Low Impact Landscaping

The Green Roundtable

Low-impact Landscaping

paul@greenroundtable.org

www.nexusboston.com

Green Roundtable

Consulting, education, training and strategic planning

to create healthy environments by integrating principles of

sustainability into mainstream planning, design and construction.

Some key questions:

• Why are we using potable water for landscape

irrigation?

• Why are we getting sick in and around our own

homes? Are the places we live becoming more

dangerous than the places we work?

• Can landscape design choices play a role in

affecting climate change?

• Are we to believe that our „magic bullet‟ approaches

are always more effective than systems that nature

has had millions of years to work out?

• Are we complicit in some of the major flooding events

that have taken place recently?

Water tables are now falling in countries that

contain over half the world‟s people

Some sobering facts…

There are currently 1,243 EPA Superfund sites

on the National Priorities List and 60 more

proposed (as of 3/20/07)

The incidence of asthma has increased

dramatically over the last 25 years in the U.S.

and other industrialized nations.

Cancer clusters have been identified in

some more-affluent communities and have

been attributed to chemically-intensive

landscape management practices

Objectives

Discuss:

- More environmentally benign landscape management

practices

- Ways that landscape design choices can influence

climate change mitigation strategies

- How effective landscape design can enhance or

create wildlife habitat

- Ways that landscape design can minimize the

potential for local flooding

- Ways to minimize site disturbance during

construction

- How landscape design can help to reduce pollution in

local waterways and preserve/ protect water supplies

The single best thing you can do:

LOSE THE LAWN!!!

The trouble with turf

Lawn maintenance routines create multiple threats to

the environment through:

• Heavy fertilizer requirements

• Need to mow regularly and the resources that this

requires (gas, electricity, oil, etc)

• Pesticide and herbicide use

• Water use

They are energy and resource intensive. If possible,

LOSE THE LAWN!

Alternatives to lawns

• Flower beds

• Wildflower gardens/ meadows

• Rock gardens

• Hedgerow

• Mulch beds

• Water features

• Artificial turf?

• Vegetable gardens

• Let it grow wild!

Artificial turf?

Permaculture

• Alternative to resource-intensive store-bought foods

• Emphasis on perennial plants like fruit trees and

shrubs and perennial herbs/ greens

• Incorporating edible plants into landscape

• See Permaculture Guild: http://northeasternpermaculture.wikispaces.com/Massachusetts

• http://www.hort.uconn.edu/Plants/ (plant database)

Lawn care (if you must)

Follow good general turf management practices:

• Don‟t cut too short

• Use a drought-tolerant seed variety suitable for this

region

• Employ organic fertilizing and pest management

practices

• Aerate and de-thatch if necessary

• Water deeply only once a week (~ 1” of water); this

promotes deep root development

• Use rain sensors on irrigation systems!!!

Lawn care (cont.)

• Avoid adding too much nitrogen as it can accelerate

growth and lead to thatch build-up

• Lots of clover may signal nitrogen deficiency

• Fertilize only if necessary! Get soil tested by local

agricultural extension service; see:

http://www.umass.edu/plsoils/soiltest/

• Chemical pesticides/ herbicides may kill earthworms,

contributing to thatch build-up

• Maintain good pH balance (typically w/ limestone)

Lawn equipment

• 2nd best: electric mower

• Avoid use of leaf blowers

• Use a reel-type push mower

• Make sure lawnmower blades are sharp

• Keep equipment well maintained

Low-impact turf management

• Leave clippings on lawn to return nutrients; mulch leaves

in place (but pay attention to nitrogen balance)

• Top-dress lawn with compost

• Fertilize with a home-brew fertilizer in a hose-end

sprayer (see next slide & Jerry Baker resources)

• Use a natural fertilizer if necessary; ex. alfalfa meal; use

suitable Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium (N-P-K) balance

• Learn to live with a less-than-perfect lawn!

•1 cup Epsom salts

•1 cup liquid dish soap

•1 cup Listerine mouthwash

•1 cup household ammonia (can

be lemon variety)

•1 can of beer

Lawn „tonic‟

This is a slight modification of a Jerry Baker

(The Impatient Gardener) recipe. Apply with

hose-end sprayer after mowing, dethatching

and seeding; treats around 2500 sq. ft.

Low-impact turf management

• Hand-pull weeds

• Control tough weeds with spot application of a

„home-brew‟ solution

• Apply corn gluten meal (CGM) as a pre-emergent

weed control and fertilizer

• Tolerate a few weeds!

• Dense, healthy turf discourages weed growth

• See www.organiclandcare.net

Corn-gluten meal

• Natural pre-emergent weed and crabgrass killer

• Generally applied in late April in northeast

• Provides slow-release nitrogen to lawn

• Apply when:

- Forsythias in bloom

- Soil temperature is ~60 deg. F.

• It really works and it‟s available locally!

Green Practice:

Non-Toxic Weed & Pest Control

The downside to chemicals

• May be toxic to humans

• Can adversely affect soil structure

• May kill desirable natural organisms

• Environmental justice issues

• Fossil fuel-intensive in their manufacture

• High persistence in environment

Natural weed control strategies

• Mulches

• Natural chemical control

• Mechanical control:

- Hand pulling!

- Repeated cutting/ scraping of above-ground

parts may eventually kill root system

• Avoiding excessive tilling

• Destroy weed seeds by heating soil (w/ black plastic

sheeting)

Typical mulching materials

• Bark/ wood chips (watch nitrogen balance)

• Plastic sheeting/ landscape fabric

• Stone/ marble chips

• Recycled rubber materials

• Newspaper

• Grass clippings and leaf litter (cut up if possible)

• Straw

Natural insect control strategies

• Mulches

• Chemical control- use Integrated Pest Management

(IPM) strategies if you must use conventional pesticides

• Mechanical control:

- Hand picking!

- Blasting w/ jet of water from spray bottle

• Companion planting

• Biological control

• Sacrificial plantings

• Traps- Hanging pheromonal traps, sticky traps

Natural „chemical‟ controls

• Insecticidal soap

• Dormant oils

• Diatomaceous earth

Natural/ Biological pest control

Three major categories:

• Plant extracts

• Insect predators

• Pathogens

Plant extracts

• Neem sprays

• Hot pepper sprays

• Natural pyrethrum spray

Neem tree

Chrysanthemums

Insect controls

• Lady bugs; soil nematodes; trichogramma wasps;

common green lacewing

• Many are effective against a variety of insects-

aphids, thrips, mites, moths, beetles, whiteflies, etc.

Natural pathogens

• Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt; trade names Dipel and

Thuricide)- Effective against gypsy moths, tent

caterpillar, tobacco hornworm, corn borer; variant

used in mosquito control

• Bacillus popilliae (Bp; milky spore)- Effective

against Japanese beetle grubs

Japanese beetle grubs &

adult beetle

Chemicals in landscape maint.

Reducing the risks

General ways to address the risks

• First ask: Is this maintenance routine really

necessary? Can I live with the weeds/ pests, etc?

• Eliminate or avoid systems / features that require

significant use of resources to maintain (e.g. lawns,

swimming pools, expansive asphalt driveways)

• Assess the risks of using commercial products.

Learn what the chemical nasties are, know which are

in the products you use, and think twice about using

Minimizing the risks

• Employ Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies

• Use safer alternatives found around the house (the

home „formulary‟)

• Use conventional chemical products as a last resort

• Use sparingly/ judiciously

Minimizing the risks, cont.

• Store chemicals away from living spaces

• Understand risks associated with disposal, and

take adequate precautions

• Provide adequate ventilation/ use respiratory

protection where appropriate

• Mark treated areas/ Keep children & animals away

The „Nasties‟

• 2,4-D

• Ammonia

• Arsenic

• Chlorine

• Hydrocarbons

• Ketones, including acetone

• Formaldehyde

• Benzene

• Methylene chloride

Some common chemical ingredients in home &

garden products:

The Nasties, continued

• Phenol and cresol

• Pthalates

• PVC

• Trichloroethylene

• Toluene

• Perchloroethylene

• Nitrobenzene

• Naphthalene & paradichlorobenzene

• Mineral spirits; petroleum distillates

Using „conventional‟ products

• Always read the label and follow directions

• If VOC‟s or other gases emitted, ventilate area well

• Dispose of properly

• Be mindful of “Caution” vs. “Warning” vs. “Danger”

• Try using in smaller quantities or more diluted

• Don‟t buy more than you need. Avoid mega-sized refill

bottles just because they seem to be a good value.

• Know what‟s in them; do the research

• Check for ingredients on label

• Check “SIRI” database for Material Safety Data

Sheet (MSDS) at http://siri.uvm.edu/index.html

• Check for known dangers/ toxicity at NIH

Household Products Database

(http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/index.htm)

Assessing the risks

• Check NIH Toxnet Database

(http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/)

• Contact manufacturer

Assessing the risks

The Home Formulary

Kitchen chemistry: typical ingredients

• Dish soap

• Rubbing alcohol

• Beer

• Cayenne pepper

• Ammonia

• Epsom salts

• Table sugar

• Aromatic oils, like clove oil

Pesticides/ herbicides

Use 1 or 2 teaspoons of dishwashing liquid to a pint

of water in a spray bottle to kill many house and

garden plant pests, including aphids and scale; or use

commercial variety insecticidal soap like Safer‟s

Spot herbicide for lawn

• 9 oz straight white vinegar

• 2 oz lemon juice

• 2 tbs table salt

• 1 tsp liquid dish soap

• Usually doesn‟t affect surrounding turf grass

• Combine in spray bottle

• May eradicate weeds with repeated application

• Only kills above-ground parts of dandelions, etc,

• Works best in full sun

Insect repellant for garden

• 1 cup boiling hot water

• 2 tbs cayenne pepper

• 2 cloves minced or crushed garlic

• 1 tsp liquid dish soap

• Keeps several types of insects at bay.

• Pour hot water over pepper and garlic. Steep overnight

• Use in a spray bottle on vegetables & flowers; soak

all foliage; re-apply after rain

• Strain & add dish soap and another cup of water.

For more recipes:

The Impatient Gardener, Jerry Baker, Ballantine

Books, 1983

The Impatient Gardener‟s Lawn Book, Jerry Baker,

Ballantine Books, 1987

De-icers

• Always „cut‟ de-icers, especially rock salt, with

sand; a little rock salt goes a long way

• Favor mechanical „traction control‟; Use sand, kitty

litter or sawdust, or some combination of these

• Potassium Chloride (KCl), Magnesium

Chloride(MgCl), Calcium Chloride (CaCl) and Urea

can be more benign alternatives to rock salt- these

can sometimes provide needed nutrients to soil if they

end up on lawns, etc. (KCL & Urea can burn lawns;

some de-icers stain carpeting & flooring)

• Don‟t use indiscriminately; apply only where needed!

De-icers, continued

• Along w/ providing traction, sand has ice-melting

properties as it absorbs heat from the sun

• Store de-icers indoors at room temperature to

increase effectiveness and minimize quantity needed

• Clear snow & ice barriers that prevent drainage of

paving & contribute to „refreeze‟ ice patches

• Try to sweep up sand/ salt after walkways/ driveways

are dry as it can clog storm drains; re-use it if practical

Green Practice:

Stormwater management &

water conservation

in the landscape

Water conservation strategies

• Use grey water systems

• Employ xeriscaping principles

• Collect rainwater

Xeriscaping (low-water-landscaping)

• Two major aspects:

-Making maximum use of available precipitation

-Selecting species with low water requirements

• Use mulches

• Create water retention landscape features

• Maintain high level of organic matter in soil

Xeriscaping (low-water-landscaping)

• Use drip irrigation & soaker hoses; moisture sensors

• Group plants

• Use native plantings, they are better suited to natural

rainfall patterns

• Use plantings to create windbreaks & shade to protect

from drying winds and sun

Soaker Hose

Common name Botanical Name HeightAmur Maple Acer ginnala 20'-25'

Austrian Pine Pinus nigra 50'

Japanese Black Pine Pinus thunbergii 6-10'

Cornelian Cherry Cornus Mas 20-25'

London Plane Platanus x acerifolia 50'

White Oak Quercus alba 50'

Low-water trees:

Common name Botanical Name HeightBroom Cytisus scoparius 5-6'

Flowering Quince Chaenomeles specoisa 6'-10'

Junipers Juniperus sp. 2'-9'

Cinquefoil Potentilla 3'-4'

Butterfly Bush Buddleia davidii 6-10'

Rose-of-Sharon Hibiscus syriacus Diana 6-8'

Winterberry Ilex verticillata 8-10'

Mugo Pine(dwarf) Pinus mugo 3-4'

Low-water shrubs:

Common name Botanical Name HeightBearberry Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 6-8"

Creeping Lilly-turf Liriope spicata 6-8"

Violets Viola sp.. 6-8"

Snow-in-Summer Cerastium tomentosum 6-8"

Low-water groundcovers:

Common name Botanical Name HeightNew England Aster Aster Novae-angliae 15-

CommonBlanketflower Gaillardia aristata 24-36"

Moonbeam Coreopsis verticillata 24-36"

Purple Coneflower Echinacea purpurea 24-

Low-water perennials:

Also consider:

• Sedum

• Yarrow

• Sage

• Coreopsis

• Thyme

• Perennials available at most home centers and

garden stores

Rainwater collection

• For 1000 sq ft roof area, 15 – 25,000 gallons of

rainwater can be collected annually in Eastern states

• Using rainwater helps to maintain aquifers and public

water supplies at adequate levels

• Combined with drip-irrigation systems, collected

rainwater can keep landscaping vibrant even during

drought conditions

• Rainwater does not contain chlorine so it is better for

plants, garden ponds, etc.

• Rainwater is free, and inexpensive to collect & store!

See www.conservationtechnology.com &

http://www.wattsradiant.com/rainwater/?t=professional%20rainwater

http://www.cleanairgardening.com/33galrainbar.html

Water conservation resources

•http://www.mwra.com/comsupport/conservation/

gardeningtips.htm

• www.epa.gov/watersense

• www.waterwiser.org

• www.irrigation.org

• See also: Reliable Rain- A Practical Guide to Landscape

Irrigation, Howard Hendrix & Stuart Straw, Taunton Press, 1998

Raingardens

The Low-impact landscape

Green Sites:

Minimizing light pollution

Source: International Dark Sky Association

“BAD” FIXTURES

Flood Light

If used as in the picture.

30-50% light goes

upward

(If pointed down-

Decorative

Cobra Head

The most used

design

for street lights

Unchanged since

Source: Baltimore Gas & Electric

Residential accent lights

can be some of worst

offenders; they can be

energy wasters too

“GOOD” FIXTURES

Box Design.

Can have round, cylindrical or

other shape head. Receded bulb

DecorativeOnly ~5% upward

Source: Baltimore Gas & Electric

http://www.ci.neptune-beach.fl.us/2007agenda/

4_16_07/2007-XXProposedLightingOrdinance.pdf

For a examination of some of the issues, and and an

example of zoning restrictions on outdoor lighting see:

http://www.skyandtelescope.com/resources/

darksky/3307541.html?showAll=y&c=y

For some outdoor lighting design tips see:

Resources

Green Practice:

Sustainable site design

Keys to Sustainable Sites

• Use light-colored paving to minimize heat-island

effect

• Landscape for energy conservation- use vegetation

for wind barriers, shading, etc.

• Employ zero net water use strategies and general

water conservation/ xeriscaping practices

• Maintain ‟wild‟ spaces on property if possible

• Stormwater management is paramount (LID- Low-

Impact Development)

• Minimize light pollution

• Protect site during construction activities

Stormwater management

Effective stormwater management can:

• Assure effective groundwater recharge

• Minimize flooding potential

• Reduce contamination of oceans, lakes, rivers

• Promote lush, green landscapes

• Provide secondary benefit of reducing urban heat

island effect

Stormwater Mgmt: Strategies

• Increase permeability of ground surfaces

• Minimize soil compaction

• Slow water down/ retain on site

• Use collected water for landscape irrigation

Slowing down/ retaining stormwater

Retention Pond Bioswale/ Raingarden Vegetated Buffer

Drywell

Cistern

Permeable surface options

• Gravel

• Stabilized soil/ stone dust

• Brick/ masonry pavers

• Plastic driveway mats

• Recycle rubber paver mats/ bricks

Gravel driveways &

walkways: Simple,

low-cost, effective!

„Drivable grass‟

See www.rubbersidewalks.com

Some sources of supply

• http://www.ecosurfaces.com/ecomax/rubbertiles.htm

• http://www.reifenrubber.com/

• http://www.gerbertltd.com/rubber_flooring/ecopave/index.htm

• http://www.abacussurfaces.com/Paver%20Rubber.htm

• http://www.soilretention.com/drivablegrass.html

• http://www.rubberform.com

• http://www.hanoverpavers.com

• http://www.paversearch.com/sidewalk-pavers-rubber.htm

Permeable paving/ surfaces:

Green roofs

• Can provide stormwater management

• Reduce urban heat islands

• Help to minimize global warming by conserving energy

• May extend the life of your roof

• Provide green space & wildlife habitat

• Improve acoustic comfort

Modular green roof system

http://www.liveroof.net/ &

http://www.westonsolutions.com/pdf_docs/B-D066-

GreenGrid.pdf

Green roofs

• Properly designed, can pay for themselves in 10 –

15 years via reduced energy cost

• Especially effective in reducing cooling costs

• By some estimates, can reduce cooling costs by up

to 30% in single-story structures

• See www.greenroofs.com (industry ass‟n) &

www.conservationtechnology.com (supplier example)

Stormwater mgmt resources

• http://www.unh.edu/erg/cstev/

• http://www.mapc.org (email lid@mapc.org)

• http://nemo.uconn.edu/tools/publications/tech_papers/tech_paper_8.pdf

• http://www.georgiastormwater.com/

• http://www.georgiastormwater.com/vol2/3-3-8.pdf

• http://extension.missouri.edu/xplor/envqual/eqm102f.htm

• http://www.lid-stormwater.net/background.htm

• http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/docs.cfm?program_id=6&view=allprog&sort=name#retrofit_manual

Organic landcare resources:

• www.beyondpesticides.org

• www.planetnatural.com

• http://cipm.ncsu.edu/ent/biocontrol/

• http://www.anbp.org/

• http://www.ipmcenters.org/index.cfm

• http://www.pk.uni-bonn.de/ppigb/ppigb.htm

• http://www.organiclandcare.net

• http://www.hort.uconn.edu/Plants/ (plant database)

Gardener's Supply Company.

128 Intervale Road

Burlington, VT 05401

Telephone: 802/863-1700; FAX: 802/660-4600

Their "Grubguard" is a mixture of H. bacteriophora and S.

feltiae

Retail and wholesale. Mail order catalog. Free catalog and

consultation.

Green Spot, Ltd.

93 Priest Road

Nottingham, NH 03290-6204

Telephone: 603/942-8925; FAX 603/942-8932

e-mail: Info@GreenMethods.com

H. bacteriophora, S. carpocapsae

Free catalog and telephone consultation. Green Methods

Manual. Biological pest control agents and integrated pest

management [IPM] products. Contact Mike Cherim,

director.

PM Laboratories, Inc.

Main Street

Locke, NY 13092-0300

Telephone: 315/497-2063; FAX: 315/497-3129

S. carpocapsae, S. feltiae,

H. bacteriophora

Retail and wholesale. Free catalog

Food Not Lawns: How to Turn Your Yard into a Garden..., Heather C. Flores,

2006.*

Gaia’s Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture, Toby Hemenway, 2000.

Gardener to Gardener Almanac & Pest Control Primer, Vicki Mattern, Fern

Marshall Bradley, ed., 2000.

Green Living, A Practical Guide to Eating, Gardening, Energy Saving, and

Housekeeping for a Healthy Planet, Sarah Books Callard, Diane Carlton Millis,

2002.*

Guide To Healthy Landscapes, Volume 1: From The Ground Up Site And Soil

Preparation. M.L. Altobelli,Ann MCGovern, 2003.*

Jerry Baker's Bug Off!: 2,193 Super Secrets for Battling Bad Bugs, Outfoxing

Crafty Critters, Evicting Voracious Varmints and Much More!, Baker, Jerry, 2005.

Water Efficient Landscaping, Preventing Pollution & Using Resources

Wisely, Environmental Protection Agency, 2002.*

* = Titles in the NEXUS Library

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