The Jerry’s Pond Collaborative Visioning Project A Vision for Community-Building, Safe Public Access for a Renaturalized & Revitalized Pond with Improved Biodiversity for the Enjoyment, Education, and Inspiration of This and Future Generations. We have partnered with the Friends of Jerry’s Pond to launch an internship program. Together, we are speaking out for improvements and…
One of the most consequential impacts of fertilizers is the harm done to our waterways, and the ecosystems which rely on them. When we spread too much fertilizer, the excess enters our streams, lakes, and oceans through groundwater and runoff. The algae inside waterways feed on this excess nitrogen and phosphorus. It forms toxic algal…
Photo: Nutri-lawn Soil compaction is the compression of soil, resulting in reduced airflow and higher density. The mineral salts in fertilizers can cause a compaction layer in soil. A symptom of compaction is visible in ‘sun spills’ in lawns — areas where grass grows poorly due the soil being compacted, leaving the soil exposed to…
ORI has met with 54 MA Conservation Commissions. All agree that only one-half pound of 100% slow-release fertilizer in the fall or spring is the optional maximum for established lawns. Lawns capturing more carbon dioxide and building healthy soils should not need pesticides or herbicides. Spot weeds may be killed by a mixture of one-gallon…
Nitrous oxides are the third largest greenhouse gas culprit after carbon dioxide and methane. Nitrous oxides account for 8 percent of all greenhouse gasses; though this may seem like a relatively small percentage, nitrous oxides are 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide and also contribute to ozone depletion. The good news: nitrous oxides emissions…
Although you might not see them, there are a multitude of tiny critters in your lawn. The soil food web starts with the sun, travels through plants into the ground, passes through numerous soil-dwelling organisms, and continues up through larger predators such as humans. Photo: Smiling Gardener Plants convert water and carbon dioxide into plant…
Photo: Bio Green and Outdoor Services, LLC Fertilization spread on the surface encourages grass to grow shoots on the surface. Fertilized grass has a harder time accessing water from the soil. This grass needs frequent watering. Soil compaction follows when fertilizer is applied. Grassroots do not go into the soil to open it up to…
Pests’ attraction to plants is closely related to soil composition and root health. When we fertilize, we alter the delicate nutrient balance in our soils; this in turn hinders plants’ ability to defend themselves from pests. Fertilizers deplete oxygen, making it difficult for healthy, aerobic microorganisms to thrive. This weakens the soil’s food web, and…
