dirt. “The mulch was so cheap! I purchased it from my local landfill for only about $10 for a truck load,” the homeowner remarks.

After spreading out the mulch, the new plants went in. “I planted flax, lavender, pink ladies, tea tree, several roses, and pygmy palms,” the homeowner describes. Low-cost stepping stones and a brass bird bath were then added to give the new planting area visual separation and character. Finally, wood chips were spread out in the bed to reduce evaporation and erosion.

On the side yard, two planter boxes were added along with another pygmy palm. “Overall, I am very happy the way it all came together. At first, it was definitely scary to think about tearing out so much of my grass. I wasn’t sure if it was going to look good. However, now that it is finished, I am wondering why I didn’t do this sooner!” remarks the homeowner.

Are you working on a major home transformation? We want to hear about it. Drop us a line, and maybe your house could be featured on Conservation Tutorials.

Photo: Meredith_James

But first, an overview on why the commercial options should be avoided:

The number one selling herbicide, or weed-killer, is Roundup. Roundup is produced by the U.S. company Monsanto and contains the active ingredient glyphosate. In the US, 5-8 million pounds are used every year on lawns and yards and 85-90 million pounds are used annually in US agriculture. Glyphosate kills plants by interfering with the synthesis of the amino acids phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan.  Glyphosate has been in the legal and environmental spotlight since it was first introduced, with reports going back and forth between environmental groups and government groups claiming it is safe. Currently, the U.S. EPA classifies glyphosate as relatively safe when exposed to small amounts. However, researchers suggested glyphosate exposure possibly increases the risk for developing some types of cancer, but definitive conclusions could not be attained due to small sample sizes and confounding factors. The bottom line is, there is a lot of money that is being made by large corporations like Monsanto from Roundup sales. They would lose tremendous amounts of money, if it were proven that Roundup was unsafe or if it was banned from use. Simply stated, why take the risk of possible toxic exposure from these synthetic chemicals, when you can use nature’s time-tested systems to reduce unnecessary weed growth and unwanted pests.

Green Alternatives Learned From a Long-Time Backyard Gardener:

1. The best alternative to synthetic pest and weed chemicals is good compost. If the garden has rich soil with recycled organic matter the plants can resist disease and insects better.
2. Copper collars (snail bar copper barriers) work great to keep snails from eating young plants without using snailbait. Copper collars create an electrolytic effect that repels them when they touch it. A reaction between their slimy secretion and the copper causes the shock. No electricity is required. Encircle these strips around trees or put as a barrier around garden beds.
3. Tanglefoot barriers work well to keep ants and aphids out of fruit trees. Soap can also be used as an effective all-purpose pesticide, just make sure it is a natural soap and not a detergent.
4. Try not to kill spiders, even in your house. Spiders are voracious insect eaters. Part of having a healthy garden without pesticides, means that the “good” bugs and lizards etc.. will take up residence and keep the “bad” bugs down. That can be hard sometimes to appreciate, but it is nature’s systems working. However, Buying beneficial insects doesn’t work, they usually fly away.
5. A whole other area that is valuable is companion planting, and another is planting some crops just because they attract beneficial insects, and birds. (Follow-up post on this soon!)

Photo: Anderson Mancini

Where to purchase and learn more about great organic garden supplies and seeds:

1. Peaceful Valley Farm, Grass Valley, CA.
2. Seeds of Change, Santa Fe, NM.

Great books to read:

1. Natural Insect and Disease control – It has lots of pictures of pests and beneficial insects; it helps a lot to know who is an enemy and who is your friend in the garden
2. John Jeavons – How to Grow More Vegetables…
   “Possibly the most detailed explanation of the Intensive gardening method available.”