Chemical Free Sustainable Weed Control through Naturalization

There are several reasons to consider naturalizing low usage areas and the benefits are far reaching.  Maintaining areas that see little or no traffic and have no real function is a huge time commitment and many of the traditional maintenance practices are highly polluting, tend to employ chemicals with varying levels of toxicity and require a regular commitment of manual labor.  The need to mow and manicure the landscape around us can actually create an environment that allows weeds to prosper and spread. We tend to think that a mowable lawn is the easiest way to care for an area but unless that lawn is thick and has healthy roots, which requires supplementary watering and fertilizing, the weeds will move in.  We generally turn to herbicides to deal with weeds in our lawn and then have to keep our children and pets inside until the area is “safe”.

Chemical free, sustainable weed control through naturalization means replacing high maintenance plants and undesirable weeds with low maintenance desirable plants that will thrive with little or no supplementary water creating strong competition for space, light, nutrients and water.  Native grasses and wildflowers have complementary root systems that can impede the spread of weeds and they are naturally acclimatized to our variable climate and regional precipitation patterns.  The key is not to mow the area so the native plants can grow fully, prosper and go to seed, sustaining their species in the area. A natural meadow is full of flowers and attractive seed heads, and is a much needed habitat for local wildlife and plant species.  Naturalized spaces are not maintenance free and will require weeding as the desirable plants get established. A mature naturalized meadow will benefit from a seasonal debris removal that can be achieved by mowing in the spring; in nature this would be done by grazing animals or grass fires.

The variety of wildflowers and grasses in this region provides us with a wide selection of hardy, drought tolerant perennials that are biologically acclimatized to our climate. These native plants are beautiful, diverse and add much of the colorful under-story to the fall landscape. Their ability to survive and prosper with little assistance and no chemical intervention make them an obvious solution to maintenance issues, water constraints and environmental concerns. Naturalizing low usage areas in both public and private spaces will reduce labour cost and time commitments, help to alleviate the demand on our water supply, eliminate the need for chemical herbicides and fertilizers while creating habitat for wildlife and a beautiful view for us.  So grow a little wild and support your environment.