Deep Roots MV is a nonprofit dedicated to nurturing sustainable landscaping practices on our Island. The goal is to help people understand that a beautiful and healthy yard can be achieved through soil care and an eco-friendly, affordable, and sustainable organic landscape, which allows plants to thrive without excessive fertilization and watering.
Its founder, Marcello Meyer, has been involved in landscaping for nearly 20 years. His parents are from Italy and Germany, but Meyer is the third generation born in Brazil. He hails from Curitiba, in the southern part of the state of Paraná, and arrived on the Vineyard about 25 years ago. At that time, living in Boston, he came to the Island just for the summer, and fell in love with its nature and the community at large.
“I did carpentry for a few years. But I always was connected to nature. My mom was a federal environmental agent in Brazil. My grandfather had a farm, bees, and animals.” When he had the opportunity to do native landscaping here, Meyer jumped at it.
About two years ago, one of Meyer’s mentors suggested that he share his knowledge about sustainable landscaping with others to teach the next generation. As such, he provides free consultations and workshops for professionals, homeowners, and businesses interested in learning how to make a difference using sustainable, organic practices: “Education is the first step to successfully changing how we treat our planet.”
Deep Roots MV is committed to collaborating with Island organizations that support the conservation of ponds and native habitats, as well as protecting endemic plant and insect species. In partnership with the Boards of Health of Martha’s Vineyard, Meyer will present a lecture in Portuguese on March 1 at Polly Hill Arboretum about sustainable landscaping and native plants. On March 8, he will work with the same organizations to provide a comprehensive workshop in Portuguese focused on fertilizer and sustainability, with an English session scheduled at Slough Farm on March 15. Participants will gain insights into fertilizer regulations and licensing requirements, along with the application and management of fertilizer to mitigate health risks. Each participant will have the chance to take a licensing exam after the class to demonstrate understanding of the material.
During his sustainable landscape workshop at Slough Farm on March 22, Meyer will address the crucial steps to a sustainable landscape and introduce native plants and species and their role. He is also working with the Vineyard Conservation Society on the rules and regulations regarding leaf blowers.
“As a licensed fertilizer applicator, I believe that sustainability is everything, and that all pesticides have a part if done correctly. What people fear is that all herbicides and pesticides are bad. However, when you have to eradicate an invasive species, sometimes chemicals are the only solution you have. But you won’t apply it if it’s within 100 feet of any surface water or wetlands.” He adds, “Organic products are not necessarily safe. For instance, those containing cedar oil are toxic to humans, and especially to dogs and cats.” One of the best resources for plant nutrient management is the University of Massachusetts (mass.gov/info-details/plant-nutrient-management).
Deep Roots MV also provides eco-friendly and affordable landscaping services. It focuses on sustainable, organic practices that can help minimize the impact of nitrogen and other harmful chemicals entering the Island ponds and groundwater. The first step is a consultation, which is free of charge. Subsequent fees are modest, and the proceeds go toward the free workshops. Meyer explains, “I want to give the best support to the community.”
Meyer takes me through an example of one of his first projects: “I looked at the property and recognized the issues. Then I started going deeper into my initial investigation of what was happening in the area, which included sending plant and soil samples to labs to understand more about what was happening. I wrote them a report of the issues, which included that their soil had been mistreated — too much compaction and silt, and they had the wrong plants for the Island.”
He broke the process into steps, starting with asking what the client envisioned. “It’s a delicate balance between beauty and sustainability, but you can have both. They wanted hydrangeas, which require increasing amounts of water as the season goes on.” So Meyer brought in people to help refine their irrigation. “They also wanted a perfectly manicured lawn, [which requires the] use of synthetic products and fertilizers. I informed them about the Vineyard Conservation Society, which promotes what they call a ‘Vineyard lawn.’ It requires little to no fertilization, and addresses how often you mow, and how tall to leave the grass.
“We did a clover lawn, which is fantastic. It provides a green cover all the time, mixed with native seeds that don’t require fertilization. It also becomes great for pollinators when all the flowers come in during the early spring.” Meyer explains that you also need to seed lawns a few times a year, starting in the spring, because he doesn’t use any nitrogen fertilizer to reinvigorate the lawn. Instead, he employs mechanical techniques like mowing high, leaving the clippings behind, which become a natural fertilizer.
Meyer helped the client decide which sustainable plant species to use, such as yellow wild indigo. “We looked at those native to Martha’s Vineyard, Cape Cod, and Massachusetts.” He continues, “Then it’s about caring for your property. It has to have some maintenance. The next two years after planting are particularly crucial. You have to baby the plants and trees a little to give them all the success possible. For instance, for bayberries from a nursery, you need to water them and apply a fertilizer such as leaf litter. By the third year, the cost usually comes down to about 20 percent, and will remain steady.”
Meyer shares what fuels his dedication to sustainable landscaping: “I want to leave behind something my kids can be proud of. This is my home, and I believe this is the way to help.” He adds, “As a carpenter, I built something. It was awesome, but you build a structure, and that’s it; it doesn’t evolve. When landscaping, you have the opportunity to do something that will never be the same. I think the responsibility of any landscaper is to evolve in a beneficial way. I love that what I’m involved in is alive, and will change an area forever and give back to the whole Island. No matter how small your property, you can create a paradise. If you do it correctly and treat it well, it will give you so much back.”
Useful resources
- Native plants and pollinators: https://bit.ly/UMass_GetNativePlants
- Use of fertilizer: mass.gov/info-details/plant-nutrient-management
- Minimal-risk pesticides: https://bit.ly/MA_NRC_minimumrisk
For more information about Deep Roots MV, visit deeprootsmv.org. Discover upcoming workshops at deeprootsmv.org/workshops.
Bravo to Marcello and Deep Roots MV!
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