Every year, people in the U.S. spend billions of dollars maintaining their lawns, ensuring they are kept trimmed and weed-free. But in the quest to keep a garden weed-free, other plants can be killed, as one Redditor found out.
They took to the r/VegetableGardening community to ask for advice after a lawn service company had accidentally sprayed their entire garden with weed killer, instead of just the patch of lawn they were meant to attend to.
The spray, which included several herbicides, was sprayed all over the homeowner's plants, which were described as being droopy and looking near death. The garden included watermelon, zucchini, cucumber, and tomato plants. "I am beside myself with anger right now," the gardener wrote.
The use of chemicals to control unwanted weeds or other pests is commonplace. An estimated 80 million pounds of pesticides are used on U.S. lawns every year, as Clean Water Action noted. In addition to their high cost, these chemicals can also be dangerous for our health, and several have been identified as being carcinogenic, which means that they can contribute to causing cancer.
Lawns also require a lot of water, which can quickly get costly — especially if you are already applying fertilizers and pesticides to keep your lawn looking green and healthy.
There are alternatives to traditional lawns that can lower the cost of maintenance and prevent you from having to apply expensive and potentially dangerous chemicals to your garden. Switching to a natural lawn by planting clover or buffalo grass in place of your traditional lawn is one option that requires very little maintenance and is green year-round.
Another option is to look at xeriscaping and planting drought-tolerant native plants to reduce irrigation needs and water consumption. Planting native plants not only helps you save money on water and fertilizers but also provides a habitat for pollinators, which are essential for food production.
Providing pollinator habitats is also important to protecting biodiversity and ensuring healthy ecosystems that support life on Earth.
Planting a native garden or switching to a natural lawn can also help you avoid disasters like these.
"I'd see if I could charge them for trespassing and destruction of private property," one Redditor suggested after reading the post about the garden destruction.
Another added: "If the explanation they provide does not give you full satisfaction, i'd also be calling the State Department of Agriculture."
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