Ahhh, spring. For me, it means an easy introduction for at least one more blog post and not having to put on three layers of clothes every morning. For you, it means it’s time for your plants and lawns to rub the sleep from their eyes and start being green and lively again.
…At least that’s the way it’s supposed to go. Unfortunately, all too many people step out into their yards, eager to see lush green grass and ready-to-blossom cherry trees only to find that something has gone wrong in the off season and either pests or weeds have taken up residence in your otherwise pristine property. But luckily, your friends at Cipriano nursery have a garage chock full of remedies for just about anything that might go wrong with your garden.
But… there are two ways that we can help you. We could recommend some type of synthetic, chemical based product or we could offer you something in an organic alternative. And here’s where you get a chance to see just how much we love all of you valued customers. Because we could just stick to the chemicals and let you come back over and over again every season to fix the same problems but instead, we’ve made the decision to try and encourage you to buy organic alternatives whenever we can. Now admittedly, organics requires a little more work and patience on your part but they will ultimately lead to healthier garden and the actual treatment of whatever might be afflicting your plants and grass instead of just the symptoms.
To be fair, chemical based products do work in the most basic sense of the word. They will get rid of crabgrass or eliminate an insect infestation or do whatever they’re supposed to do. But think of it this way: sure, steroids will give you bigger muscles, but they actually weaken your body while making it appear stronger. In much the same way, chemical treatments may make your property look good, but it comes at the cost of the destruction of the underlying environment. These chemical products saturate the soil with a series of hostile compounds that make it an inhospitable environment to any of the beneficial insects and microorganisms that can be found in a healthy ecosystem. As a result, you’re now dependant solely on these chemicals for the well being of your landscape.
I’m sure some of our more environmentally minded customers are reading that last passage and nodding fervently, perhaps you’re even thinking something like “right on, noble nursery man.” First of all, thank you, Imaginary Reader. But I’m not trying to preach to the choir here, I’m trying to make the average homeowner understand that the merits of organic gardening go beyond giving you something to say to the cute checkout chick at Trader Joe’s (and if that’s all your looking for, I’ve all ready called dibs so back off). If you can stick with an organic garden care system for a year or two, you’ll find yourself with soil teeming with healthy microorganisms and nutrients. And the reason that you want those things in your soil is that the natural result of their presence is healthier trees and lawns.
Do you see the difference? You can either use chemical products to create the appearance of health and vitality at the expense of your soil. Or, you can do everything you can to improve your actual growing conditions and, as a result, you’ll have shrubs and lawns that actually ARE healthier and look it as well.
I don’t know how many of you are parents, but I’m sure those of you that are have at some point or another chided your child for going for the quick fix instead of taking the time to do something right. So when you come into Cips this year, looking for fertilizer and pest management programs, try to take some of that advice to heart and ask one of us about how to grow a garden the way nature intended. I promise that you won’t be disappointed.
