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Pesticides

News

• Snake in the Grass - Tom Harrington reveals the story of how, for many unwilling clients, Canada's largest lawn care company, Weed Man, has become a more invasive pest than the ones they promise to get rid of. (CBC, 10 Feb 2012)
• Seeing is Believing - Award-winning filmmaker Brett Plymale compiled footage from 25 different organic lawn sites from across the United States and Canada into this short video. Next time someone tells you organic lawn care doesn't work or isn't possible, show them this video. (Safe Lawns, 28 Jan 2011)
• Another Pesticide Linked to Vanishing Honeybees - Two groups want the Environmental Protection Agency to take action to protect bees from pesticides. Scientists think toxic substances play a role in bee deaths. (KPBS, 28 Jan 2011)
• Living with the Weed (CBC, 6 May 2010)
• Health groups push pesticide ban using new survey results (CBC, 18 Feb 2009)

• Trailer for the movie "A Chemical Reaction - The story of a true green revolution" by Brett Plymale, narrated by Paul Tukey. This documentary chronicles the history of pesticide regulations in North America, with much background information on the health effects of pesticides.

Background information

1. The truth about pesticides (Sierra Club of Canada)
2. Reasons not to use pesticides ("Stratford, Naturally", Stratford, ON)
3. Common exposures: pesticides (Grassroots Environmental Education)
4. Pesticides Introduction (The Endocrine Disruption Exchange)
5. Pesticides Literature Review [PDF 1.01Mb] (Ontario College of Family Physicians)

Commonly used chemicals (information courtesy of Sierra Club of Canada):

• Carbaryl
• Diazinon
• Glyphosate
• Imidacloprid
• Methoprene
• Bacillus thuringiensis
• Malathion
• 2,4-D

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Lawn How To

Organic Lawns work - see it to believe it

[quoted from safelawns.org/blog] AWARD-WINNING FILMMAKER BRETT PLYMALE compiled footage from 25 different organic lawn sites from across the United States and Canada into a short video titled Seeing is Believing. Next time someone tells you organic lawn care doesn't work or isn't possible, show them this: http://www.safelawns.org/blog/index.php/2011/01/organic-lawn-video-seeing-is-believing/

General tips

A plethora of videos about Safe Lawn Care (SafeLawns)

Watering tips [also available as PDF] (Environment Canada)

7 Chemical-free fixes for common lawn problems (Rodale)

Lawn Care Tips (Environment Canada)

Organic Lawn Care for Homeowners (Homeinsurance.org, with links to sites from various organisations, incl. SafeLawns)

Lawn Pests (Environment Canada)

Information series on healthy lawn care (1-page documents prepared by the PEIEHC for publication in the Guardian newspaper, 2010)

1. Introduction [PDF, 0.07 Mb]
2. Compost and Compost Tea [PDF, 0.07 Mb]
3. Ground Covers [PDF, 0.07 Mb]
4. Dealing with Pests [PDF, 0.07 Mb]
5. Using Native Plants [PDF, 0.05 Mb]
6. Starting from Scratch [PDF, 0.07 Mb]
7. Dealing with Weeds [PDF, 0.05 Mb]
8. De-thatching and Aeration [PDF, 0.07 Mb]
9. Top-Dressing and Over-Seeding [PDF, 0.05 Mb]
10. Preparing for Winter [PDF, 0.07 Mb]

How to deal with bugs

Beneficial bugs

Not all bugs are bad - some, like lady bugs, will prey on problem bugs! A key to success for an organic lawn is encouraging helpful insects.

Encouraging beneficial bugs [PDF] (Sierra Club of Canada)

Problem bugs

Which bug is it?  Click here for drawings of common garden pests (Environment Canada).

• Chinch bugs and white grubs - usually only a problem on dry, overly fertilized and treated lawns! Use perennial rye grass and fescues - both natural repellents to chinch bugs. In case of infestation, soapy water works well in small areas. It may also prove necessary to remove the damaged area of sod, replace with well-balanced topsoil and reseed. These pests prove the old adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!” The easiest organic grub control is predator nematodes. These can be ordered through many garden centres.
• Earwigs - trap at night in cardboard tubes (paper towel or toilet paper tubes work well). Dispose of by dipping in soapy water before discarding.
• Mosquitoes - remove or cover standing water. Add goldfish in the case of a small pond.
• Slugs and Snails - place a dish of stale beer in the area where slugs or snails are a problem (they’ll climb into the dish and drown). Creating comfortable conditions for frogs and toads will also help, as slugs are a staple part of a toad’s diet!

For more information, check out:

Home-made pest control [PDF] (Sierra Club of Canada)

How to deal with weeds

Which weed is it? Click here for drawings of common garden weeds (Environment Canada).

• Thatch may need to be removed if it’s a problem (It’s usually associated with insufficient microbial material in the soil.) The best solution is prevention! Be sure to aerate the lawn on an annual basis, followed up with overseeding and topdressing.
• Unwanted plants in concrete sidewalks or patios are best handled by pouring boiling water over them, or spraying them with a solution of 3 parts white vinegar to one part dish soap.

For more information, check out:

An overview of lawn disorders and how to cure them (Environment Canada)

Low maintenance lawns

1. Mow High – This is the most important thing! Raise your mower to its highest setting. Keeping your grass about 3 inches high will encourage deep root growth and help prevent weed seeds from germinating. Keep the mower blade sharp and cut no more than 1/3 of the leaf blade off at one time.
2. Leave Clippings on the Lawn. Grass clippings fertilize the lawn as they decompose and provide free, nutritionally-balanced fertilizer for the lawn.
3. Overseed and Topdress. Overseeding is best done in the Spring, when soil temperatures have reached at least 15 ° C and soil moisture is higher, or in the early Fall while the soil is still warm. Mix seeds such as perennial rye and fescues (natural repellants of chinch bugs) with a combination of compost/topsoil/peat moss or manure and spread lightly and evenly over the lawn.
4. Mulch dry leaves with the lawnmower in the Fall to give your lawn an extra boost! Leftover leaves can be added to the compost to be used the following spring for topdressing.
5. Be Patient and Alert for Damage. The transition to a low maintenance pesticide-free lawn can take some time but will be worth it. Keeping an eye out for any problems can make it that much easier to resolve them!

Recognize it can take up to 5 years to transform a chemically-dependent lawn back to a relaxed naturally-balanced habitat safe for kids, birds and butterflies, so patience may be necessary!

High Maintenance Lawn

1. Test your soil to determine its pH and organic matter levels. The pH should be in the range of 5-7.5 and organic matter should be at least 5 - 8 % of the soil.
2. Apply corn gluten in the spring. Corn gluten meal (CMG) and corn meal suppress weed seed germination. However, it is important it not be applied at the same time as overseeding. Corn meal gluten is 10% nitrogen so it may be necessary to adjust other fertilizing. Apply CMG at the rate of 20-25 lbs. per 1000 square feet.
3. Water deeply, if you need to water at all. Deep watering encourages deep root growth. It is much better to water long enough for 1” of water to soak into the soil once a week than to water lightly every day.
4. Aerate in the Fall if you have heavy clay soil, high traffic areas, thatch or compacted soil. A good time to do this is in conjunction with overseeding and topdressing.
5. Fertilize in the Fall with a natural source - not synthetic - fertilizer. Derived from manure, compost, kelp, seaweed, bone and feather meal and minerals, natural source fertilizers do not require fossil fuels to produce them. They will not cause burning and contain multiple nutrients, so your lawn will love them!
6. Be willing to put up with a few weeds or pull them by hand. (There are also simple mechanical devices designed for this task, available at most garden centres.) Many weeds are wildflowers. Some such as dandelions are edible, and they serve as nature’s way of promoting biodiversity!

Alternatives to Grass Lawns

Many people today are moving toward a more relaxed, low-maintenance alternative to the “golf course” approach for their yards. Having a variety of plantings adds diversity to the landscape and provides a safe haven for songbirds and butterflies. Here are some suggestions for using this approach:

1. Use Native Plants - these have evolved for your local conditions. They’ll need less care, less water and attract fewer pests.
2. Include Shrub and Vine Borders to provide food and cover for birds. Native shrubs are again recommended (MacPhail Woods Nursery in Orwell, PEI is an excellent source for these!)
3. Use alternative groundcovers rather than traditional lawn seeds. Woolly thyme, native strawberry, violets and bugleweed all work well for this purpose.
4. Develop a “prairie garden” if you’re in an area vulnerable to drought or high winds. Many local garden centres now carry prairie grasses suitable for Prince Edward Island.
5. Place Woodland Gardens in shady areas of your landscape. Shade-loving perennials or annuals are a better choice for shady areas than regular grass, as they will need less care and maintenance.
6. Incorporate Ponds and Bog Gardens in your landscape. These again encourage songbirds and butterflies, along with frogs and toads (fun for the kids and great for mosquito, blackfly and ant control!)
7. Attract even more songbirds and butterflies by including fruit trees, berries, and flowering trees, shrubs and perennials!
8. Finally, use some of your yard for a herb and/or vegetable garden - organic of course!

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Garden How To

Gardening Tips (Environment Canada)

City Gardening (Environment Canada)

Composting (Environment Canada)

How to deal with bugs

Beneficial bugs

Not all bugs are bad - some, like lady bugs, will prey on problem bugs! Others, like butterflies and bees, will help pollinate your flowers and vegetables. A key to success for an organic lawn is encouraging helpful insects.

Encouraging beneficial bugs [PDF] (Sierra Club of Canada)

Problem bugs

Which bug is it?  Click here for drawings of common garden pests (Environment Canada).

• Aphids - hose them down with a strong jet of water. For a severe infestation, remove the affected plant or spray with soapy water a few times to get them back under control. Encourage ladybugs to hang around!
• White grubs - The easiest organic grub control is predator nematodes. These can be ordered through many garden centres.
• Earwigs - trap at night in cardboard tubes (paper towel or toilet paper tubes work well). Dispose of by dipping in soapy water before discarding.
• Mosquitoes - remove or cover standing water. Add goldfish in the case of a small pond.
• Slugs and snails - place a dish of stale beer in the area where slugs or snails are a problem (they’ll climb into the dish and drown). Creating comfortable conditions for frogs and toads will also help, as slugs are a staple part of a toad’s diet!
• Tent caterpillars - make sure they actually are tent caterpillars, as they are easily confused with harmless ones which turn into beautiful butterflies! Pick off the larvae by hand when they cluster in the evening or cut off and dispose of the affected branch.

Companion plants

Did you know that roses love garlic and carrots love tomatoes?  By planting specific crops next to each other, you can reduce insect and weed pests and increase production!

An overview of how companion planting works (Sierra Club of Canada)

Further reading

• "R-os-es Love Garlic" by L. Riotte (1993, 1997) Storey Publishing, LLC. ISBN 1-58017-028-5
  "Carrots Love Tomatoes" by L. Riotte (1975, 1998) Storey Publishing, LLC. ISBN-13: 978-1-58017-027-7
  ISBN-13:1-58017-027-7
• "Rodale's No-Fail Flower Garden: How to Plant and Grow a beautiful, Easy-Care Garden" by J. Benjamin and W.B. Ellis (editors) (1994) Rodale Press, Emmaus, Pennsylvania. ISBN - 0-87596-606-3
• "Growing Fruits & Vegetables Organically - A Rodale Garden Book" by J.M.A. Nick and F.M. Bradley (editors) (1994) Rodale Press, Emmaus, Pennsylvania. ISBN - 0-87596-586-5

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