Sweet Auburn: The Magazine of the Friends of Mount Auburn Mount Auburn: Pathways of Connections | Page 9

Eternally Green: Sustaining Mount Auburn & the World around Us
A Greener Greenhouse & Gardens
by Kelley A. Sullivan, Greenhouse Technician
In the last three years the g re e nhouse s and
surrounding cut-flower gardens have gone through a transition
from conventional techniques towards organic methods.
In previous years, the outside gardens were covered with
black plastic to keep down the weeds; each planting was
fed with non-organic, manufactured chemical fertilizer and
irrigated with wasteful, overhead sprinkler systems. Inside
the greenhouses we used chemical pesticides and fertilizers.
We moved towards sustainable, organic methods for our
health and for stewardship of the planting area. Today in the
cut-flower gardens, the plastic cover has been replaced with
mulches such as pesticide-free grass clippings provided by
our grounds crew and woodchips by our arborist crew. A
three-inch depth of these materials suppress weeds and soil
borne diseases, decrease water needs, slowly release nutrients,
and provide a shelter for beneficial insects (beneficials). Ad-
ditionally, composted materials from the previous year’s garden
are used in the spring as a soil amendment that improves
soil health and structure without needing chemical fertilizer.
The garden beds are raised to better utilize space, reduce
weeding, and encourage people to stay on the paths. The
increased surface area allows for planting crops closer together
resulting in a leafier canopy that shades the soil, maintains
Greenhouse Technician Kelley Sullivan gives a tour of the cut-flower garden.
moisture, and slows
weed growth. Water
is efficiently applied
to the plant roots
by using soaker and
drip hoses. Plants are also less susceptible to diseases such as
mildews, blights, and botrytis.
Companion plants are added to minimize insect and
disease problems by increasing beneficial insect diversity.
This method attracts a variety of butterflies and bees that
pollinate, lady beetles that predate, and wasps that parasitize.
Even toads hop over and eat “bad” plant-destructive insects.
One toad can eat 100 pests per day. We eliminated pesticides
that decrease soil organism populations by interrupting the
balance and allowing pest resurgence. Pests re-colonize quickly
as they develop resistance to pesticides while the beneficials
struggle due to their lower reproductive rates.
In the greenhouses we phased out chemical pesticides
and now use organic treatments. Beneficials are released as
preventative measures. We switched from a chemical fertilizer
to an organic fertilizer made from ground up seeds. The soil
media now includes composted material from our recycling
yard, reducing our need for outside sources.
Treating our plants and soils with organic methods
reflects our own health and well being. Practicing organic
floriculture maintains the health of our environment and
of ourselves. Stroll through Mount Auburn’s greenhouses and
cut-flower gardens. Share in the harmony and connection
with the earth. Our use of organic methods in the green-
houses and surrounding gardens sustain employee health,
the health of our grounds, and the health of the surround-
ing ecology.
Spring/Summer 2011 | 7