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Habitats NOT for Humanity

By
Real Estate Agent

RePost from wordpress blog.

Today I want to engage you in a quiz. What do you grow that's one of the U.S.'s largest crops, by acreage?

Corn? Soybeans? Wheat? Tomatoes?

It's a little closer to home.

It's turf grass. Yup, suburban outdoor carpet. A monoculture that does not feed insects, plants or animals well. Source of much run-off from synthetic fertilizers, weed-killers and pesticides.

Here's the quote from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on the subject:

 The proliferation of the suburban mono-turf lawns, so lauded by Scott, now covers 30 million acres, an area the size of Virginia, requiring billions of dollars in equipment, chemicals, and upkeep.58 In addition to the cost and direct harm to the environment,59 the proliferation of the suburban mono-turf yard hastens the process of plant extinction by reducing the available habitat for native plants, a global threat.

    From the EPA at: http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/greenacres/weedlaws/JMLR.html

Kinda scary, huh?

So what's a suburban dweller who is mildly eco-conscious to do?

Native Plant garden

How about replacing a small patch of your turf lawn with a bed of native flowers and grasses? It doesn't take much time, is fun to look at, and requires little watering or care after establishment. Your kids (and you) will enjoy watching the insects, birds, and small animals it attracts. Call it "backyard habitat". Or front yard habitat. Throw in a border or edging and some mulch. Home-and-Garden-pretty and useful too!

Hey, I'm by no means the first to propose this. But I can tell you the prairie planting at my Des Plaines home delighted my then 3 year old daughter. She watched squirrels eat the sunflower seeds, finches feast on the coneflowers. She caught ladybugs and dug for worms. We watched a garter snake hunt for insects. We saw a toad. Raccoons, opposums and chipmunks came through.  Frankly, I was highly entertained as well. And my husband enjoyed having less lawn to mow every week.

I now have some shade-loving woodland native plants and a rain-garden at my home in Arlington Heights.  A duck stopped by last week. A possum wandered through last summer setting the neighbor's dog off. The rain-garden sops up the overflow from my sump-hose. I'm contemplating another small prairie planting. Each year, a little more turf grass disappears from my yard and a little more habitat for the creatures appears.

Imagine what our neighborhoods would look like if everyone did a native garden in a 10 x 10 foot patch? Then made it 10 x 12? Imagine how much less fuel, pesticides and excess fertilizer would run off in the rain into our drinking water supplies?

Do we still need the turf grass? Sure! A place for the kids, dogs and us to play and relax. But does the whole yard need to be grass curb to house? I say no.

So where to start?

Drop me a line! I'd love to hear from a fellow gardener.  I can give you some tips on how to get started. Or check out these links for a do-it-yourself-er:

Or google yourself up some places that sell native plants. I personally like the Natural Garden in St Charles (kinda pricey though), the Spring Valley Nature Center native plant sale every May, and Taylor Creek Restoration Nurseries in Wisconsin (you can ask to have your plant order sent to their AES location in St Charles IL for pickup).

How about you? Share your tips and suggestions on yard habitat creation. I know you birders out there will respond! I'd like some ideas myself for this year's gardening season!

Julia Hart sells homes in the Chicago Northwest suburbs. If you would like more information about Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove, Palatine, Schaumburg, Mount Prospect, Wheeling, Prospect Heights or Des Plaines please call me at 847-971-8592 or e-mail me at julia@Hart4YourHome.com.

Or visit my website www.Hart4YourHome.com to get more information about buying or selling a home!

   Satisfied customers built my business. Thank you!  I'm never too busy for your referrals!

Comments (3)

Robert Rauf
CMG Home Loans - Toms River, NJ

Julia, it is a crop that can be turned over multiple times in a year too, (at sod farms) so I bet it is a profitable one.

Thats my excuse for leaving my back yard in its natural state, I am being "green" Not lazy!!

Apr 14, 2010 08:59 AM
Julia Hart
Arlington Heights, IL

Awesome! Never thought to make money from the turf grass too!  Thanks for making me smile! :-)

Apr 14, 2010 09:35 AM
Jim Frimmer
HomeSmart Realty West - San Diego, CA
Realtor & CDPE, Mission Valley specialist

Only the overly wealthy can afford to have lawns out here. Everyone else has weeds and gravel. LOL

May 03, 2010 05:00 PM