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by Disinvestment Supporter

Created on: March 23, 2008   Last Updated: June 09, 2010

"A weed is a plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered." Ralph Waldo Emerson.

A weed is generally considered to be a noxious or invasive plant growing where the gardener has not purposefully planted it, and those un-planted plants are usually targeted for removal or destruction. For many Americans, weeds have come to mean any plant growing in the yard that is not grass. The negative perceptions of a weed that many hold today actually began with the golden age of suburbia and corporate agriculture.

Suburbia sought conformity in appearance, roads of well-manicured lawns boasting one or maybe two species of grass. for corporate agriculture to maximize profits land had to be used to grow cash crops and nothing else. The apples grown in California and on the shelf in New York had to look the same, free of blemishes. The fields were planted in one crop, conformity being demanded as well by the large machinery needed to run a large farm.  Any mono-cultured system is going to attract pests and create the need for pesticides.

There are serious consequences resulting from pesticide use that all home gardeners should consider before going to the nursery. Once you start using fertilizers and pesticides, you become locked into their use in order to maintain productivity. This is because pesticides tend to kill your pests and your pests' predators in one fell swoop. Without natural predators, expect to have a larger problem dealing with pests.

Also pesticide cost can add up over time. Gardens have been created throughout the ages with a low-technology that we are all capable of, like compost piles, hedgerows full of bee and hummingbird flowers, and a few simple tools. Great strides have been made by present-day permaculturists in relearning and spreading this knowledge of the common folk on how to make the herb teas and compost that can boost plant yields and provide protection from pests without harming their predators.

In truth though, we don't need critiques of the current way of doing things to help us understand why organic gardening is the way to go. We need merely look at how Creation works. Nowhere in nature is there a wasted plant. Every plant and animal is food for some other animal or plant. Nowhere without human intervention is there 500 acres planted in a single species. Nature loves the diversity that our culture has spent a long time despising and trying to destroy. Weeds are actually plants with their own properties, flowering times, and attraction to insects we all like to have in the yard, like ladybugs and pillbugs and dragonflies.

Dandelions for instance have deep taproots that help bring nutrients to the surface which other plants' shallower root systems could not reach. With roots so deep dandelions will not compete much for rootspace with shallower plants. Every part the dandelion is medicinal. The leaves are a bitter that stimulate digestion, good for an addition to a pre-meal salad. Due to anti-inflammatory constituents the root has been used to treat arthritis. All parts of the dandelion are good for a variety of liver and gallbladder problems. Native Americans adapted its use to kidney and skin problems with success. It can be used to treat appendicitis as well.

Dead Nettle is in profusion right now in Arkansas. It is only a few inches tall but has brightly purple flowers up and down the stalk. People actually mow and spray poison on these little guys. The leaves look a bit like spearmint. A good picture is located here.
http://www.naturesherbal.com/Purple_Dead_Nettle.htm
Like dandelions, dead nettle is an anti-inflammatory good for arthritis and other joint/muscle problems. It has also been used for stomach and respiratory problems.

I could tell you about happy and extremely useful "weeds" all day, but you still need more reasons to control what grows where without pesticides. Pesticides are not point-specific, meaning they can damage other life forms and even remain in plants, animals, and soil accumulating over the long-term. America's first favorite pesticide, DDT, actually stayed in the food chain until bald eagles were consuming it through the toads and birds they ate. DDT caused reproductive problems leading to eggs with much thinner shells. DDT, and other chemicals in the environment, is why they are still endangered today.

There are some really important insects in your yard that you want to have around. They are helpful little guys who will kill in great numbers the many insects you don't want in your yard. With a steady population of predators (including big spider webs in the shrubbery and frogs passing through), you won't have to deal with the nuisance of mosquitoes or the costliness of wood-eaters like termites. Unfortunately, if the mosquito your spider has just eaten contained pesticides, you could be looking at the death of your spiders. Ladybug populations, even butterfly larvae can be damaged and killed by the use of pesticides. If all your neighbors indulge as well, you can expect a plague of locusts or other similar insect problems.

Finally, since we've now decided to not use pesticides and herbicides on our yard, what shall we do in place to control the pests be they plant or animal? Serious pest problems may call for a spray of garlic tea. Lucky for all of us though, problems in a natural setting tend to control themselves. A hands off approach can work wonders, provided your neighbors are not chemical enthusiasts. The best way to draw the good, predatory insects is to make sure there is something in bloom in your yard at all times. The best way to get rid of weeds is to stop using the word. Many taller plants leave room for smaller ones in their shade. Make an effort to encourage some plants in these spaces that you can at least tolerate. If you are tired of mowing a grassy or weedy lawn, try a seed mix for very short self-seeders and perennials. A patch at a time can replace the green lawn with a variety of short-growing plants. One such flower mix is being sold as a lawn replacement tool, available from Bountiful Gardens online.

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