Rethinking how we garden and the products we use

In Japanese culture, there’s a fascinating philosophical perspective called wabi-sabi.

One of its principles is the acceptance of the inherent beauty of impermanence and imperfection.

You might have seen a broken bowl mended with a striking strip of gold illustrating the concept, but nature and gardens are arguably the best examples of wabi-sabi.

How do you control impermanence and imperfection in a garden or in the wild?

For some, acceptance comes easy. They work patiently and strategically side-by-side with nature, rather than battle against it. They build up their garden soil and follow organic practices to create a lush garden of disease-resistant plants that may not be perfect, but are perfect enough.

They’ve learned to accept some leaf litter, bark and fallen twigs if it means a habitat for insects, and to accept some blemishes if it means avoiding chemical products to keep the land and ecosystem vibrant and people, pets and wildlife safe.

For others, though, reaching for chemical control products is their only go-to option.

Jay Feldman wants them to reconsider.

He’s the executive director of Beyond Pesticides, the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that bridges the interests of consumers, farmers, gardeners, park managers, scientists and policy makers in order to end petrochemical pesticides and fertilizers, and adopt organic practices.

Its website, beyondpesticides.org, offers a resource-rich platform of tools, how-to videos, action items and databases to help promote the pesticide-free path.

“Synthetic pesticides and fertilizers are petroleum-derived chemicals that contribute to the release of toxic compounds that contribute to health threats, biodiversity collapse and the climate emergency,” he says.

It also disrupts the ecological balance, he adds.

Neonicotinoid, or neonic, insecticides are highly toxic to pollinators and aquatic organisms, but they aren’t the only ones to avoid.

“There are really no safe toxic pesticides because they can all cause a range of acute and chronic effects, sometimes through generations, and most at low-dose exposure,” he says.

Roundup, the glyphosate weed killer, or PFAS, the large group of chemicals found in many cleaning and personal care products, he adds, are the “poster children” for a marketplace filled with disease- and illness-causing pesticides.

And he doesn’t buy the idea that “a little won’t hurt you” either.

“Pesticides are developed to kill,” says Feldman, noting that independent scientific studies have identified “a range of adverse health effects to animals, from humans to pets to wildlife, and ecosystems, not adequately regulated by the California and U.S. environmental agencies.”

So, why risk all of that when there are so many time-tested natural methods and emerging organic and organic-compliant products?

Feldman would say we shouldn’t risk any of it and offers tips on managing pests.

• Choose organic or organic-compliant products for the home and garden.

• Find the least-toxic brands of garden products and helpful tips at the ManageSafe page of Beyond Pesticides’ website.

“Only those substances identified there as ‘least toxic’ should be used as a last resort,” he says.

The first resort should be prevention.

“All household pests need a habitat that contains food, shelter and water,” he says. “Use food storage containers, eliminate water leaks and damp areas, including around the outside of the home’s foundation, and exclusion through the caulking of cracks, door sweeps and other exclusion practices.”

Lawns and gardens

It might be tempting to go for the easy fix with chemicals but Feldman says the long-term reward of building up the soil and going organic is even better because it results in a healthy, resilient and drought-resistant garden.

“Synthetic fertilizers, including weed-and-feed and other petrochemical products, bypass soil organisms and undermine the building of organic matter, both necessary to a healthy soil ecosystem,” he says.

But organic compatible products will feed the microorganisms in the soil that, in turn, will support healthy plants.

Instead, he says, look for fertilizers “that are 100% natural and do not contain any urea,” and add compost or compost tea for robust soil.

Mulch or groundcover plants in ornamental beds will help keep weeds in check.

“Pesky weeds that get through can be controlled with hand-pulling or with ‘burn-down’ products like horticultural vinegar,” he says.

Going organic in the vegetable garden eliminates the handling of hazardous materials and the ingestion of pesticide residues.

Like organic farmers, home farmers can build up their soil organically for healthy plants and fewer problems.

“Adopt intercropping practices — planting between rows — with nitrogen-fixing plants, such as clover or peas, or use a groundcover to suppress weeds.”

Feldman doesn’t give a pass to public parks and playgrounds either.

They “account for a major portion of public land in communities and states, so the land management practices used on these sites are critical” to people and the environment.

By collaborating with local governments to go organic on public land, Beyond Pesticide’s Parks for a Sustainable Future plan is to prove to municipalities they can meet community expectations — at a reasonable cost — by using organic principals and shunning petrochemical products.

For Feldman, it’s no longer a matter of “tinkering” with pesticide-reduction strategies, individual chemical bans or regenerative practices that allow for any pesticide use or genetically engineered herbicide-tolerant plants.

“Organic land management offers us a path forward,” Feldman says. “We must eliminate petrochemical pesticides and fertilizers.”

Show off

If you have a beautiful or interesting Marin garden or a newly designed Marin home, I’d love to know about it.

Please send an email describing either one (or both), what you love most about it, and a photograph or two. I will post the best ones in upcoming columns. Your name will be published and you must be over 18 years old and a Marin resident.

PJ Bremier writes on home, garden, design and entertaining topics every Saturday. She may be contacted at P.O. Box 412, Kentfield 94914, or at pj@pjbremier.com.