A Journey from Sprays to Soil
For 44 years, I’ve walked the lawns of St. Catharines, Niagara, and beyond at Stangl’s Enviro Lawn Care, and one truth keeps emerging: weeds aren’t the enemy—they’re a call to action. If sprays have been your trusted tool against dandelions, you’re not alone—that’s the path many have followed. But what if we could turn that struggle into a wonder? Join me, with insights from Dr. Thomas Dykstra and Glen Ravenberg, as we explore a 2025 transition to nurture lawns naturally, challenging old habits with a gentler approach. This isn’t about rewriting history—it’s about growing together.
Weeds: Nature’s Invitation to Heal
I used to see dandelions as a nuisance, reaching for sprays like so many do. Then Glen Ravenberg, a farmer with a practical heart, opened our eyes: weeds signal soil in distress—compacted, hungry, or lifeless. Dr. Thomas Dykstra, an entomologist with deep plant knowledge, agrees, noting their taproots mine nutrients to enrich the surface when soil improves. Over decades, I’ve watched this across Niagara, leading to a quiet “I told you so”—not to judge, but to share a better way. Academia’s spray reliance, echoing Justus von Liebig’s 1850s NPK focus, often misses this, treating symptoms instead of roots.
A Single Application That Transforms
At Stangl’s, we’ve found a solution in one application. Nature’s Brew, our microbial boost since 2017, ignites soil life 600x (per Glen’s tests), feeding plants with natural food sources. Paired with Pelletized Ultimate Compost (PUC)—10 lbs per 1000 square feet in spring and fall—it delivers 2.2-2.6 kg of carbon from poultry compost, humates, bone ash, feather meal, boron, and wollastonite, plus minerals. This builds carbon, enhancing water and air infiltration, boosting holding capacity, and cutting watering needs. Lawns stay greener, and disease and insect issues drop naturally—Dykstra’s Brix 14+ proves it, as insect free healthy plants.
Dykstra’s Brix Breakthrough: Insects Tell the Tale
Dykstra’s work, shared in our video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvPWzHCYfJ4&t=904s), redefines plant health. He debunks the 12 Brix myth, mapping four insect guilds: grasshoppers leave at 10-12 Brix, chewers at 9-11, suckers at 7-9, and aphids at 6-8. High Brix (14+) makes plants indigestible, not just sugary—redroot pigweed at 4 Brix got eaten, while 16 Brix corn thrived beside it. This challenges von Liebig’s 1850s mineral focus, which ignores sugar’s 97% dry matter role (carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen). With 44 years of field wisdom, I stand with Dykstra—healthy soil, not sprays, is the answer.
2025: A Transition to Natural Wonders
This isn’t a light-switch fix—2025 is a transition. Our seven applications, with plasma launching April 2025, will amplify PUC and Nature’s Brew, especially on your lawn. We’ve guided clients from spray dependence to lush lawns, reducing weeds naturally. Our Winter 25 26 data will track Brix and insect shifts, proving this works. It’s not about outsmarting academia—it’s about evolving with nature’s lessons.
Why Not Spray? A Warm Welcome
Why spray when nature offers a path? Dykstra’s Brix and Glen’s carbon insights show healthy soil outgrows weeds. At Stangl’s, we’re not here to critique your journey—only to invite you to a greener one. Our April 2025 plasma launch nurtures lawns organically. If dandelions intrigue you, call (905) 641-8133 or visit stangls.com. See our story here.
Conclusion: Embracing Nature’s Wonders
This is about growing together. Weeds guide us to soil health, and sugar—fueled by carbon and microbes—drives it. With Stangl’s, we’re turning challenges into wonders, one lawn at a time. Let’s make 2025 the year we nurture naturally—wisely, gently, for all.