I tried to have a lawn some years ago. That was before I realized summer time in our area equates with water shortage, and that in turn brings the dreaded level 4 edict from our local government. When that happens the grass is a crispy brown and yellow, forming a colorful backdrop for the weeds, which manage to remain nice and green, dotted through what had been the grass. |
So you turn to the experts. Now I may be totally wrong about this, but certainly the lawn care experts I’ve seen always seem to have a couple of tanks on their flatbed trucks. Only they know what’s in those containers, but I’m willing to bet weed killer is at least in one per truck.
This expert did not endear himself to me when he pronounced that my “lawn” was probably the worst one on the Sunshine Coast. He didn’t like me asking what was in the tanks.
Lately, I’ve noticed beautifully green lawns as summer continues. They are perfectly sheared. Not a weed in sight. Artificial grass. Dream lawns.
But some dreams become nightmares. Unlike the labels on foods and ingredients you can check out, these artificial “lawns” are a threat to our environment. They are derived from coal and oil, and wow, they would be almost impossible to recycle.
Actually, after about eight years, when the artificial turf starts to break down, it gets rolled up. (Not an easy job. This stuff is heavy). It can be quite upsetting to write about, but if you want technical information, it’s here.
Unlike grass, plastic grass is not kind in several ways:
- It isn’t low maintenance. In hot weather you have to water it to cool it. You have to vacuum leaves off it. They do stain, and then you need special cleaning stuff to cope with that.
- The rubber granules are toxic. So it’s not conducive to animals or children who might think of playing on it.
- It’s hot and heats up the environment, at the same time destroying diversity in insects, birds and animals. It might look like grass, but in reality, it’s more like a contribution to the concrete jungle.
- Plastic grass has no nutrients for our living friends. It doesn’t grow weeds, so bees and other pollinators are fresh out of luck. I always love to see robins digging a meal from my neighbours’ lawn. That can’t happen with an artificial one.
I planted saffron. It works in our climate. And shrubs, trees. They are a refuge for summer and winter. Ground covers can work for just about everyone, and do a huge lot of work for our creatures.
Delosperma (ice plant)
Looking back...
Crazyhorseladycx writes in the vernacular about her life.
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