Mostly Green Gardener

While working in the long neglected weed field also known as my back yard, I wondered at what point I would stop pulling and just pull out a sprayer filled with Roundup.

It almost happened at the start of the second day when the aches in the long unused muscles made every move a painful endeavor.

It almost happened when I pulled a handful of weeds that, as it turns out, were growing in a fire ant bed. 

Despite the aches and burning blisters, I managed to avoid the chemical option for this round of weeding; however, I will likely resort to the spray when my schedule returns to normal.

In my garden I endeavor to keep it as green as possible from an environmental perspective. I mulch, compost and plant many perennials. I have managed to maintain herbs for years.

I do what I can.

But sometimes reality creeps in and I resort to chemical assistance to control weeds and the fire ants. Working more than full time and daily tasks of living alone limit the time I can honestly dedicate to work in the yard. I do not use anything chemical around the edible plants, but I will in the rest of the yard and will to control the fire ants – they deserve annihilation and I am only too happy to do my part in it.

Still, it troubles me when I resort to any type of chemical assistance with the yard. I want to be as environmentally friendly, so I do limit the amount that I use to prevent any making it into runoff or otherwise becoming a pollutant. I also do not want to make the ground so toxic, nothing will grow in the space (nevertheless, the idea of salting the area I have covered with rocks has crossed my mind – hey, it is natural, but a threat to groundwater).

For the foreseeable future I am thinking it will be a sore back with an occasional sore hand from the spray bottle of Roundup and I will continue to be a mostly green gardener.