Of weedwhacking and wildflowers

  First off, whenever I weedwhack, I always leave a few wildflowers. It alleviates some of the pain from having to trim them, especially this time of year. The Chinese lanterns (or fairy lanterns) are in bloom this year as are the lupin. 

  Second the term “weedwhacking” is EXTREMELY problematic. Calling our groundcover “weeds” implies that they have no purpose. These “weeds” are stabilizing the soil. That’s why spraying is one of the worst things an owner can do to their property. I know of one property here in Groveland that is so bad a structural engineer may be required to remediate a foundation that is crumbling away. 

 And most importantly “weedwhacking” is only a TEMPORARY solution. To restore our foothill ecosystem we must mulch using arborist wood chips or leaves from our properties. Hardscaping with rocks is another option as well, although it doesn’t have the benefit of locking in soil moisture. I have made contact with a local arborist who would be more than happy to bring a truckload of chips for FREE to any property owner near Ferretti road in Groveland, CA. 

OK, who’s got the best word to replace the term “weedwhacking?” 

Picture: Fairy lanterns. Abundant in the foothills but rarely seen due to early season weedeating