Southern Homes & Gardens Blog

“Tree-huggers”, “hippies” & the likes have had a long-standing relationship with the ‘natural’ & organic lifestyle….however, times are changing.  Thankfully, our world has broadened it’s view beyond that & have see the ‘bigger picture’ - like the health & wellness benefits of gardening naturally or organically for ourselves, families, pets & even Mother Nature.  Here are just a few reasons why we should choose to grow naturally:

1.)  Our pets & children are safer

Natural gardening products are less toxic than their synthetic counterparts, generally.  This is the no. 1 reason why most people choose to grow their gardens naturally.  Health & safety matter to parents - think of the rules & regulations for flame retardents in children’s pajamas, trans-fats in our foods, & secondhand cigarette smoke in public places.  We are opting for natural & organic pesticides because they are less likely to contribute to long-term health risks.

2.)  Our yards & environment are safer

If we neglect to water promptly or measure exactly, natural fertilizers are much more forgiving.  In spring, we have people come in with deformed leaves & we have to inform them that the “weed” portion of their “weed & feed” did not distinguish between the dandelions & oaks.

Synthetic fertilizer runoff eventually travels into the nearest body of water.  That leads to harmful algal blooms, which can be toxic, themselves.  These algae overgrowths can deplete oxygen in lakes, streams, & the ocean, which in turn can cause enxtensive fish kills.  Recent studies have shown that natural fertilizers produce little, if any, runoff.

Even if a synthetic fertilizer does not contain weed killer or heavy metals, and shomehow doesn’t wash away, natural fertilizers still perform better.  In healthy soil, an extensive web of life performs a multitude of functions.  The soil is a matix of minerals, organic matter, water, & air.  Within this matrix, bacteria, fungi, protozoa & other microorganisms help to suppress diseases, protet the soil from erosion, hold moisture, retain nutrients & make them available to the plant at the proper rate, allow greater water & oxygen penetration in the soil, produce growth-promoting hormones for teh plants & decompose toxins.

3.)  We can enjoy more life in our garden

From experience & hearing testimony from other customers who have made the switch to natural products have noticed more butterflies, lizards, birds & other life in the yard.  With more life in the yard, a gardener receives more help from ladybugs, lacewings, assassin bugs, earthworms, & even wasps & bees.

4.)  We understand horticulture more

The most successful gardeners are those who learn & understand more about the garden & all of its components.  And natural gardening does this best.  Native plants, for example, hae driven us to learn more about our local bioregion, rather than just buying any ol’ pretty plant & plunking it in the ground.  Working with beneficial insects makes us more likely to grab the insect identification guide rather than the insecticide.  If we learn it’s a pest, we ask:  “Is it doing enough damage to warrant an insecticide?”  If we determine that our plant is going to die or be severely damages, we are learning which insecticide is best - the big guns or the more targeted & less toxic solution.

5.)  Customers love natural gardening

We’ve noticed a big uptick in the number of first-time customers who say, “I have been wanting to go organic for a long time, & I have finally made it out here”

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An Auburn University study sheds new light on just how valuable shade trees are in reducing homeowners’ electricity bills during hot summer months.

Professor David Laband in the Auburn University School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences says electricity usage and costs will be 11.4 percent less if a house has just 17.5 percent heavy shade coverage. This is compared to a house with no shade.

“The keys are heavy foliage and late afternoon shade,” Laband said. “The savings can be very significant for homeowners. Over the years I had read statements that shade trees reduce electricity consumption, so we wanted to put a dollar amount to it.”

His office conducted a yearlong study of 160 houses in the Auburn area to determine the annual energy savings provided by shade trees, primarily looking at the months of May to September. He analyzed power bills, calculated shade coverage and surveyed the homeowners about household makeup, electricity-usage habits, square footage, type of air conditioning, appliances, roofing, exterior material and other factors.

“We looked at the amount of shade in the early morning, early afternoon and late afternoon,” Laband said. “If you have trees on the west side of your house, you will have a much lower power bill.”

Using local power company rates for kilowatt hours per day, Laband said the 11.4 percent savings would equal $31 to $33 per month. The study, which categorized types of shade into light, moderate and heavy, also found that a house covered with 50 percent of light shade will save 10.3 percent.

Thermostat settings were important as well. “For each degree you raise your thermostat, you will save 3.3 percent on your power bill,” he said. “We also found that children under age 12 are the major power consumers in the home. They watch television, play games and leave lights on.”

Laband hopes the study will encourage real estate developers not to cut down all the trees on new lots.

“Many older houses have large trees around them because the owners did not rely as much on air conditioning then,” he said. “Houses today often do not have shade trees because it’s easier to run an air conditioner. This study shows how much can be saved when trees are used in yards.”

Auburn’s study was funded by a $116,000 grant from the USDA Forest Service’s Urban and Community Forestry Program and a matching $116,000 grant from Auburn’s School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences.

Laband has briefed USDA officials on the results and has presented seminars in Australia at the Tropical Forest Research Institute, the University of Melbourne and the University of Adelaide.

“It gets very hot there, too,” he said. “They are interested in doing a similar project.”

Laband, who earned his Ph.D. in economics from Virginia Tech in 1981, conducts research and teaches on topics related to economics and policy, with a focus on natural resources. He joined the Auburn University faculty in 1994 and the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences in 2000, where he is a member of the Center for Forest Sustainability and the Forest Policy Center.

(Written by Charles Martin.)

Contact: Charles Martin, (334) 844-9999 (marticd@auburn.edu), or
Mike Clardy, (334) 844-9999 (clardch@auburn.edu)

Russell Brown, General Manager - Southern Homes & Gardens