Chicago Parks Are Using Natural Lawn Care Basics

The city of Chicago is telling its residents that having dandelions in lawns are okay. According to the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Park District is avoiding the use of herbicides in 90 percent of its public lands. Michael Thompson, director of Chicago Honey Co-op, says that dandelions bloom at an important time for bee development and provide a crucial food source for pollinating insects. The city is also trying to save on annual lawn maintenance costs. Weedkiller applications cost the city an average of $240 per acre per application, which the Tribune estimates at $1.4 million in city savings.