As part of our ongoing quest to become a more eco-friendly, sustainable landscaping company, we’ve officially ditched Roundup for good! Like switching from gas engines to battery-powered ones though, it’s been a long, tough process. That’s because the same properties that make Roundup harmful to the environment also make it super effective at killing weeds. So finding an alternative that doesn’t require twice the material and labor to produce the same results took a lot of trial and error, and it wasn’t until we came across Earth’s Ally Weed & Grass Killer that we were happy with our findings!
Unlike other organic weed control products on the market right now, we can confidently say that Earth’s Ally Weed & Grass Killer actually works. It uses many of the same ingredients as the others: sea salt, vinegar and soap. But the way it’s formulated makes it more effective than the sum of its parts, resulting in better results than we’ve seen before with those ingredients, both on their own and as part of other products.
The way it works is pretty neat, too! According to Earth’s Ally, the “…sea salt in Earth’s Ally works synergistically with the vinegar to quickly brown leaves and the soap helps to hold the formula on the weed. [It] stays in the soil long enough to kill the roots treated, but quickly dissipates with rainwater or irrigation…. There is no long-term damage to the soil, and new grass or plants can be planted shortly after treating weeds.” From the experience we’ve had with it so far, that’s right on the money.
What’s more, Earth’s Ally Weed & Grass Killer is also recognized as safe by the EPA, which considers it a “minimum risk pesticide…exempt from registration under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act.” That, and the fact that it’s “independently tested and proven Bee Safe®,” have helped it land a spot on the Non-toxic Neighborhoods recommended product list–a highly respected source. In addition, Earth’s Ally also donates 5% of profit to Pollinator Partnership, so there’s lots to feel good about even beyond the product itself.
As time passes, and our environmental predicament grows increasingly more serious, finding alternatives to unsustainable products and practices in the landscaping industry will remain a point of focus for Terren. Thanks to Earth’s Ally and a whole array of battery-powered equipment, we’re well on our way to doing so in a significant way. Hopefully the impact of that is significant, and the inspiration it provides to other companies and homeowners, even more so.
