The Mission

Many, many years ago I worked for an older couple. The gentleman had advanced prostate cancer, and was not doing well, so they needed my help. They had recently downsized from a single family home to a townhouse in a retirement village and hired me to spruce up the garden beds in their cute little back yard. They came across as the kind of people that had previously had a meticulously maintained yard in their meticulously cared for neighborhood.

One day I had forgotten to bring my hose and was looking for theirs to water all the new plants in. As I opened an outdoor trunk I found a stash of their grandchildren’s outdoor toys. As I shuffled the toys around to see if there was a hose beneath, I found several different bottles of pesticides, mingling with the toys. I had young kids at home and the sight gave me a pit in my stomach. It still does to this day. -I knew better, but I said nothing.

The chemical conversation was a hot topic back then, but the science against the overuse of pesticides wasn’t as clear as it is today. I wish I had said something, but I don’t know if it would have helped. I don’t know if the gentleman’s cancer had anything to do with chemical use, but I can’t imagine that hearing some young stranger scold him for risking his grandkids health was what he needed at that point in time. So I said nothing.

Only a few years after I worked with the couple, I was attending a lunch with seven or eight managers from a successful nationwide company. Lawn care was the topic of conversation when someone polled the group. Who used what chemicals in their personal yards? I was shocked to hear their responses. There was a little mention of fertilizer, but no herbicides, insecticides or fungicides. Not even weed-and-feed. There were anecdotes of proper care and what that meant (proper care = superior plant health), but there was no use of pesticides. There was no need.

Proper Care = Superior Plant Health
Day-in and day-out I see a plants health reflect the cultural care it is given. The concept is simple and true. Give a plant the proper care and support, and it will not need pesticides. Give soil the proper care and support and it will not need pesticides. Withholding water and over-pruning a plant into submission are some of the easiest ways to cause plant disease. Compacting, tilling and over-fertilizing are some of the easiest ways to damage soil health. Isn’t that the way it is with humans? Our most common health problems are caused by poor diet, lack of exercise and lack of sleep.

This isn’t to say that past activities haven’t left lasting impacts on soils and plants—some challenges persist despite even the best care. However, in most cases, the right supplementary care can restore balance and improve plant health.

At Cycle of Life, we combat plant loss by providing the essential support plants and soils need—biological enrichment, nutrition, and tools to enhance pest and disease resistance.

By strengthening plant and soil health, we’re cultivating a greener, healthier future—one that reflects hope and possibility rather than decline.