re: embracing lawn ornaments for a biodiverse and healthy lawn without chemicals

why not? Is synthetic food or medicine somehow more appealing to you? It’s not a matter of “have to” in this great country of ours, it’s more a matter of “want to”

When I choose a plant the first thing I look for is “can I eat it?” or “can I use it?”

did you know dandelion leaves make a delicious salad? And the roots can be roasted a brewed like coffee? And that dandelion tea is a powerful antioxidant and anti inflammatory agent? Every part is usable—leaves, roots, and flowers—boasting vitamins A, C, K, and essential minerals, while their deep taproots improve soil health by aerating and transporting nutrients

I think that’s amazing

I went the other way around and have never been happier with my lawn.

I’ve just been lazy this year and will say I’m inspired and stick with the natural program.

Haven’t put anything in my St. Augustine in Dallas and it looks phenomenal already.

Handful of weeds pop up when it rains but can’t see anything after a good mow. They’ll get choked/burnt out later in the summer anyway.

Good thread.

Say you had a section of lawn you wanted to convert. What would be the process?

Does the grass need to be killed, tilled, scalped?
Guessing the seed wouldn’t germinate well just dropping it in

What’s been the experience of those who have

Spiderwort is edible also in case you didn’t know. The leaves and stems and flowers are great in salads, and if you cut a stem and squeeze you get a soothing gel similar to aloe for burns and bug bites

I do a burn every couple years on an area that I’ve allowed to naturalize primarily to knock the privet and trumpet vine down. It does help and it’s shocking how quickly it restores itself

this area is also where I stockpile branches and other brushy waste to use to fill the bottom of new raised beds. The rabbits like it

you’re gonna have mosquitoes no matter what you do. Yes I’m aware talstar will keep them from overnighting in your concealed areas but you are killing everything with that. Want to know why there are so few lightning bugs these days? That’s why

I am trying to cultivate insects. Once the insects are established the life around the plantings explodes…birds, lizards, skinks, dragonflies, frogs, toads, bats, etc.

Fans to keep skeeters off you in outside areas are cheaper and more effective and obviously non toxic. And every summer night I enjoy a lightning bug show

Here’s a spot under construction. Was a very old rotten water oak that came down during Ida. I ignored it until this winter, it was completely overgrown with vines, briars and chicken trees. I cut and pulled by hand and poisoned the chicken tree stumps with salt and vinegar.

This is after I just burned what has come up this spring, which was about 1/4 of what was growing so we are making progress



The tallow stumps are dead, I’m going to leave the volunteer pine. After a few days letting that bake in the sun ill pull whatever roots I can get to, and then I’ll tarp it for the rest of the summer. This fall/winter after some pulling of any roots left and soil amendments I’ll plant.

Dug and pulled trumpet vines and roots, raked smoothish, cut tallow stumps flush (gave them one more swallow of salt and vinegar) and tarped for the summer. It will get hot as frick under that tarp and kill anything else that’s left.