Lawns Are So 19th Century

As Spring comes nearer, many homeowners are getting ready for the yearly resuscitation of their lawn from the long winter's nap. They are preparing the sprinklers, the fertilizers, the de-thatchers, the aerators, sharpening and tuning lawn mowers, etc. But I have another suggestion: Get ready to kill you lawn.

Ok, everyone put down your guns and sickles. Take a deep breath and hear me out.
 
When I lived in Arizona, having a lawn was a luxury. Not only do you have to contend with the concrete-like soil (caliche or hardpan), you have to water at least once  a day and over-seed with a winter crop every fall. In other words, it just wasn't practical. It is very rare to see a lush lawn in Phoenix except on a golf course (and there are plenty of those). Most people landscape with cacti, gravel, and fruit trees. Unfortunately, some homes landscape strictly with rocks, giving rise to the term "moonscaping". Some moonscapes even use unnatural colored rocks, like blue or chartreuse. But this approach is not what I am advocating.

Having spent those years sans grass changed my way of thinking about lawns. A lawn is, quite simply, a stupid thing to have. You can't eat it. You have to water it constantly. And to top it off, you have to, uh, top it off (mow it). Believe it or not, but grass is the largest crop grown in America, and it is pointless. The only thing it is good for is it's nice to look at and walk on.

Many people will claim they have lawns for their kids to play on. But let's be honest: how many kids are actually out playing in their yards? In my neighborhood, which is a very typical middle-income, working class neighborhood, most of the kids are either inside playing with their Wii, or outside playing on the street. The only people I see walking on the lawns are the fathers pushing their mowers across it.

I believe the American lawn has gained the status of the fabled 1970's living room, which became a showcase for the nice family furniture and decor, but nobody ever "lived" in it. The same is true with the lawn: we expend huge amounts of time and resources simply to admire it from our kitchen windows. It's something every home owner thinks they HAVE to have because your father had one, and his father had one, and his father....

If you go back enough fathers, you'll likely end up in Europe and England, where we can squarely place the blame for our lawn love affair. But realize that across the Big Pond, it is mostly cool and wet--the perfect climate for a lush lawn. And back in the Victorian era, when gardens and lawns really became popular, many people had sheep to crop the lawn. Last I looked, my HOA doesn't allow sheep, and try as she might, my dog tends to throw up anything she eats.

In the 21st century, we have growing concerns about the upkeep of lawns. Water is a precious resource in the West and Southwest, and it is becoming more and more scarce and expensive. If scientists are right about their global warming predictions, the West will get even drier. The other obvious resource in jeopardy is the gasoline to power our mowers. And please don't forget the noise and air pollution caused by these mowers. Many of my otherwise lovely Sunday mornings have been spoiled by the incessant drone of lawn mowers and their putrid exhaust.

I used to have neighbor who specifically picked out a one-acre lot on a cul-de-sac so he could have a large lawn. Sure enough, he has a huge back yard, where 95% of it is grass. This man spends as much time and resources on this "crop" as a small-scale farmer. But whereas a farmer can take his crop to market and reap the rewards of his hard-earned efforts, my poor neighbor mows his lawn every week and puts the grass clippings in the trash. Isn't that wonderful? Think of the time he could save if he cashed his paychecks into $1 bills, ran them through a paper shredder, and then put those in the trash. So what about his kids? They spend most of their outdoor time playing in the street.

Hopefully you are getting the idea of how ridiculous and irresponsible it is to keep a lawn. I don't wish to insult those of you who have a wonderfully manicured lawn, which is something you undoubtedly take great pride in. Heck, even I have a lawn, albeit a small one. My intent is to get people to rethink their lawn. Please don't accept a lawn as the status quo. Is it really necessary, or is it there simply because you think that's what you're supposed to have in your yard?

In this era of "green" homes and yards, the lawn is the #1 evil in terms of waste. It's time to think about evolving your ideas of what a typical American yardscape should be. In future articles, I will present some ideas I have learned about this yard revolution. I invite others to share their ideas and what they have done.

In the meantime, here is a web article by Sunset magazine on this very topic. Included are 14 ideas of how to transform your yard to a lawnless oasis:

http://www.sunset.com/garden/earth-friendly/lose-the-lawn-low-water-landscaping-00400000041830/?PromKey=XET&iid=newsletter-ss-033109

Foxy Visitor

Since we've been on vacation, the backyard has been dog-less for a week. This apparently was enough time for a little red fox to find comfort and make itself at home. This also explains who dug up the dead koi I buried in the ground in a feeble attempt to enrich the soil (read about that sad story here). I guess I ended up enriching the diet of a fox.

I took a lot of photos because any kind of wildlife outside of birds and bugs is quite wonderful in our yard. Here is just a sampling of the little fox's sun bathing:

Sad Day for the Pond

It was hard to ignore the lump in my throat as I scooped out my last dead fish. Six fish in total, beautiful koi of different colors and 10 inches long, all perished in this year's harsh winter. It's hard to say exactly what killed them.

It could have been those several days of sub-0 temperatures. It could have been the thick blanket of ice that covered the pond completely from early December to just recently. A sealed pond doesn't allow poisonous gases to escape, which could kill fish.

At some point during the winter, the pump ceased. Without running water, the filter was in danger of freezing and bursting. But it is 2/3 buried and weighs a ton when full of water (or ice). There was no way of getting it out.

Then ice sheets tumbled down from the inactive waterfall and buried the pond heater. I couldn't get it out for a month. this was the only thing keeping a hole in the ice. Now it was out of action.

To make matters worse, one of the walls collapsed, dropping concrete blocks and the waterfall rocks into the water and ice. The constant freeze/thaw cycle probably weakened the integrity of the earthen wall, and the lowered water level was the last straw, since the water pressure was the only thing holding it up.

Here is a photo of the collapsed wall, exposing all the ugly plumbing. That block teetering on the edge weighs about 60 pounds, and I can't reach down and haul it out without getting a hernia. So it will just have to plummet to the bottom when that little barley straw bail gives out, which is the only thing holding it up. In the Spring, I'll have to put on the waders and get in the pond to pull out all the blocks that are sitting on the bottom.

Needless to say, the pond is a disaster. Thinking back on our last home with a fish pond, we lost our entire goldfish population of over 20 to another nasty winter. I am coming to the conclusion that fish ponds on the High Plains are not a good idea. The winters are too brutal, and any attempts to keep live animals in such conditions is just cruel.

So I plan on changing the pond this year. Perhaps fill it in. I like the idea of a waterfall, but it would have a minimum amount of water and be something that I can turn off in the winter. I like the sound of falling water; dead fish and algae, not so much.

So I'm currently scouring the water landscaping books looking for ideas. Even on our trip to Arizona, no water feature goes unnoticed. There is a little pond on the University of Arizona campus that is lined with igneous rocks and is home to gold fish, ducks, and turtles! On the high plains, only an indoor pond could house such a menagerie, and the ducks might be a problem in the house.

Year Round Gardening With Sprouts

Growing sprouts can be done year 'round because it's all indoors. In the middle of winter, you can be enjoying home-grown greens in a matter of days. If you're old enough to remember the "Chia Pets", this was simply growing sprouts. Kids can enjoy this activity because it's relatively quick, kind of cool looking (or gross, depending on your view of things), and if they are involved, they may even eat some it.

I recently started growing my own sprouts after reading all the descriptions of how healthy and easy it is. While I can't vouch for the healthy part, I can say that it is very easy, not to mention quite tasty.

Horticulture 101

To really appreciate sprouts, it's best to understand the underlying mechanism. Seeds and beans (which are essentially large seeds) are amazing little packets of energy. They contain within them all the nutrients they need to develop into a plant. All they need is a catalyst, which in most cases is water and warmth. When these two are provided, the seeds come to life.

The nutrition of a seed is stored in a manner such that it can withstand long periods of dormancy. There have been many occasions where scientists have sprouted seeds from Egyptian tombs or Aztec burial sites that are thousands of years old. However, energy of this type is optimized for storage, not for immediate consumption. It is harder for humans to digest this energy and harder still to extract all the potential nutrients. Sprouting activates enzymes which multiplies the vitamin and nutrition content of the seed. Once the stored energy is converted, it is much more digestible and nutritional.

Sprouting Requirements

Growing sprouts is really a no-brainer, and even if you have a "black" thumb, you'd be hard pressed to stop the sprouts from growing. All you need is moisture and some air circulation. Room temperature is enough warmth to sprout.

It's also cheap to get started. While you can assemble a fairly sophisticated system for growing lots of sprouts, if you just want to try it out, all you really need is a large glass jar. I used a Ball canning jar. I simply replaced the lid with a piece of cheese cloth, which is held in place by the ring. If you don't have one of those fancy canning jars, a large jar with a piece of cloth held in place with a rubber band would do the trick.

It doesn't have to be a jar. The idea is you want to be able to easily rinse the seeds daily and allow them to sprout in darkness with "some" air circulation. They need to grow in a humid environment, but without air circulation they will mildew, mold, and rot.

What Seeds to Sprout

Almost any kind of seed or bean can be sprouted. I have read to avoid members of the nightshade family. This includes peppers, eggplant, and tomatoes. Also, red and white (Cannellini) kidney beans should not be sprouted, due to certain toxins present.

Commonly sprouted are alfalfa, mung beans, broccoli, cabbage, radish, onion, clover, fenugreek, sunflower, wheat and rye berries, chickpeas, and lentils. Even nuts like almonds can be sprouted.

There is some FUD (fear, uncertainty and doubt) concerning consumption of raw sprouts and food borne illnesses like E. Coli. You can read up on this here. However, for every heated debate, there is the other side of the story. You can read it here. Basically, to be safe, you should always use certified organic seeds, as there has never been a case against organic seeds. This only applies for those sprouts you intend to eat raw. Of course, we believe everything you eat should be organic!

Sprouting Basics

Unlike planting seeds, which require lots of fussy attention-- when to plant, how deep to plant, how far to space each seed, water and light requirements, etc-- sprouting seeds generally is the same for all varieties. Here are the basic steps for growing sprouts:

1. soak seeds overnight
2. drain and rinse well
3. place in a container that can maintain a humid yet not sealed environment
   
4. rinse with warm water and drain twice a day
5. as soon as the little tails emerge from the seed, they can be eaten
   

Some sprouts are better to let them grow a little longer. Mung bean sprouts, for example, taste best when they are around 3 inches long. Rye berries, though, seem to lose sweetness the longer they sprout. Some sprouts also are best when they are "greened" up a day or two before eating. This simply involves exposing your young sprouts to indirect sunlight. Alfalfa sprouts are one example that are typically eaten green.

Getting Started

To start with an easy sprout, and one that tastes great, the universal choice is the mung bean. Chances are, if you an adventurous cook you already have some dried mung beans on hand (the green ones, not the yellow, split ones). Once you have your jar or container ready, soak some beans and stick them in. Don't try to sprout too many beans at once. Mung beans sprouts can grow five-fold, so leave yourself plenty of room.

After you soak them overnight, rinse them real well, drain them, and then set the jar on its side on the counter. I cover it up with a towel to keep the light out. If you don't, you'll end up with green sprouts, which may or may not be undesired. Every morning and evening, I rinse and drain them. After 3 - 5 days, your sprouts are ready.

Storing Sprouts

You can store sprouts in the refrigerator just like any other produce. If you keep them wrapped up in plastic, they will mold and rot as expected, so keep them loosely covered and fairly dry (but don't let them dry out). Some sprouts will continue to grow while in the fridge. The best course of action is to eat them as soon as you can.

Eating Sprouts

So, once you have some sprouts, what do you do with them? The funny part is, this information is very lacking. There are tons of websites that tell you how to grow sprouts, but once you have 'em, you're on your own. I'm still learning, but I will try to list any interesting ways to eat sprouts as I find them.

For now, I like to eat them just like a salad, or in a salad. Drizzle on a little salad dressing and munch on them. They are good in sandwiches, soups, etc. There are several bread recipes that use sprouted grains that I will experiment with and report back. Many Indian dishes use sprouted beans as well, so I will be trying those.

There are a few things you need to get past if eating sprouts is a new adventure for you. First, sprouts are not attractive. They are often pale and anemic looking, and they can resemble worms. Secondly, some sprouts need an acquired taste. Alfalfa and mung bean sprouts can be enjoyed almost universally, but more exotic sprouts like fenugreek and adzuki beans require some getting used to.

I will be posting some recipes for ways to prepare and eat sprouts in this blog's sister blog, The Evolving Palate. Until then, good luck with your little sprout farms!

Spring is Here (Almost)

Here on the High Plains, our first sign of spring is this:

It is not so much the blooming Johnny Jump Ups, as those tend to bloom all year long, but rather because I was able to go outside in my shirtsleeves and lay on the grass to take that picture. That's not easy to do in winter.

But the other signs are the daffodils and tulips poking up out of the soil:

They are always eager to bust out of their dark confines and see some snow, which will invariably come before spring is really here.

These are the signs that get me thinking about starting seeds, and this year I intend on intensifying my indoor seed-starting efforts. Having such a short growing season means I need to have seedlings ready to go by mid-to-late May, the last frost for the area. That's only 10 weeks away!

If you want to figure out your average last frost date, the Victory Seed Company has a few web pages that can help you out. Check it for your area here. To maximize production and harvest in your garden, you want to make full use of your growing season, which is defined as the time between the last frost date in the spring to the first frost date in the fall.

If your growing season is quite long, you can sometimes squeeze in two harvests. Scallions, for instance, is one plant that I can stagger and have a continuous supply for months. They even survive outdoors throughout the winter, although they don't taste so great come spring.

This year I will focus on those plants we either eat a lot of or what tends to be very expensive in the stores:

• scallions
• lettuce greens
• spinach
• tomatoes
• bell peppers
  
• soy beans
• sugar snap peas
• herbs

I also want to try some odd plants that I've never grown before, like chickpeas, adzuki beans, and black-eyed peas.

The nice thing about gardening is that is it relatively inexpensive to start from seeds, thus making it economical to explore and try new things. Some seeds are even "free". My entire bell pepper crop last year was provided by seeds inside one store-bought bell pepper. Imagine that! You can actually plant those things that usually end up in the trash! In a future article I will discuss how I preserve seeds for later use, and what I do to kick-start them back to life.

Starting seeds indoors can be just a simple little operation in some neglected corner of the house, or it can be full-scale madness, with lights and heated benches and irrigation systems. I'll discuss some of the techniques I use in coming articles. So stick around; lots of cool stuff coming!

High Plains Living

I'm a plant enthusiast from the Midwest, where the soil is so fertile, you could spit out a watermelon seed and open a watermelon stand a year later. I also spent several years in the Arizona desert, where I grew plants and vegetables year-round, provided I kept the soil saturated enough.

But now I live at 7,000 feet, in the shadow of Pikes Peak, and gardening here is difficult and frustrating. Being a casual gardener here just won't cut it. You need to educate yourself and spend time with your plants.

The climate on the high plains is what poses serious challenges for the would-be gardener. Here are just a few of the problems we face every day:

• short growing season
• wind
• hail
• lousy soil
• strong sun
• temperature extremes (hot days, cold nights)
• dry

You might think, "well, at least you don't have bugs," but we do; they are the least of our worries, though.

My interests in gardening are many: I prefer to grow edible crops first and foremost (my whole family is vegetarian). I like my non-edible plants to be native, or they must be able to adapt to the extremes mentioned above. Digging up dead plants that couldn't hack it is not something I relish, nor do I enjoy spending every free minute pampering fragile plants.

Overall, I love to be outdoors, so I try to create a comfortable and aesthetic outdoor living space. To achieve this, I combine "hardscapes" (walls and stone flooring), "waterscapes" (ponds and waterfalls), and "greenscapes" (plants and beds). I have designed and installed my last three homes' landscapes, all of which started out as dirt lots.

But I am by no means an expert. I am a hobbyist and do all this in my spare time. I have made my share of stupid mistakes and have had a few lucky breaks. I explore, experiment, and research. Through this site I will share what I have learned, but I would also like to hear from readers about their ideas and experiences so that I may continue to learn. Stay tuned for lots of information!