re: honest question…why do so many of you soak your yard with chemicals?

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left to mother and turns to shite.

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That's not what I'm talking about. A natural approach does not mean a lack of management.

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You might see flowers one time. One spring. Once that passes you’re done.

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Because it isn't managed and aggressive non-native plants and primarily grasses take over. They grow faster and shade out most native plants. We've created that mess.

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So….. if you want to have flowers every year you have to buck nature.

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You can manage nature and encourage a natural approach.

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Ok, so how do you manage it?

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The same way you manage any area. You don't let it grow up and be overrun by what you don't want. You cultivate your garden areas knowing you're going to have insect damage (because that's largely what they're for), you pull weeds, you treat problems when they arise with natural products, you select the right plants for the right area, you get them from reputable nurseries that don't use systemic pesticides. Most of this isn't alien, it is just different.

The well-manicured lawn of a monoculture turf grass didn't exist in this country until roughly post-WW2. And it is no coincidence that it grew along with chemical advancements. A whole lot of marketing and pushing went into changing the traditional mindset.

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What is it about monoculture that is so appealing?

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My wife loves the look of a nicely manicured lawn. Happy wife, happy life. Our lawn is pretty stunning.

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How is fighting a losing battle time or cost effective?

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I do two pre-emergent treatments per year and I spot treat my yard with chemicals. I really don't spend that much in the grand scheme of things, and my lot is 1.25 acres. The lawn looks great, so I'm not sure I'm losing any battle.

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Where in the natural world is there ever a zero sum outcome?

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I don't think there is. I do keep a 200' x 20' area in the back completely natural as a border. It has small pines and oaks, blackberry, wildflowers, jasmine, honeysuckle, muscadine, etc. It's a great spot that the wildlife (deer, fox, birds, butterflies, bees, etc.) flock to. It's nice sitting out in the pool looking back at that area through the wonderful lawn.

I also got permission from the landowner behind me to plant clover/chicory on his trail that divides the property. It serves a dual purpose as he lets me hunt that land also. So I also do plenty to help the wildlife around me.

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my absolute favorite thing in this life is working with nature and using the (free) resources available to work alongside it and create an outcome that makes sense in a positive way. Composting, natural mulch, fungi, beneficial insects, diversity and native plants create an amazing landscape

I don’t understand why anyone would want otherwise. Decay and renewal…

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Sounds awful. You do you.

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LegendInMyMind

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Dude, you’re the one telling us we’re doing it wrong. Then when we ask what we should do you scoff at us.

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Dude, you’re the one telling us we’re doing it wrong.

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This isn't my thread, and I haven't said you're "wrong". I can't have an opinion?

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Then when we ask what we should do you scoff at us.

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I haven't scoffed at anyone. I've answered questions and given links to resources. If you think I'm "scoffing" at you, that is a you problem.

I feel similar. I actually like the different weeds. As long as i mow every other week it doesn’t get out of control. For example, my yard has quite a bit of clover that the honeybees like. But several years back, i was into having a perfect lawn so i used chemicals. Maybe i’ll go back to that one day but for now i’m enjoying identifying things and watching the bees. In my garden bed i just pull the weeds.

I just ran into a patch of beautiful native, Louisiana turf.

Where do i get a bag of native wildflower seeds? In college, my hippie roommate and i threw down a bunch of wildflower seeds in our yard and beds at our rent house. It was one of those old Southdowns homes, so I’m thinking the soil was probably good. Lots of old growth around there and unraked piles of leaves/nature doing its thing. It was a college rental, so no one was using pesticides or herbicides. The old landlord would cut the grass once a month. Anyway, nothing ever sprouted.

My daughter threw down wildflower seeds at our home a few years ago and nothing grew.

I’m pretty good at gardening and recently tried wildflower seeds without any luck. I finally came to the conclusion that all 3 attempts failed because they weren’t native, AND that frolicking FIELDS of wildflowers don’t really grow in Louisiana —Not like what you see in a calendar.

I do recall buttercups growing along the sugarcane fields when I was little. And still every year along the highways and interstate I see pretty red plume type flowers. Those grow en masse. But other than those I’ve never noticed a flower that seems to be the type that will just take over the yard annually.

SO, where does one acquire these native wildflowers? Is there anything that would really fill a lawn? I mean i doubt we’d all have yards that look like English cottages? The crabgrass would quickly fill in. And crabgrass is UGLY. It sticks up and grows taller and faster than the rest of the lawn. It’s wretched. Clover is cute, I’m down with clovers. and dandelions would blend in with the wildflowers, but crabgrass is just awful. Maybe it would blend in with the wildflowers, though since wildflowers are tall??

LINK

here’s one. I use these seeds all the time and the result is spectacular

There are many others

remember that most perennials that are native to LA are native to the whole southeast…most daisies, coneflowers, zinnias, etc