50 signatures reached
To: Eastbluff Residents
Stop Fertilizer and Herbicide Use on Blue Heron Park Lawn, Replace with Compost Tea/Liquid
Overview:
The intent of this proposal is for Eastbluff HOA to embrace a biological approach to nurturing the Blue Heron Park lawn. Transitioning away from old-school chemical treatments to a proven biological-based care system honors the soil food web, that is, the intricate network of life beneath our feet.
Background:
Healthy soil is a dynamic and diverse environment in which billions of microbes live. Each plant has specific nutrient needs that they communicate to the life in the soil that finds these nutrients and delivers them back to the plant.
Imagine your lawns as a family that needs a variety of nutritious foods to grow strong and healthy. The soil microbiome (all the tiny organisms living in the soil, such as bacteria and fungi) can be thought of as the "chefs" of this family. These chefs are responsible for preparing the "meals" that your plant family needs to thrive.
Plants are active contributors in this exchange, feeding the soil's microbiome. In return, these microorganisms process and deliver vital nutrients back to the plants, a cycle known as nutrient cycling. This natural process ensures our plants are nourished and thriving, rooted in an environment where life supports life.
The widespread use of chemical fertilizers, including organic fertilizers, disrupts this delicate balance by destroying the soil food web and increasing our plants' dependency on artificial substances. Additionally, this increases toxic load exposure to our children, pets and individuals using the grass daily/weekly. Many children run barefoot on this lawn daily, moving from the play structure, running across the grass to the trees etc.
Recommendation:
In lieu of using fertilizers and herbicides, Compost Teana’s can provide Blue Heron a different path. By adopting biological amendments, we are not just caring for the lawn; we’re investing in the health of the soil and, ultimately, the well-being of our community. Together, we can foster a park that's not only beautiful but also a testament to the power of working in harmony with nature.
Compost Teana’s solution is straight forward. Based on the soil test performed already, there is a clear understanding of the current soil microbiome, which this recommendation is based on. Compost Teana’s will come to the park with a tank of the compost tea/liquid and spray microbe-rich compost tea onto the lawn, twice the first year, and then once annually the following years, as needed to maintain the healthy microbiome.
The Compost Teana’s microbe-rich compost tea has three simple ingredients:
-A dense population of locally grown microbes: fungi, bacteria, protozoa, nematodes
-Humic and fulvic acids: dense, organic compounds naturally formed during long-term decomposition
-Kelp: nutrient-rich microbe food
Compost Teana has over 180 clients throughout Los Angeles and Orange County. In fact, one of our residents already uses their services for their lawn (The Edwards family). They currently work with another HOA as well, Resilient Palisades, and over 20 major landscapers including: Lora Morton Design, Urban Water Group, Inc., Dirt Diva Designs, Liliput and Wild Gardens LA just to name a few.
This solution also works in harmony with the nearby butterfly garden that the HOA and residents have made such a heavy investment in, as the butterflies do not thrive with the use of fertilizers and herbicides.
Cost:
With this solution, there would be no need to use any other fertilizers or herbicides on the lawn. As mentioned above, there would be two applications in the first year and one application per year after that. Each application would cost $2k. So, year one costs would total $4k and after that $2k per year. But again, there would be savings on hard costs and labor from the current fertilizer and herbicide applications that would not need to be used and most importantly, this will allow us to ensure that there is no toxic exposure to our residents, including young children and pets.
The intent of this proposal is for Eastbluff HOA to embrace a biological approach to nurturing the Blue Heron Park lawn. Transitioning away from old-school chemical treatments to a proven biological-based care system honors the soil food web, that is, the intricate network of life beneath our feet.
Background:
Healthy soil is a dynamic and diverse environment in which billions of microbes live. Each plant has specific nutrient needs that they communicate to the life in the soil that finds these nutrients and delivers them back to the plant.
Imagine your lawns as a family that needs a variety of nutritious foods to grow strong and healthy. The soil microbiome (all the tiny organisms living in the soil, such as bacteria and fungi) can be thought of as the "chefs" of this family. These chefs are responsible for preparing the "meals" that your plant family needs to thrive.
Plants are active contributors in this exchange, feeding the soil's microbiome. In return, these microorganisms process and deliver vital nutrients back to the plants, a cycle known as nutrient cycling. This natural process ensures our plants are nourished and thriving, rooted in an environment where life supports life.
The widespread use of chemical fertilizers, including organic fertilizers, disrupts this delicate balance by destroying the soil food web and increasing our plants' dependency on artificial substances. Additionally, this increases toxic load exposure to our children, pets and individuals using the grass daily/weekly. Many children run barefoot on this lawn daily, moving from the play structure, running across the grass to the trees etc.
Recommendation:
In lieu of using fertilizers and herbicides, Compost Teana’s can provide Blue Heron a different path. By adopting biological amendments, we are not just caring for the lawn; we’re investing in the health of the soil and, ultimately, the well-being of our community. Together, we can foster a park that's not only beautiful but also a testament to the power of working in harmony with nature.
Compost Teana’s solution is straight forward. Based on the soil test performed already, there is a clear understanding of the current soil microbiome, which this recommendation is based on. Compost Teana’s will come to the park with a tank of the compost tea/liquid and spray microbe-rich compost tea onto the lawn, twice the first year, and then once annually the following years, as needed to maintain the healthy microbiome.
The Compost Teana’s microbe-rich compost tea has three simple ingredients:
-A dense population of locally grown microbes: fungi, bacteria, protozoa, nematodes
-Humic and fulvic acids: dense, organic compounds naturally formed during long-term decomposition
-Kelp: nutrient-rich microbe food
Compost Teana has over 180 clients throughout Los Angeles and Orange County. In fact, one of our residents already uses their services for their lawn (The Edwards family). They currently work with another HOA as well, Resilient Palisades, and over 20 major landscapers including: Lora Morton Design, Urban Water Group, Inc., Dirt Diva Designs, Liliput and Wild Gardens LA just to name a few.
This solution also works in harmony with the nearby butterfly garden that the HOA and residents have made such a heavy investment in, as the butterflies do not thrive with the use of fertilizers and herbicides.
Cost:
With this solution, there would be no need to use any other fertilizers or herbicides on the lawn. As mentioned above, there would be two applications in the first year and one application per year after that. Each application would cost $2k. So, year one costs would total $4k and after that $2k per year. But again, there would be savings on hard costs and labor from the current fertilizer and herbicide applications that would not need to be used and most importantly, this will allow us to ensure that there is no toxic exposure to our residents, including young children and pets.
Why is this important?
We want to keep the toxic load to our children, pets and all residents low. Many children use this park lawn daily, often with bare feet and we want to ensure that they are not exposed to chemicals while at play.