The grass isn’t always greener

Spraying grass in 5-6 targeted areas in the city limits of Natchitoches to stunt its growth didn’t turn out the way the City expected it to.

The spraying was originally used because the City was told it would have a positive long-term affect by decreasing the amount of times workers would be required to mow certain areas, like the median and right-of-ways along University Parkway, close to I-49. The chemical is designed to stunt growth, kill weeds and promote healthier future growth of the grass.

However, the overall process didn’t work as residents began to question why there were huge sections of dead grass along the roadways. According to Mayor Lee Posey, the City is asking for a reimbursement and will look into sowing seeds for grass if it fails to grow back.

18 thoughts on “The grass isn’t always greener

  1. When I first saw the browning of the grass, the very first thing that popped in my mind was that erosion will be the next phase.

  2. Sure makes our tons of garbage and litter look lovely. Nice way to welcome guest to our city. Can’t be us leaving this mess must be those damned people from out of town. Let’s pass a tax to get rid of this eyesore.

  3. Funny how very small insignificant issues brings out the know-it-alls, the loudmouths, the self appointed “experts”, and those who do the least but shout the loudest. Blah blah blah!

  4. This looks horrible, especially since it is the entrance that is used by tourists to come into Natchitoches. Hope they are able to do something about it sooner rather than later and hope whatever they decide to do works. Wish they would leave the City of Natchitoches alone. They have taken away the way it was and are updating it to make it more modern, the old world charm is what made it special.

  5. Now you are going to have alot of wash outs when it starts raining . I seen it Wednesday and it looks horrible.

  6. They may have trouble growing grass there in the future now that they have poisoned the ground. Killing weeds might have been beneficial to the grass, but trying to stunt the grass was not a smart idea.

    • I did not think it was that hard to grow grass in Louisiana. I am sure it will come back as even after spraying roundup the weeds return. Maybe it wasn’t applied properly. These things usually happen when one fails to read the “instructions” and then it turns into “destruction”

  7. Since when did poison become beneficial? Why not let the workers mow? It sounds like an attempt at the faster, cheaper route, which is rarely successful. I don’t see how poison can promote healthier grass; however, I do know that care and feeding of any living thing will promote healthy, strong growth. Humans, animals, any living thing thrive(s) on being tended, fed and nurtured. The other issue is decreasing mowing time, which decreases work hours for employees. Cutting work time cuts hours and jobs, as well as income, which ultimately cuts taxable revenue, so by reducing hours and ultimately jobs, the city is cutting of it’s nose to spite it’s face. The fewer full-time workers, the less benefits an employer has to pay. This is what the ultimate goal is; decrease visible, tangible expenditures at the expense of the income of the working population, the health of the environment and the health of the residents in the parish. The government wants high unemployment rates; they want people to become dependent on government assistance, and they want to abolish the independent thinkers, the financially independent and turn us all into mindless sheep who follow the alleged shepherd who is supposedly looking out for the flock. Think about this for a minute; the powers that be took it upon themselves to put poison in the ground. This is not a decision to be taken lightly. This has the potential to create health hazards. Of course they got “all the facts” from the product representative/salesperson. Of course the salesperson reassured the city that “this is perfectly safe for the environment.” Sheep following the wolf clothed in sheep’s clothes, folks. They are all about imposing a tax to get money; how about creating and keeping jobs instead? Let’s put people to work instead of spending money on poison.

  8. No one knows how to check “reference ” to see how this worked on prior jobs???? City has that much money??

  9. Neither growth retardant nor herbicides should be used on public property and especially not in the Sibley Lake watershed. Similar spraying (with the same results) has occurred outside the city limits as well. I would recommend resowing with native wildflowers, or if not that, with clover mixtures, to provide bee forage and to beautify the area for our tourists. (Perhaps the City should confer with the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, TX. Texas wildflowers have become a major draw for tourists.) This is a better way to reduce the need for mowing.

    • Yes. This sounds proactive. If native, flowering groundcover can be used, all the better. Please let’s watch our careless use of chemicals. (Vinegar controls weeds, by the way.)

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