The 10 Biggest Mistakes Newcomers Make Growing Bromeliads in the Greater Houston Area

By Gene Powers, Bromeliad Society/Houston

‘Weed and Feed Fertilizers’ Now that makes sense, I can get rid of my weeds and have beautiful turfgrass at the same time. Very exciting right? Except it is a fraud that is dangerous to your plants, your pets, your kids and yourself. Weed and Feed Fertilizers aren’t really fertilizers at all. They are toxic chemical poisons that use junk food fertilizers as a carrier. This dangerous myth is constantly promoted by the Chemical Fertilizer/Pesticide industry because they make an enormous amount of money from their unscrupulous practices. This truly is the goose that lays the golden egg for them. In the Chemical world remember the companies care not for your well-being just how much money they can get you to spend.

Scotts Bonus S is the best example. They spend $400 million annually in advertising their product. And their advertising works as Scotts Bonus S is the number one sold ‘fertilizer’ in America (Remember is not really a fertilizer but a chemical poison put on fertilizer granulars). During the spring you will hear and see their commercials constantly on the radio and TV. Two springs ago there was this ridiculous Scott’s radio commercial that stated that ‘I needed to apply Scotts Bonus S because clover was growing to deliberately disrespect me’. How sad. Like clover even knew or cared that I was alive. Besides clover is a pretty little legume that provides Nitrogen to the grass. In the old turfgrass care books, our ancestor’s sowed clover on purpose for that very same reason.

These chemical ‘Weed and Feed’ poisons are directly linked to causing cancer in dogs, cats, kids and adults. And they are harmful to the very plants they are supposed to protect. Pretty crazy. The bags will say ‘Do not apply around trees and shrubs’. Does anybody think that their tree and shrub roots don’t grow in the turfgrass areas? And read the back of the bags. There you find will an EPA pesticide tag plus instructions on how to clean your spreader in a containment box and take the waste water to a toxic waste disposal site. Like anybody is going to really do this. So after we apply these ‘Weeds and Feeds’ we have now poisoned our entire lawn where our kids and pets play and track these poison into our homes. 

The more pesticides a child is exposed to the more they are affected on a permanent basis, as the study above illustrates. Mt Sinai Hospital identifies lawn and garden pesticides as being linked to cancer, ADHS and autism, http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120425140118.htm  and http://www.sustainableproduction.org/downloads/Child%20Canc%20Full%20Report.pdf . These are just two of many, many scientific findings that condemn the use of chemical pesticides. And Fosters Hospital at Tuff University link chemical pesticides to causing cancer in dogs, http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/15_4/features/Canine-Malignant-Lymphoma-andLawn-Pesticides_20494-1.html 

So that leads us to weeds, why do they grow and why do they grow in some yards but not in others. Once we understand this we can fight the weeds safely and have the turfgrass we love. Look at this picture.

 

Gorgeous turfgrass without chemical herbicides. It even won an award for ‘Best Sports Field”

In the Organic world we read signs and communicate with our environment. We work with natural law do not seek to fight Mother Nature. That is sheer folly. In the Chemical world it’s all about kill-kill-kill. The new Darwinism states ‘it’s the organisms that learn to cooperate with each other that have the greatest strength’.

Weeds grow, like any organisms, where the environment gives them the best chance. Weeds are messengers, they tell us about the soil. Weeds are there for a purpose. They grow where conditions for turfgrass are not favorable. Mother Nature will always find a plant to protect her skin. Here’s what we weeds like – Compacted soils with low oxygen, Soils low in minerals, Soils that are over watered and Soils that are bacterial dominated. Improve the soils through the use of quality Organic products and your weeds will go away.

Quality Organic products is a must because there are a number of companies selling Organics that are not good, they have simply jumped on the Organic bandwagon as the money gets stronger in Organic Lawn and Garden care. To change your soil to grow ‘Grass’ and not ‘Weeds’, apply Granular Humates, apply mineral rich Organic fertilizers like MicroLife, www.microlifefertilizer.com and Leaf Mold Compost, http://www.natureswayresources.com/. Changing the soil will take time so give it a least 8 months and be sure that you do not over water your turfgrass (As you continue with your Organic program you will need less water). To get rid of existing weeds your options are hand pulling, AgraLawn, flame guns and 20% Vinegar (The last two will also kill turfgrass). Most importantly never apply ‘Weed and Feed Fertilizers’ not only are they exceedingly dangerous they actually cause weeds to grow! They create the conditions that favor weed growth over turfgrass growth. What a racket those companies have created. To learn more how to ‘Go Organic’ join OHBA, www.ohbaonline.org and go to their noncommercialized, educational meetings. OHBA brings in the best brains from across the country to teach us all for to be successful in our Organic programs.

Mike Serant owns MicroLife Fertilizers and is co-founder of OHBA. He can be reached at mserant@sanjacsupply.com.