In defense of plants
Posted on May 13th, 2008 – 1:26 PMBy Jaime Chismar
Conservatives are all a flutter over a recent announcement by the Swiss Federal Ethics Committee. Apparently, members of the Swiss government believe that plants have rights and deserve our consideration.
Gasp! How dare anyone challenge my right to remove dandelions from my lawn! Like Mr. T, I pity the fool who tells me I can’t cut down all the trees in my yard! Fie on all plants!
Sigh. What a tempest in a teapot. Let’s get a few things straight here… You do not have to be a pot-loving hippy to value a non-human lifeform. You’re not an eco-nerd for appreciating the role plants play in our environment. From plants, we derive nourishment. We find cures for diseases. We get the OXYGEN WE BREATHE. A little respect for our under appreciated flora is not undeserved.
Responsible land stewardship is more than buying a membership to Ducks Unlimited or the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. It’s also about caring for our yards and adopting best practices which insure the health of people, animals and yes –- the plants — that share them.
Do I like having a yard full of dandelions? No.
Do they have a right to be in my yard? No. They are an invasive species brought to North America from our forefathers (You can also thank them for Creeping Charlie).
But, I do have a responsibility to the life forms — plant and animal — in my yard and prefer ol’ fashioned elbow grease to ChemLawn.
If you think plants have rights, you’re not crazy and you’re alone.
11 Responses to "In defense of plants"
Wow! You should rename your blog to Think Again. No wait, that one is already taken.
I like how Kersten tries to equate loving plants and animals with being an extremist. I think plants and animals have rights to “consideration,” yet I plan on cutting down some really ugly half-dead evergreen trees in my yard (I’ve considered them for a good two years now).
Once again we need to listen to that little inner voice that tells us to simmer down and consider any radical actions or opinions.
I myself am a purist. I would prefer to have a starling season than morning dove season as the starlings are an introduced species that eats 1 oz. and poops 2 oz. and while do I enjoy a spring salad of dandelion greens they are an overbearing pain the rest of the year.
If we assign feelings to all things then we will starve. Do rocks have feelings too? Yes, plants wilt and must feel bad when we cut them but without a purpose to be food for someone (even if it is an insect) do they then feel bad because they are worthless?
You’re right debW. I was searching on Google to find the original Swiss report, but I only found a bunch of angry bloggers freaking out about the report. Sigh. It’s so easy to paint these ideas with the green eco-hippy liberal brush. But, plants don’t care about political affiliations. Biology doesn’t take sides. Maybe that’s why I love being in the garden so much.
I feel kind of bad for those among us who are so insecure that they are threatened by anyone who doesn’t believe exactly as they do.
I also kind of laugh that the insecure types manage to get such a super-sized reaction from others.
What’s missing here is the concept of intention.
I might choose to cut down a dead, dying, diseased, messy, ugly or unproductive tree in my yard to make room for one that produces fruit, nuts, or a cure for cancer. Or one that just looks nice. Alternatively, I may choose to leave that tree standing for wildlife habitat. Either can be a legitimate choice. But “considering” just means intentional thinking.
How radical is that?
I agree with Robyn. I do wish however that chem lawn could not be applied so freely to public places. This week I took my dog, daughter and pregnant self to the park only to smell a freshly sprayed park in Robbisndale at Crystal Lake. It was really disapointing because I didn’t feel comfortable letting any on us stay to play at the park. The other thing that was anoying was that it was not clearly publicized that the park had just been sprayed but I had to walk around to find the sign to confirm to myself that I wasn’t being paranoid. Since I had just see Chem lawn leaving a house near by on our there.
Liz,
Many municipalities (including Minneapolis) no longer use chemicals on parkland as a general rule. They may use chemicals to treat certain areas, but they usually give advance warning that they’ll be doing so and post signs. I’d encourage you to fight city hall on this one. Let them know you care. If enough people complain, the city might change it’s policies.
word
love the blog! i have a question - i sowed some flanders poppies (aka corn/shirley) directly into the ground about 4 weeks ago, as the pack said they don’t like being transplanted and can be outside before the last frost. they have sprouted, but have remained tiny and have not got any true leaves yet. are they just waiting for warmer weather? and do you know how quick they grow (ie how long do i have to wait for flowers?)
Oh! Darn those poppies with their handsome buds and pretty petals! I have had little luck growing these beauties from seed and I congratulate you on your wee sprouts! I’ll post your question on the front of the blog later today, Yvette. Stay tuned…
Hi Yvette, Jaime must be busy. 
I would guess you’re fine. My volunteer flanders poppies just germinated in the past week or two. I fully expect them to grow just like they have the last few years. I purposefully sprinkle the seeds around when they’re done flowering. And then I ignore them. Any time I have actually *tried* to grow poppies outside, I’ve failed!
I am very excited this year, because for some reason, my Shirley poppies inside have germinated and are growing! yes, they’ll sulk a little when I get them outside, but I’ve had good success with poppy transplants.
Greengirls Jaime Chismar, Connie Nelson, and Robyn Dochterman are dishin' the dirt from the backyard garden and beyond. Whether you're a greenthumb or greenhorn, they're eager to learn from your misshaps, mistakes -- and most importantly, your sweet successes -- all growing season long.
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