Ciscoe Morris: Gardening for the Sound

Ciscoe Morris is Western Washington's best-known gardener. You can find him on his weekly radio show, on numerous television appearances, and in his column in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. He is a King County Master Gardener and a certified arborist and he's serious about protecting Puget Sound from poisons. The herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers that we put on our lawns to make them more attractive are washed into storm drains which in turn are dumped untreated right into Puget Sound. When synthetic fertilizer hits the Sound, it fertilizes algae which cause the algae to grow or "bloom" thereby robbing the water of oxygen and harming fish and other organisms. Scientists have made predictions that the Sound's Coho salmon could be extinct in 60 years because of stormwater pollution. A large portion of the poisons in Puget Sound are from individual homeowners treating their lawns and gardens. The bright side of this is that individuals can make a difference by changing the way they garden to be Sound-friendly. Creating a Sound-friendly garden can begin with these steps: Encourage your plants' growth with organic mulch and compost instead of fertilizers. Choose plants that can grow in the Northwest climate. Use the right plant for the right site. Native plants perform the best while nonnative plants may need too much water or may attract pests. Practice smart watering. Use water efficiently and don't waste it. Use non-toxic pest control methods rather than pesticides.