Organic Lawns for America

From Safelawns.org/blog

Poisoned Playgrounds: We All Need To Do What We Can

The film critics who watch our film, A Chemical Reaction, until the end all seem to comment on the same line. Delivered by the heroine Dr. June Irwin just before the epilogue of the movie, the message goes something like this: “It wasn’t about me, it was about us. Interested parties made pamphlets. Others did what they could do. It was a community effort. In the end, that was the joy of it. It wasn’t about me, it was about us.”

When I reflect back on 2009, in what was undeniably a difficult year in many ways, I know that what I’ll recall the most in years to come were the new friendships and relationships. So many of us are united in making a positive difference for the planet that we can now safely say going green is not just a trend; it’s a certifiable movement. And organic lawn care and landscaping is most definitely in the thick of things.

With this being a working weekend as we prepare for all the public lectures and movie screenings in the weeks ahead, I’m amazed at all the emails still coming in from folks who are thinking about 2010. Two photographs from Wisconsin really stopped me. Sent in by John Weiss, the owner of the company that is sponsoring the upcoming Midwest Organic Lawn & Landscape Conference, Chickitty Doo Doo,

they’re proof that pictures really are worth a thousand words. “I thought you might find these attached pictures interesting — and ironic, if they weren’t so sad!” he said.

Should there really be a day, a week, or even a minute of the year when a playground needs to be closed so a poison can be applied?

I firmly believe that if we all work together — as June Irwin says, we call do what we can do — then we can at least stop playgrounds from being sprayed. I’m certain we can get at least that far.

Spread these photos around and ask others this question: Should we allow playgrounds to be poisoned for the sake of killing weeds?

The answer is quite clear.

Not Good

Low-Level Pesticide Exposure In Utero Linked to Impacts on Behavior and Hormones

(Beyond Pesticides, November 17, 2009) According to a new study by researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, exposure to low levels of the organophosphate insecticide chorpyrifos during pregnancy can impair learning, change brain function and alter thyroid levels of offspring into adulthood for tested mice, especially females. The study, “Long-term sex selective hormonal and behavior alterations in mice exposed to low doses of chlorpyrifos in utero,” was led by Beyond Pesticides board member and professor of zoology and environmental toxicology, Warren Porter, PhD.

On June 8, 2000, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Dow AgroSciences, reached an agreement to stop the sale of most home, lawn and garden uses for chlorpyrifos because of its health risks to children. However, its use continues in agriculture. According to advocates, this new study provides further evidence for the need to ban chlorpyrifos and fully protect farmworkers, their families, and rural communities from the toxic hazards of this outdated, unnecessary pesticide.

According to the Rodale Institute, which provided part of the funding for the study, “The new animal study accentuates the risk of ultra-low levels of the common pesticide chlorpyrifos to cause long-lasting birth defects in female offspring of exposed mothers. The daughters exhibited learning delays, disturbed brain function and altered thyroid levels. Significantly, these symptoms resulted from low toxicity exposure during late gestation—an impact route not even part of current regulatory pesticide testing. Damage at these doses highlights vulnerability during gestation from toxins even at the parts per billion level.”

The following is taken from the Rodale Institute’s analysis of the study.

Pregnant mice were injected with 0, 1 or 5 mg CPF per kg of body weight. Their offspring were evaluated for several types of learning ability in a foraging maze from the age of 60 days to 150 days of age. The mice were evaluated for their ability to find food, how fast they found it, how well they remembered where it was. Thyroid hormone levels were checked at the end of the test.

Results demonstrate “a long-term, dose dependent, sex selective impairment of foraging behavior and as well as learning latency in female mice exposed to CPF in utero.” The traces of pesticide, even at the lower 1 mg CPF/kg of body weight level, did not impact the learning ability male mice, but had significant impacts on the females. Further, the CPF dosing of their mothers did not change the serum thyroid hormone level of the male mice, but correlated directly to the mother’s dose in female offspring. The detrimental changes persisted into adulthood for the female mice.

Dr. Porter points out that most pesticide testing is done on male rats, which are probably the most resistant to showing response to toxicants, while female mice may be the most sensitive.

Females exhibite “diminished foraging ability in a dose dependant manner due to in utero CPF exposure,” the paper says. In food recognition and food position learning assessments (a novel food in a novel place), the young mice with no exposure learn at a steady rate, while the lower-dosed group takes longer to reach the same level. The higher dose group never attains the same level of success in these foraging ability tests.

The authors conclude that the study is further evidence that chlorpyrifos and all organophosphates should be evaluated for endocrine disrupting potential, and that all EPA pesticide registrations should include in utero multi-generational toxicity testing.

For more information on chlorpyrifos, see the Pesticide Gateway and the Daily News Blog archives.

Bee Die-Offs Linked to Pesticide Mixtures, Window of Exposure

(Beyond Pesticides, November 3, 2009) Research by scientists at the University of Florida (UF) links Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), the widespread disappearance of honey bees that has killed off more than a third of commercial honey bees in the U.S., to larval exposure to a cocktail of frequently used pesticides. Led by UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences bee specialist Jamie Ellis, PhD, the researchers have finished a first round of testing on bee larvae exposed to the pesticides most commonly found in bee hives. The results were presented on October 22 at a meeting of the North American Pollinator Protection Campaign (NAPPC), which funded the study.

The work gives insight into how the larvae react to these pesticides, which are usually only tested on adult bees, and sets the stage for the researchers to test the bees’ reaction to combinations of these pesticides. Just like mixing the wrong medications can have deadly and unpredictable results in humans, chemical mixtures pose a quandary for the bee industry. Bees are commonly exposed to multiple pesticides that are either applied to or nearby their hives.

“Beeswax, honey and pollen can contain low mixtures of fungicides, insecticides, and herbicides. The larvae develop in the presence of and consume these mixtures,” Dr. Ellis said. “Any one of these pesticides may not be that harmful to the developing larvae. However, it is possible that combinations of the pesticides can interact.”

The work is among the first to look at such combinations of chemicals introduced at the larval stage. The study examines the individual effects of herbicides, fungicides and insecticides commonly found in bee hives (chlorothalonil, mycobutanil, simazine, glyphosate, chlorpyrifos, coumaphos, fluvanlinate, imidacloprid and amitraz). To study these pesticides, the researchers transferred individual larvae to special containers where they were given a typical diet containing a dose of the pesticide.

Some of the pesticides yielded surprising results. For example, the bees seemed to show an erratic response to coumaphos and fluvalinate, which are commonly used to kill hive-infecting Varroa mites. This could mean that some bees have become resistant to the pesticide while others have not, said Mike Scharf, PhD, a UF entomologist and co-primary investigator on the project.

“There’s a really complex and unpredictable interaction of chemicals and genetics at play,” Dr. Scharf said. Even more so, he added, when the bees are exposed at the larval stage. Pesticide exposure at this developmental stage could have significant effects on the adult bees.

Later research will reintroduce these adult bees into the hive to see how the pesticide-exposed bees react to common stressors, such as Varroa mites and bacterial infections.

“It is going to be a lot of work to run through all these scenarios, but at the end of the day, it’s the only way to really find out how all these factors come together,” Dr. Ellis said. “It’s worth the work. Bees are a fundamental part of our ecosystem and our food chain.”

Dr. Ellis says the research will be submitted for publication by the end of the year.

Research is ongoing as to the cause of the CCD phenomenon, but pesticides, especially neonictinoids, such as imidacloprid, have been implicated. CCD can be especially devastating since honeybees are essential pollinators of crops that constitute over one third of the U.S. food supply or $15 billion worth of food. For more information on pollinators and CCD, read our factsheet: Pollinators and Pesticides: Escalating crisis demands action.

Beyond Pesticides believes that pesticides are likely to be a part of the CCD equation and a precautionary approach must be taken. Solutions to the loss of bees and human productivity are clearly within our reach if we engage our communities and governmental bodies. We know how to live in harmony with the ecosystem through the adoption of sustainable practices that simply do not allow toxic pesticide use. Because our survival depends on healthy pollinators, we must do everything in our power to solve this problem.

Read other Daily News Blog postings on pollinators and pesticides.

Take Action: Email EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson and tell EPA to take a precautionary approach regarding pesticides that kill or have sublethal impacts on bees and other pollinators.

Baby’s Death from Pesticide Exposure Renews Call for Bug Bomb Ban

(Beyond Pesticides, November 6, 2009) A 10-month old boy died in Williamston, SC after his mother used several insecticide foggers, also known as “bug bombs” inside their home. Elizabeth Whitfield called 911 when her 10-month old son, Jacob Joesup Isiah Leah Whitfield, was having difficulty breathing. She and her older son Kenneth were also experiencing breathing problems. According to Beyond Pesticides, every death and injury caused by foggers must be attributed to a the failure of EPA’s regulatory system to take an unnecessary and ineffective product off the market. The group says that EPA has known for years that foggers kill people and present a serious public health hazard, regardless of warnings on the product label, and can be replaced by safe alternative products and practices. “This child’s death should move the leadership of EPA to take the necessary steps to ban foggers, an action that has been urged for years both within and outside the agency,” said Jay Feldman, executive director of Beyond Pesticies.

Anderson County Deputy Coroner Don McCown said, “It appears mom has been using a pesticide fogger in the house that may have contributed to their illnesses.” Ms. Whitfield had been in the house, a rental property, for about a month and had used the foggers several times inside the small home. He said it may have been a day or two days since the last insect fogger was used inside. Investigators found seven foggers inside the house. “Most people put these foggers in — they do it one time a month or every couple of months. She was using two to three a week,” Mr. McCown said.

Ms. Whitfield was reportedly coated in chemicals when she first arrived to the hospital and had to remove her clothes and take a shower. The scent of chemicals at the home was so strong authorities called in a hazardous materials team before entering. One deputy complained of headaches, Mr. McCown said.

Anderson County Safe Kids Coordinator Dwayne Smith says that while he rarely hears cases of people who die directly from poisoning, places like the Palmetto Poison Center receive thousands of calls annually about children exposed to poisons. In 2007 alone, the Palmetto Poison Center received over 36,000 calls, more than half of which were cases of children six years or younger who had been exposed to poisons.

Children are at higher risk to pesticide poisoning because they are smaller and have faster metabolisms. The Beyond Pesticides factsheet “Children and Pesticides Don’t Mix” highlights particular vulnerabilities of children to pesticides. The U.S. EPA, National Academy of Sciences, and American Public Health Association, among others, have voiced concerns about the danger that pesticides pose to children. The body of evidence in scientific literature shows that pesticide exposure can adversely affect a child’s neurological, respiratory, immune, and endocrine system, even at low levels.

In July, Beyond Pesticides submitted a letter to the Washington, D.C. Department of the Environment urging the suspension of foggers after an explosion on July first. As Mr. Feldman states in the letter, “Aside from fire and explosive dangers, most foggers contain synthetic pyrethroids, such as permethrin, which are linked to cancer, endocrine disruption, respiratory problems, reproductive effects, neurotoxicity and other health and environmental issues. With a high incidence of illness, explosions and even death from the use of these products, their use must be suspended now and ultimately eliminated or highly restricted.”

Foggers, or “bug bombs” are notoriously dangerous and as such, plans to restrict their use in New York state to commerical applicators and take them off the retail market were announced by the Department of Environmental Conservation in October, 2008. A Centers for Disease Control (CDC) study, which pulled data from eight states, identified a total of 466 cases of acute, pesticide-related illness or injury associated with exposure to foggers between 2001 and 2006. In each of the past several years, total release foggers have caused at least four to eight serious explosions in apartments in New York City, according to Fire Department data. Just last month, an apartment building in Manhattan was evacuated after a fogger caused an explosion. Ten people were treated at the scene, including six who were brought to the hospital.

Sources: The Associated Press and Anderson Independent Mail

Pesticide Bans Continue

Pesticide ban debated

Robin Rance conducts an Earthwise Society pruning workshop.

Contributed photo

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Published: September 24, 2009 10:00 AM
Updated: September 24, 2009 10:52 AM

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Andrew Bucholtz

Reporter

Do you know what goes into your lawn and garden?

Mayor Lois Jackson says it’s crucial for residents to be aware of what’s in the pesticides they use, and Delta staff are considering an educational campaign in conjunction with a ban to do just that.

“We need to be cognizant of what we’re doing to our own gardens and lawns,” she said.

Jackson feels it’s important to look at banning the cosmetic use of pesticides, given recent research that suggests pesticide ingredients may be linked to increased risks of cancer.

“The science is coming forward that these products can go through your skin into your body,” she said.

“We should be looking at all the science that’s out there and the protection of people and animals.”

The Corporation of Delta has held several public meetings on a proposed cosmetic pesticide ban over the past two weeks. Jackson said the reaction so far has been mixed, with some residents arguing the proposed ban is too strong and others saying it’s necessary because of health concerns surrounding pesticides.

“You always have a variety of interests represented at these meetings,” she said. “Some people are saying we’re using a sledgehammer and we don’t have to, others are saying we have to because of the cancer overtones.”

However, Jackson said the meetings have been a positive way to garner community feedback.

“I think it’s very important for our community to have this discussion,” she said.

The next step in the process is a formal public hearing, which could take place as early as the end of October. Jackson said she’d like any proposed bylaw, which could involve a grace period, to focus on encouraging change through education instead of punishing pesticide users.

“It’s tough to police a major bylaw like this,” Jackson said. “I’d like to see enticements as opposed to a big stick.”

Michelle McEwan, outreach coordinator with Earthwise Society, said she’s happy to see the proposed ban moving forward.

“I think it’s a really important first step,” she said.

But she was discouraged to see no one from the general public at the forum in North Delta, only members of organizations and businesses already on board.

“It speaks to the problem of preaching to the converted,” she noted.

Earthwise Society currently offers programs on organic gardening that can help educate residents on alternatives to pesticide use. The society has run shorter programs for around 15 years, but this fall they will start a new intensive eight-week Organic Master Gardener program through Gaia College, which teaches holistic land care.

McEwan said the program will cover a multitude of organic gardening topics, including the importance of ecosystems, how to develop good soil, the role of fertilizer and compost and how to manage water use effectively.

“One of the goals is to give a very comprehensive ecosystem-based view of gardening, not gardening as a space you’re going to conquer.”

McEwan said there’s been a growing interest in organic gardening techniques lately as more municipalities discuss banning pesticides.

“The demand is out there,” she said.

McEwan said it’s crucial for people to understand the many serious issues surrounding pesticide use from both health and environmental standpoints.

“It’s important for us to be cognizant of what we do to our environment and how we affect our own backyards.”

Earthwise is holding a free information session about their eight-week pesticide-free gardening course Sept. 28, 6:30 p.m. at their location in Boundary Bay (6400 3 Ave.).

Eliminating Pesticides And Their Magnified Dangers In Our Children

“No need to panic if it’s organic.”  A catchy phrase, yeah?  Well, we are meant to believe hype such as “we couldn’t feed the world population without pesticides” and more, but we are happy to bring you truth on this topic today!

Our exclusive interview with Kristin Schafer, from Pesticide Action Network, really shines the light on the importance of organic eating and farming, and how it all comes full circle for our babies, children, ourselves and our precious planet.

Additionally, all mentioned links in this post will want to be bookmarked and referenced to often.  Help us spread the word on this important article and share with those you love.  By following a few basic tips here, we CAN make a difference in the elimination of highly hazardous pesticides.  Thanks!

US uses 25% of All Pesticides Worldwide

Does the U.S. use more fertilizer/pesticide (or more toxic) than other industrialized countries and if yes, why?

The U.S. uses roughly 25% of all the pesticides used worldwide - over one billion pounds every year. This is in part because we are a large, food-exporting country with many acres used for agriculture, but it also reflects a farming system that has become dependent on chemical inputs, rather than maintaining healthy soils and carefully managing pests.

What are synthetic fertilizers and pesticides made of?

Synthetic pesticides are made in laboratories, and almost all have active ingredients that are derived from petroleum and include some combination of chemical elements, such as chlorine, phosphorous, nitrogen or bromine. The active ingredient is designed to kill the pest; pesticides also contain “inert” ingredients, which are included to help apply the pesticide.

Do We Need Pesticides or Would We Not Have Enough Food For Everybody?

Lots of people say we need to use pesticides or we won’t have enough food for everybody, true?

This is one of the favorite arguments of pesticide companies and other who promote pesticide use, but we now know it is simply not true.  A recent global study by hundreds of scientists found that the best way to feed the world in the long run is small-scale farming that doesn’t pollute the soil and water with chemicals. In many cases this kind of farming can be more productive in the short term too – and it doesn’t risk the health of farmers, farm workers and neighboring communities.

Washing off Pesticides from Fruits and Veggies

Can you wash off pesticides by water or do you need special products to wash it off?

Washing with water can help with some pesticides, but others are “systemic” pesticides, which means they are applied to the soil and taken up through a plant’s roots into the flesh of the fruit or vegetable. These chemicals can’t be washed off.

Eating Organic During Pregnancy

Why is a switch to organic crucial for pregnant women and children?

Many chemicals are known to pass through the placenta and can affect the developing fetus during pregnancy. Depending on the timing, exposure to chemicals in the womb can cause serious damage when organs and systems are developing. Any reduction in this chemical load during pregnancy – like switching to an organic or mostly organic diet – can help protect the developing infant during this critical period.

Children are also especially vulnerable to the impacts of pesticides after birth, since all of their systems – their nervous system and reproductive systems, for example - are growing quickly, and exposure to certain chemicals at critical points in that development can have serious long term impacts. They also take in more food pound for pound than a full-grown adult, so their small bodies can actually be exposed to more pesticides. And recent studies confirm that children’s bodies aren’t able to clear their blood of toxins as quickly as adults, so pesticides that might be cleared from the system of an adult in a day or two can stay in a child’s body much longer.

Short and Long Term Health Effects of Pesticides in Children

What are the short/long term health effects of pesticides in children’s bodies?

Scientists have linked children’s exposure to pesticides to many different health effects – the health outcome can depend on the type of pesticide, the level of exposure, and – sometimes most critically – the timing of exposure in relation to a child’s development. Some of the strongest linkages have been found between pesticides and impacts on a child’s developing nervous system, including serious developmental delays. Studies have also found linkages with childhood cancers including leukemia, birth defects, low birth weight, and reproductive effects in adulthood from exposure during infancy or childhood, including low sperm count and infertility. If exposure levels are high, short term effects can include dizziness and nausea, rashes and immune system suppression.

Pesticides and Autism

Is it true that Autism can be linked to pesticide exposures, any studies you can refer to?

Yes, several studies have found some linkage between pesticide exposure and autism. One recent study in California found that women who were exposed to the pesticide endosulfan during pregnancy were six times more likely to give birth to an autistic child. Though the study was small, these findings are significant and researchers are working hard to confirm these findings. Endosulfan is one of the persistent pesticides our organization is working hard to ban in the U.S.

Detox of Pesticides

Can the body easily ‘remove’ these pesticides or are they staying in the body for a while?

It depends on the type of pesticide. Some persistent pesticides, in the same family as DDT, have breakdown products that can last for decades in our blood and fatty tissue. Sadly, these kinds of chemicals can be passed from mother to child both in the womb and during breastfeeding. While the benefits of breastfeeding far outweigh any risk this contamination poses, it is tragic that nature’s perfect food has been compromised by these long-lasting chemicals.

Other pesticides can pass through the body in a matter of hours or days, clearing from the system in urine or sweat – though as noted above, recent studies show that it takes longer for children to clear these chemicals from their bodies.

Switch To Organic

Why is it so important for our future and the future of our children to switch to all organic?

Switching to organic not only protects your family from the health effects of pesticide residues, it protects farmer and farm workers from direct exposure to dangerous poisons, protects bees, fish, birds and other animals from chemical exposure, and protects the land, water and air from contamination. By buying organic, you are helping convince more farmers to make the switch to a safer and healthier kind of farming – and that protects their children too.

Natural Fertilizer vs Synthetic Fertilizer

Is ‘natural fertilizer’ like cow waste a problem too or just synthetic fertilizer and pesticides?

Building healthy, living soil with natural fertilizers like cow manure is the key to successful organic farming. Unless somehow mismanaged, these organic manures do not pose health risks.

Fertilizer/Pesticide at your Child’s School and Your Yard

If parents use fertilizer/pesticides in their yard (or used at school), can the child ‘absorb’ these as well (how)?

Yes, home and garden use of pesticides can absolutely increase children’s exposure. Chemicals can be tracked in from the lawn onto carpets, where the dust can then be inhaled or absorbed into the skin. Many cities in Canada have outlawed the use of pesticides on lawns to protect the health of the community’s children and families. And in many states and cities here in the U.S., parents and others are working hard to limit pesticide use in schools and parks.

Non-organic foods pregnant women and children should avoid?

We’ve just launched a new on-line tool that lets people see for themselves which foods are contaminated with what pesticides: www.whatsonmyfood.org.

With this website you can see what kinds of health effects are linked to the pesticides USDA has found in a wide range of foods. You’ll see that some of the highest numbers are found in leafy vegetables (spinach, lettuce, collards and kale). Green beans, peaches, apples and tomatoes also have high numbers of pesticide residues found.

Pesticides in Drinking Water

Pesticides are a major pollutant to our drinking water as well.  What is the best way to filter drinking water from harmful pesticides?

The best way to protect oneself from pesticides in drinking water is to help reduce the overall pesticide load on our waterways by supporting organic farmers and buying organic.

‘Pesticide Free’ = Organic?

Is ‘pesticide free’ produce from farmer’s markets as safe as ‘organic’?

Often a farmer marketing their produce as “pesticide free” is in the 3-year transition period required before they can be certified organic. During this period they are growing their food organically, but they can’t call their fruits and vegetables organic. Other farmers using the “pesticide free” label are using chemical fertilizers, but no pesticides. These fruits and vegetables are safer than those conventionally produced, but production may still be harming the environment. Small farmers will often come to markets themselves to sell their produce, so they can answer your questions directly about how their fruits and vegetables are grown.

Parents Making A Difference

It seems that many of the environmental pollutant pesticides that are sprayed (our neighbors/school lawn, the state spraying the sides of the highways, etc.) are out of our control.  How can parents make their voice heard to stop unnecessary pesticide use in their community?

Parents can make a tremendous difference by getting involved in a local group – or if there isn’t one already up and running in your community, by getting one started. There are many many groups around the country battling pesticide use, and state and national coalitions focused on schools, lawns, aerial spraying of pesticides and more. Parents can also join our North America network – one of five regional networks around the world of people concerned about pesticides. To find out more about state and local groups in the US, see the Affiliate page on our website: www.panna.org.

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)

Anything else you’d like to add parents should know about?

One great way to “go organic” as a family is to find a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm in your area. When you join a CSA, you sign up for a share of the farm’s produce – usually you pay for the season’s bounty up front (or maybe in two payments), which helps your small farmer meet expenses through the year. Then your box of fresh organic fruits and veggies (our CSA also includes eggs and bread) will be delivered to a nearby location where you pick it up once a week. When my two children were younger, we were regulars at our CSA farm’s solstice celebrations and open farm days – my children learned to pick ripe raspberries and pull weeds on “our” farm. They also learned the importance of dirt and good bugs – and how to milk a goat. There are hundreds of these wonderful community-supported farms across the country. Here’s a resource to help you find one near your community:  www.localharvest.org/csa/

About Kristin Schafer from Pesticide Action Network

Kristin Schafer, Senior Policy Analyst and mother of two
M.A., Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies

Before joining PAN in 1996, Kristin worked for the World Resources Institute’s Sustainable Agriculture program, as a communications specialist for the U.S. EPA, and as an agro-forestry extension officer with the Peace Corps in Kenya. Prior to becoming PAN’s Senior Policy Analyst, Kristin was the Campaigns Department Director and coordinator of the international persistent organic pollutants campaign. Kristin has been lead author on several PANNA reports, including Chemical Trespass: Pesticides in our Bodies and Corporate Accountability. Her 13-year-old daughter and 10-year-old son love organic strawberries.

Pesticide Action Network promotes the elimination of highly hazardous pesticides and offers solutions that protect people and the environment. PAN North America is one of five independent regional centers of PAN International, a worldwide network of more than 600 organizations in 90 countries. For more than 25 years PAN has fought for environmental justice, sustainable agriculture and food sovereignty.

A Good Article from Mother Nature Network

Don't be a lawn jockey

Dear Vanessa,

 

What is the most environmentally sound way for me to care for my lawn?

 

— Aching for some green in S.C.

 

Dear Aching,

 

Get rid of it.

 

The “care” of American lawns is poisoning our bodies, land, and water with a deadly deluge of toxic emissions and chemicals. American lawns also waste mind-boggling amounts of money, energy, water and land that could otherwise be used to grow food and provide habitat.

 

With lawns covering almost 50 million acres in the United States, the impact on our health and environment is considerable. U.S. lawns are doused with about 270 billion gallons of water a week — enough to water 81 million acres of vegetables — all summer long. More chemicals per acre are used on lawns than in agriculture. With 100 million pounds of pesticides used by homeowners each year, that’s up to 10 times as much pesticides as are used on farmland. Add in the 90 million pounds of herbicides applied on lawns every year, and you’ve got a deadly brew.

 

These fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides pollute water and air, devastating wildlife and greatly increasing our risk of cancer, birth defects and a myriad of other diseases. Some lawncare chemicals are neurotoxic, others are carcinogenic (cancer-causing), and others act like human hormones. Exposure is linked to miscarriage; suppression of the nervous, endocrine and immune systems; asthma; cancer; kidney or liver damage; genetic defects; and developmental and behavior disorders. Kids exposed to pesticides may be seven times more likely develop leukemia than other children.

 

Most of these chemicals are broad-spectrum biocides used to kill pests, but they are, in fact, indiscriminant killers. This means they are poisonous to a wide variety of living organisms, including garden plants, wildlife, pets, your neighbors, your family and you. Most likely, you are already being exposed. The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found pesticides in 100 percent of the people they tested. (The average person carried 13 of 23 pesticides tested.)

 

The way we grow and maintain lawns is also responsible for consuming tremendous amounts of fossil fuels in the form of synthetic fertilizers, transportation, packaging and fuel for equipment — not to mention the CO2 emissions that go with them.

 

What to do?

Consider replacing that monotonous stretch of labor- and energy-intensive sod with a diverse mix of flora and fauna. Planting native and edible plants brings texture, color and biodiversity to the land, and it provides habitat and food for wildlife and humans alike. A deciduous tree planted to shade your home can keep your cooling bills down; make it a fruit or nut tree and you get food to boot.

 

There are several alternatives to the traditional lawn, alternatives that conserve water and help reduce pollution from mowing and chemicals. These alternatives are less expensive, and require less maintenance.

 

• Xeriscaping is a low- or no-water approach to landscaping. Droughts across North America — long and intense, and likely to only get worse in the coming years — are reason enough to abandon the water-greedy lawn. 

• Natives: Plants, flowers and grasses that are native to your region are the most attuned to the soil, climate and water particularities. They are great water-savers and will thrive with less care than tropical and imported varieties.

• Let the moss grow! It is a natural, maintenance-free plant for shade.

• Grow food instead of turf! Growing your own food is one of the greatest things you can do for your health and that of the Earth. A lawn-to-garden movement is taking root across the country (and world) so you should be able to easily find resources, information and support. Food Not Lawns is a good place to start.

• Turn your yard into a habitat for beneficial insects, birds and other wildlife. Check out The National Wildlife Federation’s backyard wildlife habitat program and suggestions from Audubon. 

 

For the turf you keep:

• A cooperative extension agent can advise you on the best type of lawn seed for your region and soil conditions. Planting grass native to your soil cuts down on the need for water, fertilizer and chemical inputs.

• Mow, at most, only a third of the grass's height at a time, and leave it as tall as you can stand — three inches is a good minimum. This allows the grass blades to shade the ground and provides better habitat. The leftover cuttings act like mulch for your lawn, helping it retain moisture and giving it valuable nutrients.

• Don’t weed out non-turf plants such as clover. A more diverse lawn is a healthier and more resilient lawn. Clover is a drought-tolerant, low-maintenance, cost-saving and environmentally sound lawn alternative. It is evergreen, and converts nitrogen into a substance that is usable by other plants. If clippings are left on the lawn, just a 5 percent clover mix can generate enough usable nitrogen to make fertilizing unnecessary.

• Be a water-miser. Water early in the day or in the evening, when there is less loss to evaporation. Keep in mind that most lawns and gardens are over-watered and therefore susceptible to fungus and disease.

• Power to the people! Leaf blowers and power mowers are as many as six times more polluting than cars. They are a source of global warming, responsible for up to 10 percent of air pollution in the summer months. Get a push-reel mower and trade the leaf blower for a broom.

• Feed the soil, not the plant. Chemical fertilizers — besides being fossil fuel-based and dangerous — only treat the symptoms. Organic conditioners, such as compost, nourish the soil and that is the foundation of a truly healthy yard or garden.

• Needless to say, don’t use pesticides or herbicides on your lawn or garden, especially if you have children or pets.

How will exposure to chemical pesticides effect you? Find out here.

A Chemical Reaction, is a documentary movie scheduled for release in 2009 that tells the story of one of the most powerful and effective community initiatives in the history of North America.  It started with one lone voice in 1984.  Dr. June Irwin, a dermatologist, noticed a connection between her patients’ health conditions and their exposure to chemical pesticides and herbicides.  With relentless persistence she brought her concerns to town meetings to warn her fellow citizens that the chemicals they were putting on their lawns posed severe health risks and had unknown side effects on the environment.

A Chemical Reaction the Movie

More Studies on Autism and Lawn Pesticides

Don't take our word for it.  Read for yourself:

Pesticides and Autism from San Francisco Chronicle

Understanding your Soil Test

One of the keys to eliminating the use of chemical fertilizers and chemical pesticides from your lawn care program is to have a very good understanding of what is going on with your soil.  The key to a healthy organic lawn is to have healthy organic soil and without studying the make up of that soil we can’t fully understand how to make changes.  The standard Organic Lawns for America program will fulfill the majority of your lawns needs when it comes to macro and micronutrients.  In most cases your soil will already contain the necessary elements to produce a healthy lawn but your grass is unable to use them because the soil is void of biological activity.  The vitamins, nutrients and minerals in our products will detoxify and buffer the salts and chemicals that prevent that biological activity from flourishing.  However, as mentioned before it is very important to verify that all the factors that go into this equation are in a desirable range.  Usually, if they are not we can make simple adjustments.  These small adjustments will speed up the process of detoxifying your soil and building soil-improving microbes. The more healthy and alive your soil is, the more healthy and alive your lawn is!  When your soil is healthy and your lawn is healthy you begin see common lawn care problems like weeds, disease and drought become much less of an issue.

One setback that we have in the organic lawn care industry is that there isn’t a soil test that is designed specifically for organic lawn care recommendations.  Every soil test that is performed by universities, soil labs and even “do it yourself” kits will give you recommendations for Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium in terms of synthetic fertilizer.  We, in the organic frame of mind continue to contend that this is not the best way to have a healthy lawn.  (In fact we contend that it actually sterilizes the soil in the long term.)  The soil test that is enclosed works very well in all categories except for the macro nutrient recommendations (N P K), which are expressed in pounds per thousand square feet of chemical fertilizer.  We continue to suggest that with the proper percent of organic matter, the proper pH, and the proper levels of micronutrients we can help the grass use what is already in the soil and simply not available. We hope that somewhere somebody is working on a soil test that makes those macro nutrient recommendations in lbs of fish emulsion, kelp and organic humates!

The following page gives a basic description of the key points of your soil test and what we suggest you do to make the proper adjustments.  In each case we offer you both solutions that you can do on your own and products that we can provide to help make the adjustments easier. 
You can find all of the products we recommend for improving your soil conditions at our website under the “Soil Amendments” category. 

Soil Amendments

 Although we obviously suggest you do everything possible in terms of what goes on your lawn we can’t stress enough that it is just one part of many things you should do to ensure the best possible chemical free lawn.  As the summer approaches be sure you are mowing at the highest setting, watering deeply when your lawn needs it and you continue to understand that patience and a positive attitude is the most important part of having a healthy lawn.

Soil pH
This simple measure of the acidity or alkalinity in your soil is the key to healthy soil and a nice lawn.  The optimum soil pH reading will be a little bit different based on your grass type and where you live but generally you would like your pH to be between 6.5 and 7.0.  If your pH is higher than that we recommend applying sulfur.  If it is lower than that you should apply calcium carbonate and magnesium.  (Limestone is a good option)  If your soil pH is way off, your lawn will have a hard time using the nutrients that exist in your soil.  Many of the products that you apply to the lawn will also be “neutralized” because of acid levels and be less effective.  Adjusting your soil pH is very important.

Organic Matter %
The percent organic matter of your soil is a great measurement for the success of your organic approach.  An optimal level for this reading is 6 to 8 % but this is generally difficult to achieve without taking measures that are typically cost prohibitive.  The absolute best way to raise the organic matter in your soil is to have it top-dressed with organic compost.  Sometimes it is difficult to hire a company who will do this and it can be very expensive too.  More economical ways to help improve the organic content in your soil is by using compost teas or applying straight humic acid.   

Magnesium/Calcium/Copper/Manganese/Iron/Zinc
These micronutrients are essential minerals required by plants for healthy growth and development. Magnesium is essential for many plant functions including photosynthesis, (Magnesium is the central element of the chlorophyll molecule.) sugar synthesis, starch translocation and increased Iron utilization.  Often overlooked in place of the macronutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) these elements play a key role in the quality of your soil.  The best method of amending your soil of any of these elements is to apply a foliar concentrate that contains all of the micronutrients.

A few things we didn’t mention and why.
There are several items on the soil test that don’t require an action on your part and are only useful if the readings are extremely high or low.   This particular soil test is very detailed and can be confusing if you don’t understand the meaning behind each item.  We wanted to briefly explain a few of those items.

Buffer pH:  This is a laboratory created measurement to determine how much calcium, magnesium or sulfur is needed to adjust the actual soil pH. 

CEC: (Cation Exchange Capacity) Essentially the soils ability to absorb nutrients and is measured by the soils tendency to exchange positive and negative ions.  (I know, I know)  This measurement is really defined by the soils pH and percent organic matter.
K,Mg,Ca Percent Saturation and K/Mg Ratio Ca/Mg Ratio are also numbers that relate directly to CEC. These three nutrients are major cations in the soil and are involved in a competitive interaction with each other, as well as being affected by a fourth significant cation, hydrogen (H+). Hydrogen is significant because as the quantity of soil H+ increases, the soil becomes more acid and the soil pH decreases.  These measurements are much easily understood by looking at your soils acidity or alkalinity, percent organic matter and making the

A Chilling Essay on Web MD

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

The Chemical Legacy of the "Perfect" Lawn

Our guest blogger is Dr. Warren Porter, Professor of Zoology and Environmental Toxicology at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

On the tenth of February, 1997, in Madison Wisconsin, where I live, the Wisconsin State Journal was running a series of articles on our schools. We have many schools of national excellence in Madison, and we are very proud of them. But this particular issue was entitled, "Cost of Accommodating: As special education grows, so does the cost of staffing." There was a chart with statistics that are very chilling. From 1990 to 1995, in the Madison school district, by disability we had an increase of 87 percent in the emotionally disturbed category over a five year period. The learning disabilities category jumped 70 percent and birth defects increased 83 percent in a five year period.

This was astonishing, so I began to dig further. We were having big increases in the state of Wisconsin. California was having big increases. Pennsylvania was having big increases. Iran, where my wife is from, was having big increases. Australia, which I had visited a couple of years earlier, was having big increases. Something was happening to our children.

We have known for decades that many pesticides are neurotoxins, they are that way by design. Studies have also shown links between pesticide use and childhood cancers. We have also shown that mixtures of common herbicides and fertilizers found in groundwater can change aggression levels, learning abilities, hormone levels and immune function in rats and mice. Pesticides are a molecular bull in a china shop when they penetrate the human cell. Depending on where they end up in the cell, they can kill it or mutate the genetic coding - and children don't have the enzymes to defend themselves.

Recently my research team bought one of the most commonly used lawn chemical mixtures right off the shelves of a local store instead of buying ultra-pure active ingredients, which is what EPA registers. We found that the mixture, at minuscule amounts well below what is considered safe by the EPA, could induce abortions and resorptions of fetuses in mice. And of particular importance, we saw things that are not typically seen in toxicology, namely that there was an inverse dose response. That is, the greatest effect was at the lowest dose. This is because natural hormones in the body work at the low parts per billion to parts per trillion dose levels. Our research was only at the high end of the physiological dose range and as we go down in dose we were approaching the most sensitive middle range.

This is a disturbing finding, to say the least. As consumers we are repeatedly told that chemical exposures are too small to cause any harm, and many people are comforted by that thought. Now we have found some chemicals are more toxic at infinitesimal levels than they are in higher quantities. This fundamentally shifts our understanding of toxicology. We can longer hide behind the argument that "the dose makes the poison." Now, we must face the reality that some poisons are simply poisons and that we have to abandon these chemicals altogether.

As a nation, we spend more than $2 billion dispensing more than 80 million pounds of pesticides on our lawns and gardens, but the tide is shifting. Nevada now offers a $1,000 incentive for homeowners to remove their grass and 80 cities in North America have banned the use of lawn pesticides. Both Ontario and Quebec have banned the cosmetic use of pesticides. Home Depot in Canada is voluntarily pulling pesticides from the shelves and replacing them with safer alternatives. In my hometown of Madison, Healthy Lawn Teams continue to promote pesticide-free neighborhoods and students at the University are pressing for safer lawn care practices on campus.

Each one of us has a role to play in breaking the habit. If you haven't switched to organic lawn and garden care, now is the time. If you have, now is the time to start working with your neighbors or your local school or hospital.

Get started by visiting the National Coalition for Pesticide-Free Lawns.

Resources:
Facing Scientific Realities, Debunking the "Dose Makes the Poison" Myth by Warren Porter, PhD

Rachel Ray likes us...how cool is that?

Rachel Ray; Caring for your lawn naturally. 

Mowing Tips

• Don't cut your grass too short, particular for cool season grasses. Higher heights usually provide for a deeper root system, looks better, and is less likely to have weeds invading, particularly crabgrass.

• Don't remove any more than one third of the grass leaf at any one cutting. If circumstances arise that a lawn gets too tall and you just have to lop off a bunch to get caught up, bite the bullet and break it down into several mowings to get caught up with 3 or so days between cuttings.

• Try to avoid mowing when the grass is wet.

• When mowing only a third with each cutting, you can safely leave clippings that will quickly decompose and add nutrients back into the soil. Contrary to popular opinion, grass clippings do not add to thatch buildup. Grass blades are made up of about 75% water.

• Mow your lawn in a different direction with each mowing, especially with lawns of shorter grass types. Altering the direction ensures a more even cut since grass blades will grow more erect and less likely to develop into a set pattern.

• Keep your mower's blade sharp, which means having it sharpened several times during the mowing season. Keep several blades around so you'll always have a sharp one on hand.

• Don't forget to change your mower's oil at least once during the mowing season.

• If you didn't drain your gas tank in the fall, or use a fuel stabilizer, don't use that old gas, it can cause a number of problems. Better to use fresh gasoline to begin the new mowing season.

First Application Instructions

 

At the request of several of our customers here is the text from the instructions that are sent with the first treatment.

Please find enclosed your springtime treatment for the Organic Lawns for America organic lawn care program.  The product comes in an easy to use hose end sprayer and is literally ready to use as soon as you put it on your hose and start spraying.  Each container will cover 4,000 square feet at the heaviest recommended rate.  Don’t worry if you apply a little bit more in a certain section of your lawn, as our organic products have no tendency to burn if they are over applied.   When you begin spraying your lawn try to cover each area as evenly as possible.  There is no right way or wrong way to apply the product.  Just go at your own pace and make sure that you are able to cover the entire lawn. 

Some people like to do the lawn once at a half rate and then go back over it again.  This first product is very different than what you would get with a chemical treatment.  It does not contain the typical Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium that a chemical treatment would have.  (Your second treatment will be more based on those nutrients.) This treatment is designed to loosen your soil and activate all the biological activity below the grass.  When this happens the grass plants will use all of the stored nutrients that are already in the soil and just unavailable to the plants.  This is the first step in cleaning your soil and giving you a healthy organic lawn.  Remember to mow as high as you can to shade out weeds and crabgrass and only water your lawn this time of year if it needs to be watered.  Usually spring rain is enough!

Your Soil Testing Kit
We have enclosed your soil testing kit along with an envelope for you to use when sending your sample to the lab.  We have filled out most of the information for you but you will need to fill out what type of grass is in your lawn by using the recommendation codes on the bottom left of the green paper.  Place this code in the box next to the “sample identification number” that we have written in for you.  (Most lawns are made up of several types of grass so choose all that are appropriate.) 

Take a soil sample using the instructions on the green sheet and fill the soil sample bag appropriately.  Do not fill past the “fill line.”  Place your soil sample and your green information sheet inside the white envelope that is provided and mail it to “Spectrum Analytic.”  We have placed a label on the envelope for you.  Depending on how wet or dry your soil is postage should be about $2.00.  (You may want to bring to post office just in case.)

When your soil test is complete we will get the results to you as soon as possible along with an explanation and any recommendations we have.   

Technical Information about our Products

Benefits of Using Soil Biologicals
•    Reduce Planting & Transplanting Shock   
•    Increase Nutrient Availability
•    Increase & Enhance Nutrient Absorption
•    Minimize Nutrient Loss Through Leaching
•    Promote Nitrogen Fixation
•    Accelerate Cell Division
•    Increase Photosynthetic Capacity For a Greener Plant
•    Improve Humus Levels in Soil
•    Provide Increased Resistance to Environmental Extremes (heat, drought, cold)
•    Kill or Control Fungal & Bacterial Diseases and Plant Pathogens
•    Stimulate Root Growth & Root Formation
•    Improve Soil Structure

BACTERIA
Bacillus organisms, isolated by soil sprinkle technique, are responsible for producing antibiotics.
The most antibiotic activity was seen in Bacillus subtilis MH-4. Other antibiotics that Bacillus subtilis form are polymyxin, difficidin, subtilin and mycobacillin. Polymyxin is effective against Gram-negative bacteria. Bacillus   subtilis bacteria secrete enzymes such as amylase, protease, pullulanase, chitinase, xylanase, lipase, among others.
The ability to maintain an alkaline soil pH with Bacillus laterosporus is the equivalent to the use of tons of lime per acre per year. Bacillus laterosporus is used in controlling plant pathogenic organisms. Ammonia nitrogen which is easily lost into the air is converted in alkaline pH soil to nitrate nitrogen which is fixed in the soil and easily assimilated by plants.
B. licheniformis isolates can mitigate the effects of fungal pathogens on maize, grasses and vegetable crops. As an endospore-forming bacterium, the ability of the organism to survive under unfavorable environmental conditions may enhance its potential as a natural biocontrol agent.
Treatment with B. megaterium resulted in a greater than 40% reduction in nematode penetration and gall formation compared with non-treated roots, and, in a separate study, colonization of roots with B. megaterium decreased migration of M. graminicola to the root zone by nearly 60% compared with that of non-treated roots.
Bacillus subtillis-Bacillus subtilis GB03 is a PGPR organism with activity against soilborne fungal root pathogens. Treatment of seed with GB03 has been reported to promote growth and increase yields in several crop species.

FUNGI
Trichoderma harzianum competes in the soil for nutrients and rhizosphere dominance with phyto-pathogenic fungi. In presence of sufficient organic carbon it produces enzymes having lytic effect on target fungi and in contrast in adverse conditions it produces toxins which are equally harmful to target fungus.
Trichoderma viride - Trichoderma viride is a fungus and a Bio Fungicide. It is used for seed and soil treatment for suppression of various diseases caused by fungal pathogens.
Trichoderma koningii - Acts as an antagonist of several phytopathogenic fungi
Trichoderma polysporum - Like the trichoderma koningii, this also acts as an antagonist of several phytopathogenic fungi

Canada Continues with Pesticide Ban

Pesticide-free lawn care means more manual work.

Ontario pesticide ban to mean lawncare changes

Updated: Mon Apr. 13 2009 5:39:20 PM

ctvtoronto.ca

Ontario homeowners used to letting pesticides do their heavy lifting for lawn care will see the rules change in just over a week.

On Earth Day, which falls on April 22, the province-wide ban kicks in.

Torontonians have a head start. The city implemented its own pesticide ban, which started on April 1, 2007. However, the province says its law supercedes municipal bylaws to "create one clear, transparent and understandable set of rules across the province."

However, newcomers to the world of pesticide-free lawn care face a learning curve.

"There really is no effective or cost-effective organic weed control alternative," Dan Passmore of Frechette Lawncare told CTV Toronto.

"We do have people that come in and they're a little worried about the pesticides going away," said George Filopoulos of the Rona home improvement store chain.  "The only way you're going to be able to get totally weed-free on your lawn is to promote a healthy lawn."

Here are some tips:

• Have your lawn aerated both now and in the fall
• Sprinkle lawn seed both now and in the fall
• Use your grass clippings as fertilizer
• Water deeply and infrequently (2.5 centimetres of water once per week)
• Pluck weeds by hand

"Another tip that you can use is when you're mowing your lawn, the longer you leave your lawn, the better," Filopoulos said.

The province also recommends that people selected grass varieties that match well with local soil and growing conditions.

"There are some new varieties of grass seeds out there that are better suited for our Ontario summers. Choose hardy grasses that don't require a lot of care and are specific for your property, either shady or sunny locations," it said.

Pesticide Free Ontario suggests homeowns should get used to a few dandelions or insects, noting that some are important to the environment.

The group also suggests that homeowners consider alternatives to grass, including:

• trees
• shrubs
• perennials
• ground covers and
• wild flowers (native species work best)

Exceptions to the ban

Here are some of the exceptions allowed by the province:

• public health and safety (including the protection of public works
  structures)
• golf courses
• specialty turf
• specified sports fields
• arboriculture
• to protect natural resources (if certain conditions are met)
• for agriculture, forestry, research and scientific purposes
• controlling wasps or mosquitoes that can transmit West Nile Virus
• killing plants that are poisonous to the touch, such as poison ivy and giant hogweed.
• to protect the health of pets (e.g. to control fleas)
• to control indoor pests or pests that can cause structural damage to the home.

The province will allow for the use of "biopesticides," which means microorganisms that can control pests and low-risk pesticides.

"If you hire a professional to look after your lawn, that person is required to post a green notice sign to notify your neighbours that biopesticides or lower risk pesticides are in use," the province said.

You might have some leftover pesticides on your property. The province encourages you to go to the Do What You Can website to learn how you can safely dispose of those chemicals.

Snow Mold

Symptoms:

Damage from snow mold fungi usually becomes apparent as the snow melts and exposes the grass in late winter. Snow mold symptoms consist of roughly circular patches (at least 3 to 12 inches) of dead and matted grass blades. In severe cases, these patches coalesce and may not be recognizable as individual circles. Just after snow melt and while the grass remains moist, it may be possible to differentiate between the two common types of snow mold by their color. The web-like mycelium of pink snow mold  may initially look white and mature to a faint pink to salmon color. Gray snow mold  is white to gray in color. The mycelium of both types of fungi will disappear quickly as the grass dries. A useful identifying characteristic of gray snow mold is the presence of tiny brown to black mycelial masses  on the blades and in the leaf sheaths of infected plants. These survival structures vary in size and color, becoming smaller and darker as they dry. The pink snow mold fungus does not produce sclerotia.

It is useful to determine whether the disease is pink or gray snow mold because gray snow mold rarely damages more than the blades of the grass. Lawns with gray snow mold can be expected to recover fairly quickly even when damage appears extensive. Pink snow mold, in contrast, may invade the crowns and roots causing more serious injury. It is not unusual for both types of snow mold to be found in the same area. All common lawn grasses may be infected, but Kentucky bluegrass-fescue lawns are the least susceptible to severe damage.

Gray snow mold on turfgrass and close-up of mycelium
Characteristic pink snow mold symptoms on turfgrass and close-up of mycelium

 If your lawn appears to be affected by snow mold don't panic.  In most cases it will go away as soil temperatures increase and the turf begins to grow.  You should lightly rake the affected areas to allow the areas to dry out and let some air get to the soil surface.

 

Soil Testing

 

Why Soil Test?

Knowing the nutrient content and pH of your soil is the first step of a working lawn care program. Lawns are grown on a wide variety of soil types and fertilizer requirements can vary greatly depending on what's going on in the soil.

Many nutrients tend to be over-applied resulting in imbalances in the soil and harmful effects on the environment. An excess of nitrogen can cause leaching and groundwater contamination or contamination of waterways from run-off. Many current fertilizers no longer contain phosphorus because it binds with the soil, and years of needless applications have virtually eliminated the need to apply phosphorus to a lawn ever again.

What is Soil pH?

A soil's pH is the measure of its alkalinity or acidity based on a scale from 0 to 14. Zero represents harsh acidity, fourteen is extreme alkalinity, with seven being neutral. The pH of a lawn's soil should be in the 6.0 - 7.5 range. If pH becomes imbalanced, it can directly affect the availability of nutrients in the soil. Limestone derived products are applied to soil that is acidic(sour), while alkaline(sweet) soils require applications of sulfur products. Adjusting the pH of your soil may take several years but is crucial for proper nutrient uptake and plant health.

The link below will bring you to an example of the soil test that we use at Organic Lawns for America.  Please check it out!

Download Soil test

Aerate for Best Results this Spring!

If your lawn is having some drainage problems, if the ground is hard and compact, or if there are bare patches that will not grow then your lawn may need to be aerated. Foot traffic will compact the soil in your lawn over time. The roots will become tangled and matted. Either way, water and fertilizer won't be able to penetrate the soil to where they are needed. Aeration will solve these problems, allowing air, water and nutrients to penetrate the lawn, and get to the roots where they are needed.

 

Lawn aeration is basically punching holes in the lawn, to loosen up soil, and to allow air, water, and fertilizer to get to the roots of the lawn. Aeration also severs some of the roots, breaking apart the tangle, and encouraging new root growth. You don't have to aerate the lawn often. Aerating the lawn every other year should be sufficient. If the lawn gets a lot of foot traffic, and the soil is particularly dense and compact, then you may want to aerate the lawn every year.

You can find a variety of tools to aerate the lawn, with different degrees of effectiveness. There are spiked sandals which strap to your shoes, punching holes in the yard while you walk around. There are also spiked rollers designed to punch holes in the lawn. If your soil is dense and compact, however, neither of these methods will be very effective. If the soil is too compact, these tools just will not be able to penetrate the lawn effectively. In addition, the holes made in the ground will be small, and not effective at allowing water and fertilizer into the lawn. The best tool for the job will be a core aerator.

Core aerators are available at your local rental shop. These motorized machines are probably the quickest and most effective way to aerate the lawn. A core aerator will pull up plugs of soil and grass from the lawn, about a half inch in diameter. These holes will effectively loosen soil, and provide a good path for the water and nutrients to penetrate the lawn. Along with the plug of soil, chunks of roots will also be pulled out, which will allow the remaining roots to grow back, healthier than before. If the soil in your yard is loose and sandy, you will probably only need to go over the lawn once. If the soil is more dense, you may need to go over the lawn twice.

Pesticide Recall

Scotts recalls unregistered pesticides

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has ordered Scotts Miracle Gro Co. to stop selling illegal, unregistered and misbranded pesticides.

"Scotts has agreed to recall these products from all retail locations across the U.S." and to help consumers safely return any unregistered products they may have purchased, EPA officials said in a press release.

Despite increased scrutiny, it appears that Scotts has forgotten to comply with the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, which says "all pesticides must be submitted to EPA for review, evaluation and registration to ensure that they do not pose an unreasonable risk to human health or the environment."

Scotts officials have not yet been reached for comment.

It's not known whether there are any risks posed by the unregistered products, but the EPA and the Ohio Department of Agriculture (where Scotts is based) are currently testing the products.

Until we know more, don't use them and store them in a safe, cool and dry place such as a garage or utility shed.  Don't dump them down the drain, in the garbage or at a community disposal site.

The products can be identified by an invalid "EPA registration number" listed on the package.

Invalid registration number 62355-4 is marketed under names including "Garden Weed Preventer + Plant Food" and "Miracle Gro Shake 'n' Feed All Purpose Plant Food Plus Weed Preventer."

Invalid registration number 538-304 is used primarily by Scotts Lawn Service, a lawn care company.  It is marketed under names including "Scotts Lawn Service Fertilizer with .28% Halts," "Scotts Lawn Service Fertilizer 0-0-7 Plus .28% Halts Pro," "Scotts Lawn Service Fertilizer 14-2-5 Plus .28% Halts Pro" and "Scotts Lawn Service Fertilizer 22-0-8 Plus .28% Halts Pro." 

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Call the EPA consumer hot line (888-838-1304) or check out the National Pesticide Information Center.

For more EPA info on pesticides, click here.

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Treat Your Lawn with ORGANICS!

Go Green NOW!!!!

The Organic Lawns for America program is designed to give you a nice lawn without using the toxic chemicals that we have been accustomed to using. It is important to remember that organic lawn care improves the SOIL while chemical lawn care sterilizes the soil. Beginning in the spring and continuing through fall we will ship a customized organic lawn care treatment directly to your door. We will provide you with a soil test kit and most importantly we will provide you with the information you need to be a true organic lawn care applicator. It's important to remember that when you use organic products on your lawn it takes a little bit longer to see results. Your lawn won't be glowing nuclear green like it is the day after chemicals are sprayed on it. Give it a couple of weeks after you apply the products and you will be very proud of the results.