Colored Easter eggs have been around far longer than Paas dye tablets. Water and vinegar are still used in today’s commercial dyes, but instead of chemical tablets, people used foods & spices to color their eggs. Imagine never again worrying if the egg is safe to eat because a tiny bit of dye seeped through a crack and now your child is happily munching away at that colored stripe of egg. The colors may be a bit softer, and the process may take a bit longer, but if anything that should be welcomed as more time with your family engaged in a fun and healthy activity.
There are two ways to dye eggs using natural ingredients: Hot dye and cold dye. For each method, make sure you wash uncooked eggs in soap and water and handle with gloves while dying to avoid transferring oils from your skin which will prevent the dye from sticking. Gloves (and newspaper on your table) will also help the dyes stay exclusively on your eggs. Finish up by rubbing a small amount of oil into the dried, colored eggs for a faint sheen or leave plain for a matte look.
Hot Dyeing Method
This method uses the time spent boiling the eggs to simultaneously dye them. Simply place your eggs in a non-aluminum pan, and add water, vinegar & dyeing ingredients (see below). Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 30 minutes. The longer you leave the eggs in the water, the darker the color will be, but the tougher the eggs will be as well. To get darker colors while leaving the eggs soft, try the…
Cold Dyeing Method
This method starts with pre-boiled eggs. Add water, vinegar, and dyeing ingredients to a pan, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for at least 15 minutes or until desired color is reached. Strain the mixture and let cool. Add cooked eggs to dye for at least 15 minutes. For exceptionally rich colors, put in refrigerator overnight.
Alterations & Decorations
Tie-Dye: Rub clean, uncooked eggs with vinegar, wrap in onion skins, bind with kitchen string or rubber bands and simmer for 20 minutes.
Stripes: Wrap rubber bands around un-dyed eggs before dying for white stripes, or around dyed eggs before re-dying in a different dye for colored stripes.
Patterns: Wrap egg in onion skin or small leaves after dyeing but before completely dried for texture; use clean sponge to dab at dyed egg while still wet for stippling; or use clean, dry cloth to wipe some of the dye from the egg before drying.
Marbleized: Stir a tablespoon of oil into dye mixture for marbling effect. Once dry, re-dye for added variation.
Mosaic: Glue bits of your spices (star anise, peppercorns, powdered spices) or other small food items such as alphabet pasta or grains of rice to your egg for added variety.
Natural Dye Recipes
1 Tbsp. Spices, or 4 c. chopped fruits or vegetables
4 c. water
2 Tbsp. white vinegar
Combine ingredients in a pot, bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 15 to 30 minutes. For richer colors, use more spice/food item and/or boil longer.
Colors
Pink/Red: Fresh beets, pickled beet juice, pickled red cabbage juice, cranberries, frozen raspberries
Orange: Yellow onion skins, paprika
Deep Yellow: Ground turmeric
Pale Yellow to Light Green: Spinach leaves, Golden Delicious apple peels
Soft Yellow: Orange or lemon peels, carrot tops or shredded carrots, celery seed, ground cumin
Purple: Red Zinger® tea (or other hibiscus tea)
Blue: Canned blueberries, blackberries, red cabbage leaves, purple grape juice
Beige to Brown: strong brewed coffee, tea, walnuts, dill seeds
Brown to Orange: Chili powder, ground cumin
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Monday, March 26, 2007
Round Up & other glyphosate products
Glyphosate is the active ingredient of the herbicide best known commercially as “Roundup.” It is a non-selective, systemic herbicide for controlling weeds in agriculture, forestry, rights-of-way and aquatic systems. Glyphosate disrupts plant growth and eventually causes death by inhibiting synthesis of amino acids. Isopropylamine salt is the most frequently used form of glyphosate.
Human Health Risk Summary
Acute Effects: Some formulations of glyphosate cause extreme irritation of the skin and eyes, such as blurred vision, burning eyes, rashes and skin blisters. Other symptoms reported following acute exposures include: nausea, sore throat, dizziness, gastrointestinal and respiratory tract injuries.
Chronic Effects/Carcinogenicity: Though evidence that glyphosate causes cancer is yet to be established, several animal and human population studies have indicated that it may increase the risk of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, multiply myeloma, pancreatic, thyroid and testicular cancers.
Reproductive & Developmental Toxicity: Glyphosate exposure has been associated with several manifestations of reproductive and developmental impairment. In animal studies, high dose or prolonged exposures have resulted in skeletal malformations, disrupted organ development, and reduced sperm volume and quality. In human population studies, exposure to glyphosate has been connected to an increased rate of miscarriage, reduction in sex hormone production, and disruptions to endocrine system development.
Mutagenicity: Several studies on both animals and humans have suggested that exposure to glyphosate can cause chromosomal aberrations, DNA breaks, and other genetic mutations.
Ecological Hazard Summary
Environmental Fate: Glyphosate has frequently been detected in surface water nation-wide. It tends to bond strongly to soil particles and therefore may be displaced to surface water from movement of soil by wind, erosion, or storm runoff. Drift following arial applications also contributes to the presence of glyphosate in water.
Glyphosate is moderately to highly persistent, with half remaining toxic in soil from 60 days to six months or more, depending on soil conditions. In aquatic environments, half may remain toxic for several weeks to several months.
Risk to Non-Target Flora & Fauna: Because of drift and offsite movement from wind and rain, glyphosate poses a considerable risk to non-target plant and animal species. A significant amount of glyphosate spray applications drift off-site (from 14% to 78%), affecting plants 130 feet away, and residues have been detected up to 1,300 feet downwind.
Glyphosate has been shown to disrupt the immune systems and cause genetic abnormalities in fish. Similarly, it causes genetic, developmental and reproductive mutation in amphibians.
The balance of soil organisms is disrupted by glyphosate, which leaches from the roots of sprayed plants into the surrounding soil. Several studies have indicated that pathogenic fungi and other crop pests increase in numbers or have less competition when glyphosate is present in soil.
Toxicity of Other Ingredients
Commercial products such as Roundup are composed of the active ingredient (approximately 40% of the solution) and other ingredients that improve its effectiveness. These compounds exhibit toxicity at much higher levels than glyphosate alone. One such chemical, polyethoxylated tallowamine (POEA), is three times as acutely toxic to humans as glyphosate alone.
A product commonly mixed with glyphosate formulations to improve performance in the environment was found to be 100 times more toxic to aquatic invertebrates. Other added ingredients have been shown to damage cellular DNA, cause cancer or birth defects, and disrupt reproductive function in both humans and animals.
Summary
Glyphosate and commercially available products containing this compound are of particular concern to human health and the environment, due to: 1) some evidence of carcinogenicity, reproductive/developmental toxicity, endocrine system and genetic toxicity to humans; 2) potential adverse effects to non-target plant and animal species due to overspray, drift, and displacement; and 3) the potentially sever impact of many of its additives such as POEA, which have been identified as extremely hazardous to both humans and animals.
Human Health Risk Summary
Acute Effects: Some formulations of glyphosate cause extreme irritation of the skin and eyes, such as blurred vision, burning eyes, rashes and skin blisters. Other symptoms reported following acute exposures include: nausea, sore throat, dizziness, gastrointestinal and respiratory tract injuries.
Chronic Effects/Carcinogenicity: Though evidence that glyphosate causes cancer is yet to be established, several animal and human population studies have indicated that it may increase the risk of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, multiply myeloma, pancreatic, thyroid and testicular cancers.
Reproductive & Developmental Toxicity: Glyphosate exposure has been associated with several manifestations of reproductive and developmental impairment. In animal studies, high dose or prolonged exposures have resulted in skeletal malformations, disrupted organ development, and reduced sperm volume and quality. In human population studies, exposure to glyphosate has been connected to an increased rate of miscarriage, reduction in sex hormone production, and disruptions to endocrine system development.
Mutagenicity: Several studies on both animals and humans have suggested that exposure to glyphosate can cause chromosomal aberrations, DNA breaks, and other genetic mutations.
Ecological Hazard Summary
Environmental Fate: Glyphosate has frequently been detected in surface water nation-wide. It tends to bond strongly to soil particles and therefore may be displaced to surface water from movement of soil by wind, erosion, or storm runoff. Drift following arial applications also contributes to the presence of glyphosate in water.
Glyphosate is moderately to highly persistent, with half remaining toxic in soil from 60 days to six months or more, depending on soil conditions. In aquatic environments, half may remain toxic for several weeks to several months.
Risk to Non-Target Flora & Fauna: Because of drift and offsite movement from wind and rain, glyphosate poses a considerable risk to non-target plant and animal species. A significant amount of glyphosate spray applications drift off-site (from 14% to 78%), affecting plants 130 feet away, and residues have been detected up to 1,300 feet downwind.
Glyphosate has been shown to disrupt the immune systems and cause genetic abnormalities in fish. Similarly, it causes genetic, developmental and reproductive mutation in amphibians.
The balance of soil organisms is disrupted by glyphosate, which leaches from the roots of sprayed plants into the surrounding soil. Several studies have indicated that pathogenic fungi and other crop pests increase in numbers or have less competition when glyphosate is present in soil.
Toxicity of Other Ingredients
Commercial products such as Roundup are composed of the active ingredient (approximately 40% of the solution) and other ingredients that improve its effectiveness. These compounds exhibit toxicity at much higher levels than glyphosate alone. One such chemical, polyethoxylated tallowamine (POEA), is three times as acutely toxic to humans as glyphosate alone.
A product commonly mixed with glyphosate formulations to improve performance in the environment was found to be 100 times more toxic to aquatic invertebrates. Other added ingredients have been shown to damage cellular DNA, cause cancer or birth defects, and disrupt reproductive function in both humans and animals.
Summary
Glyphosate and commercially available products containing this compound are of particular concern to human health and the environment, due to: 1) some evidence of carcinogenicity, reproductive/developmental toxicity, endocrine system and genetic toxicity to humans; 2) potential adverse effects to non-target plant and animal species due to overspray, drift, and displacement; and 3) the potentially sever impact of many of its additives such as POEA, which have been identified as extremely hazardous to both humans and animals.
Monday, January 22, 2007
Weed/Disease Control
Pesticides are used extensively to treat plant diseases and remove unwanted plants, or "weeds", from lawns and gardens. The list of active ingredients commonly used is enormous, and many of them are so toxic that the EPA, never the first to condemn, has restricted or banned their use. Hundreds of compounds in different combinations are used and new ones are continually produced to combat ever-more pesticide resistant strains of plants & animals. These pesticides have polluted our soil, our waterways, our very bodies.
Scores of diseases leading to permanent damage or even death have been attributed to pesticide exposure. It is easy to use these "silver bullets" and they generally kill whatever pest you're trying to kill. Unfortunately, pesticides don't know when to stop killing. They affect our pets, ourselves, and our children where they can cause serious problems with development. Once applied, they seep into the soil, completely altering the balance of microorganisms found there which everything else in the area rely upon for a healthy ecosystem. They contaminate surface and ground water, flowing into our waterways where they are toxic to aquatic life and everything else that drinks from those waterways.
That said, there are ways to deal with weeds and diseases both that don't required the use of harmful pesticides.
WEEDS - traditionally treated with herbicides (see above)
1. Healthy lawns out-compete weeds! It's true. When your lawn is healthy, it crowds out any weeds that may try and invade. See the post on lawn care for more information on how this is managed. Key elements to watch out for are pH and nitrogen levels.
2. Bare ground attracts weeds. Fill all areas with good ground cover plants or mulches so that weeds don't have any room to grow. Good ground cover mulches include sawdust, bark, nutshells, or straw & composted vegetation (NOT WEEDS!) for your gardens.
3. Place weed mats underneath mulches. There are many varieties available, so make sure that you pick one that is water permeable. No black plastic! For a do-it-yourself version use 10-15 overlapping layers of newspaper or cardboard covered with 3-4 inches of compost or mulch.
4. Make sure manure, compost, mulches, etc… are weed free before purchasing. Many weeds are imported this way and can quickly take over your new planting areas.
5. Deep tilling can bring old weed seeds to the surface where they will sprout. Be sure to use or "build" fresh topsoil. To create your own topsoil, cut all weeds & grass in the area, lay down a weed mat, top with grass clippings, dried leaves, compost & manure. Set up your topsoil in the fall for a spring planting so that it has time to settle.
6. Before planting in new soil, water the area well and wait for a week to see if any weeds sprout. Rake them up and repeat until no more weeds come up. Your soil is now weed-free and ready for planting.
7. Pull weeds by hand and make sure you get the root. There are even special tools out there designed to help you pull the entire root system of perennials such as dandelions.
8. Take the time to identify your weed and learn about its life cycle. Many plants have a certain time of year that they will appear in and a time period in which they are most vulnerable. For example, perennial weeds should be pulled within 4-6 weeks after sprouting to prevent the formation of persistent parts which will cause the weed to keep coming back.
9. Repeated mowing can help to weaken perennial weeds, making it harder for them to come back, especially if they were already well-established.
10. Boiling water applied directly to weeds in your driveway, sidewalk, etc... will kill many varieties of weeds, especially if you catch them when they are young and tender.
11. Fire applied VERY CAREFULLY to weeds in areas completely surrounded by non-flammable materials (i.e. driveways, sidewalks, patios) will often kill the weed. Garden-use "blow torches" can be purchased at a number or garden supply stores but should always be used with the utmost care.
12. Finally, there are a number of natural pesticides available such as BurnOut Weed & Grass Killer that are based on vinegar and plant oils. They will kill or severely weaken the plants they are applied to without severely affecting soil health and are completely non-toxic, though they may still make you sick if ingested.
DISEASE - traditionally treated with fungicides
Most plant diseases are the result of a fungal infection. The most common fungicides (Triforine, Chlorothalonil, Daconil 2787) have been shown to cause skin or eye irritation, allergic reactions, bronchial irritation, are toxic to aquatic life, and one common ingredient, chlorothalonil, has been shown to be carcinogenic in lab mice & rats.
1. The first thing to remember about plant disease: healthy plants tend to stay healthy! If you support healthy plants, they will be much less susceptible to disease.
2. Keep a balanced, diverse population of microorganisms in the soil to support healthy plant-life. This can be done by applying soil inoculants (available from organic garden supply stores) and mixing lots of rich organic material into the soil.
3. Avoid overhead watering. Use drip lines, or other ground-level irrigation methods.
4. Prune regularly to allow plenty of air circulation through the plant's leaves.
5. Use mulches and prune lower branches to keep infected soil from splashing up onto the leaves where it can cause damage.
6. Choose native plants naturally resistant to your area's local diseases.
7. If your plant still begins to look unhealthy, make sure the culprit is disease and not nutrient imbalance, drought, over-watering, sunscald or too much shade.
8. Always identify your disease accurately before beginning treatment. Learn what you can about the particulars of the disease as each one will have different treatment options. Here in Eureka you can call UC Agriculture & Natural Resources Cooperative Extension at 445-7351 for help identifying plant diseases. There may be similar agencies in other areas. Otherwise, most local nurseries can help you identify the disease if you bring in a small cutting.
9. Once you have identified a disease and looked into treatment options, choose natural fungicides like copper soap which are available at organic garden supply stores.
Whether dealing with weeds or disease, prevention is the best way to handle the situation. A little extra care in growing and maintaining your flora will often eliminate the need for harsher measures later.
Scores of diseases leading to permanent damage or even death have been attributed to pesticide exposure. It is easy to use these "silver bullets" and they generally kill whatever pest you're trying to kill. Unfortunately, pesticides don't know when to stop killing. They affect our pets, ourselves, and our children where they can cause serious problems with development. Once applied, they seep into the soil, completely altering the balance of microorganisms found there which everything else in the area rely upon for a healthy ecosystem. They contaminate surface and ground water, flowing into our waterways where they are toxic to aquatic life and everything else that drinks from those waterways.
That said, there are ways to deal with weeds and diseases both that don't required the use of harmful pesticides.
WEEDS - traditionally treated with herbicides (see above)
1. Healthy lawns out-compete weeds! It's true. When your lawn is healthy, it crowds out any weeds that may try and invade. See the post on lawn care for more information on how this is managed. Key elements to watch out for are pH and nitrogen levels.
2. Bare ground attracts weeds. Fill all areas with good ground cover plants or mulches so that weeds don't have any room to grow. Good ground cover mulches include sawdust, bark, nutshells, or straw & composted vegetation (NOT WEEDS!) for your gardens.
3. Place weed mats underneath mulches. There are many varieties available, so make sure that you pick one that is water permeable. No black plastic! For a do-it-yourself version use 10-15 overlapping layers of newspaper or cardboard covered with 3-4 inches of compost or mulch.
4. Make sure manure, compost, mulches, etc… are weed free before purchasing. Many weeds are imported this way and can quickly take over your new planting areas.
5. Deep tilling can bring old weed seeds to the surface where they will sprout. Be sure to use or "build" fresh topsoil. To create your own topsoil, cut all weeds & grass in the area, lay down a weed mat, top with grass clippings, dried leaves, compost & manure. Set up your topsoil in the fall for a spring planting so that it has time to settle.
6. Before planting in new soil, water the area well and wait for a week to see if any weeds sprout. Rake them up and repeat until no more weeds come up. Your soil is now weed-free and ready for planting.
7. Pull weeds by hand and make sure you get the root. There are even special tools out there designed to help you pull the entire root system of perennials such as dandelions.
8. Take the time to identify your weed and learn about its life cycle. Many plants have a certain time of year that they will appear in and a time period in which they are most vulnerable. For example, perennial weeds should be pulled within 4-6 weeks after sprouting to prevent the formation of persistent parts which will cause the weed to keep coming back.
9. Repeated mowing can help to weaken perennial weeds, making it harder for them to come back, especially if they were already well-established.
10. Boiling water applied directly to weeds in your driveway, sidewalk, etc... will kill many varieties of weeds, especially if you catch them when they are young and tender.
11. Fire applied VERY CAREFULLY to weeds in areas completely surrounded by non-flammable materials (i.e. driveways, sidewalks, patios) will often kill the weed. Garden-use "blow torches" can be purchased at a number or garden supply stores but should always be used with the utmost care.
12. Finally, there are a number of natural pesticides available such as BurnOut Weed & Grass Killer that are based on vinegar and plant oils. They will kill or severely weaken the plants they are applied to without severely affecting soil health and are completely non-toxic, though they may still make you sick if ingested.
DISEASE - traditionally treated with fungicides
Most plant diseases are the result of a fungal infection. The most common fungicides (Triforine, Chlorothalonil, Daconil 2787) have been shown to cause skin or eye irritation, allergic reactions, bronchial irritation, are toxic to aquatic life, and one common ingredient, chlorothalonil, has been shown to be carcinogenic in lab mice & rats.
1. The first thing to remember about plant disease: healthy plants tend to stay healthy! If you support healthy plants, they will be much less susceptible to disease.
2. Keep a balanced, diverse population of microorganisms in the soil to support healthy plant-life. This can be done by applying soil inoculants (available from organic garden supply stores) and mixing lots of rich organic material into the soil.
3. Avoid overhead watering. Use drip lines, or other ground-level irrigation methods.
4. Prune regularly to allow plenty of air circulation through the plant's leaves.
5. Use mulches and prune lower branches to keep infected soil from splashing up onto the leaves where it can cause damage.
6. Choose native plants naturally resistant to your area's local diseases.
7. If your plant still begins to look unhealthy, make sure the culprit is disease and not nutrient imbalance, drought, over-watering, sunscald or too much shade.
8. Always identify your disease accurately before beginning treatment. Learn what you can about the particulars of the disease as each one will have different treatment options. Here in Eureka you can call UC Agriculture & Natural Resources Cooperative Extension at 445-7351 for help identifying plant diseases. There may be similar agencies in other areas. Otherwise, most local nurseries can help you identify the disease if you bring in a small cutting.
9. Once you have identified a disease and looked into treatment options, choose natural fungicides like copper soap which are available at organic garden supply stores.
Whether dealing with weeds or disease, prevention is the best way to handle the situation. A little extra care in growing and maintaining your flora will often eliminate the need for harsher measures later.
Lawn Care
Traditional lawn care usually involves the use of fertilizers, both organic and chemical, many of which also contain pesticides. Common ingredients are ammonium nitrate, ammonium phosphate, ammonium sulfate, copper salts, lime, potassium chloride and a whole host of possible pesticides. These fertilizers may be harmful if ingested, corrosive to the skin, eyes and mucous membranes (eyes, nose, mouth & throat) and pollute both surface and groundwater. In addition, they often damage the balance of soil microorganisms which are vital for a healthy lawn and garden.
A healthy, non-toxic lawn can easily be achieved without the use of these fertilizers. Your yard may not look just like the putting greens at your local golf course, but they will be green, healthy, and still just as attractive (or even more so if you're anything like me and hate the sterile, monocultural, transplanted look.)
The following tips can help you grow a thick, lush, and above all, healthy lawn.
1. Plant an ecology lawn. Diversity is key to any ecosystem's health. Planting a variety of different species such as legumes, flowering plants & grass will lead to a healthier lawn more able to resist disease and crowd out weeds.
2. Use native plants when applicable. Native plants will already have natural defense mechanisms for many of the pests and diseases in your area and will be suited to the local soil conditions and microorganisms which means a healthier lawn (with less work from you!)
3. Mow your lawn no shorter than 2.5 inches and preferrable closer to 3 inches. Studies have shown that leaving your lawn a little longer will lead to deeper root growth, uses less water, prevents weeds from establishing by shading them out, and provides more surface area for photosynthesis which equals a healthier lawn.
4. Keep mower blades sharp – dull blades tear grass leaving it susceptible to infection and water loss. Many hardware & supply stores will sharpen your blades at little cost. Blades should be checked for dullness after every 8-10 hours of use.
5. Water deeply as opposed to a little bit every day. Watering a full inch of the soil every week or so causes the plants to send down deeper roots which means a more stable, healthy plant. Always water in the early morning or evening when the temperatures are cooler and the sun is not shining brightly to avoid excessive water loss due to evaporation.
6. Soil aeraters dig up small plugs of soil to allow better circulation and can usually be purchased relatively inexpensively from your local garden supply store.
7. Soil, Soil, Soil. It's all about the soil when it comes to healthy lawn care. Healthy soil equals a healthy lawn that will easily outcompete most weeds. Home soil testing kits can be purchased to check soil nutrient and pH levels. Locally in Eureka, the UC Agriculture & Natural Resources Cooperative Extension at 445-7351 can provide information on how to get your lawn tested as well as tips on how to plant an ecology lawns, etc...
7a. Maintain healthy soil pH. Certain weeds such as dandelions prefer a slightly acidic soil. Using dolomite lime will raise the pH levels and help the grass crowd out the weeds.
7b. Keep nitrogen levels up. Other weeds such as clover obtain their nitrogen from the atmosphere and can indicate low nitrogen levels in the soil. The easiest way to keep nitrogen levels up is to leave your grass clippins on the lawn. Other substance that can be applied to increase nitrogen include bat guano, cottonseed meal and blood meal.
7c. Always use natural soil amendments instead of chemical fertilizers. Examples of good additives include blood meal, fish meal, fish emulsion, seed meals, bone meal, rock phosphate, greensand, kelp meal, manure and compost.
Many garden supply stores are jumping on the organic band wagon so finding these supplies is growing easier and easier. If your local store doesn't stock them, suggest they do so and in the meantime there are dozens of stores across the nation that will sell their products over the internet and ship them relatively inexpensively. Good luck and enjoy your new and improved lawn!
A healthy, non-toxic lawn can easily be achieved without the use of these fertilizers. Your yard may not look just like the putting greens at your local golf course, but they will be green, healthy, and still just as attractive (or even more so if you're anything like me and hate the sterile, monocultural, transplanted look.)
The following tips can help you grow a thick, lush, and above all, healthy lawn.
1. Plant an ecology lawn. Diversity is key to any ecosystem's health. Planting a variety of different species such as legumes, flowering plants & grass will lead to a healthier lawn more able to resist disease and crowd out weeds.
2. Use native plants when applicable. Native plants will already have natural defense mechanisms for many of the pests and diseases in your area and will be suited to the local soil conditions and microorganisms which means a healthier lawn (with less work from you!)
3. Mow your lawn no shorter than 2.5 inches and preferrable closer to 3 inches. Studies have shown that leaving your lawn a little longer will lead to deeper root growth, uses less water, prevents weeds from establishing by shading them out, and provides more surface area for photosynthesis which equals a healthier lawn.
4. Keep mower blades sharp – dull blades tear grass leaving it susceptible to infection and water loss. Many hardware & supply stores will sharpen your blades at little cost. Blades should be checked for dullness after every 8-10 hours of use.
5. Water deeply as opposed to a little bit every day. Watering a full inch of the soil every week or so causes the plants to send down deeper roots which means a more stable, healthy plant. Always water in the early morning or evening when the temperatures are cooler and the sun is not shining brightly to avoid excessive water loss due to evaporation.
6. Soil aeraters dig up small plugs of soil to allow better circulation and can usually be purchased relatively inexpensively from your local garden supply store.
7. Soil, Soil, Soil. It's all about the soil when it comes to healthy lawn care. Healthy soil equals a healthy lawn that will easily outcompete most weeds. Home soil testing kits can be purchased to check soil nutrient and pH levels. Locally in Eureka, the UC Agriculture & Natural Resources Cooperative Extension at 445-7351 can provide information on how to get your lawn tested as well as tips on how to plant an ecology lawns, etc...
7a. Maintain healthy soil pH. Certain weeds such as dandelions prefer a slightly acidic soil. Using dolomite lime will raise the pH levels and help the grass crowd out the weeds.
7b. Keep nitrogen levels up. Other weeds such as clover obtain their nitrogen from the atmosphere and can indicate low nitrogen levels in the soil. The easiest way to keep nitrogen levels up is to leave your grass clippins on the lawn. Other substance that can be applied to increase nitrogen include bat guano, cottonseed meal and blood meal.
7c. Always use natural soil amendments instead of chemical fertilizers. Examples of good additives include blood meal, fish meal, fish emulsion, seed meals, bone meal, rock phosphate, greensand, kelp meal, manure and compost.
Many garden supply stores are jumping on the organic band wagon so finding these supplies is growing easier and easier. If your local store doesn't stock them, suggest they do so and in the meantime there are dozens of stores across the nation that will sell their products over the internet and ship them relatively inexpensively. Good luck and enjoy your new and improved lawn!
Wednesday, December 6, 2006
Rats
There are many alternatives to traditional toxic methods of pest control. Almost all of them start with maintaining a clean house, wiping up spills immediately and never leaving food out. If your pests are already established, other methods are often required to remove them. For rodents, traps are perhaps the simplest method and allow you to know exactly where the carcass is for timely disposal. There are two main categories of traps — live traps and kill traps.
Live traps work by luring the rodent into a cage which then closes behind them. Peanut butter, chocolate or dried pet food make good attractants for your trap. The rodent can then be taken away to a safe location and released. These traps are completely safe for pets and children as well.
Kill traps work equally well, though they can pose a small risk to pets or small children who may view them as toys. Be sure to place your traps where they are not easily accessable. Kill traps come in several flavors:
~ Electronic rodent "zappers" are basically a small container with bait inside that will sense the presence of a rodent (or hand so be careful) inside and deliver a lethal jolt of electricity. They usually run on AA batteries and are extremely easy to set up.
~ Snap traps are your standard, stereotypical mouse trap with bait on one end and a spring-loaded "snap" at the other. Snap traps should be set up in groups of two or three since only one side of the trap is lethal. Any rodent that snatches the bait from the non-business end will escape unscathed and probably trap-shy.
~ Glue traps, or glueboards, are just what they sound like: a board with something sticky on it and some bait in the middle. When the rodent walks on the board, they become stuck. These are a favorite among food service establishments since the rodent does not die immedietly giving you a chance to remove them before decomposition starts.
*Remember to always handle rodents with extreme caution. Live ones will bite and scratch and both live and dead ones may be carriers of disease.*
To shoo rodents away and make sure that they stay gone, some people prefer ultrasonic pest repellers. These devices work by emitting a very high-pitched sound that attacks the auditory and nervous system of pets. However, while they claim to be inaudible for pets and humans alike, you wouldn't be the first person to report hearing the whine. At $20 - $50 a piece, these can be an expenisve way to find out that you can hear ultrasonics. Many people report no problems with the devices, however, and are quite happy with the results.
Finally, if you prefer not to deal with the rodents personally, many pest control companies will use trap-only methods if you request it.
Happy Hunting!
Live traps work by luring the rodent into a cage which then closes behind them. Peanut butter, chocolate or dried pet food make good attractants for your trap. The rodent can then be taken away to a safe location and released. These traps are completely safe for pets and children as well.
Kill traps work equally well, though they can pose a small risk to pets or small children who may view them as toys. Be sure to place your traps where they are not easily accessable. Kill traps come in several flavors:
~ Electronic rodent "zappers" are basically a small container with bait inside that will sense the presence of a rodent (or hand so be careful) inside and deliver a lethal jolt of electricity. They usually run on AA batteries and are extremely easy to set up.
~ Snap traps are your standard, stereotypical mouse trap with bait on one end and a spring-loaded "snap" at the other. Snap traps should be set up in groups of two or three since only one side of the trap is lethal. Any rodent that snatches the bait from the non-business end will escape unscathed and probably trap-shy.
~ Glue traps, or glueboards, are just what they sound like: a board with something sticky on it and some bait in the middle. When the rodent walks on the board, they become stuck. These are a favorite among food service establishments since the rodent does not die immedietly giving you a chance to remove them before decomposition starts.
*Remember to always handle rodents with extreme caution. Live ones will bite and scratch and both live and dead ones may be carriers of disease.*
To shoo rodents away and make sure that they stay gone, some people prefer ultrasonic pest repellers. These devices work by emitting a very high-pitched sound that attacks the auditory and nervous system of pets. However, while they claim to be inaudible for pets and humans alike, you wouldn't be the first person to report hearing the whine. At $20 - $50 a piece, these can be an expenisve way to find out that you can hear ultrasonics. Many people report no problems with the devices, however, and are quite happy with the results.
Finally, if you prefer not to deal with the rodents personally, many pest control companies will use trap-only methods if you request it.
Happy Hunting!
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Fleas
Our first question asks about non-toxic flea control methods. There is a wealth of information available on the subject, but to be brief:
Common methods of flea control and prevention include the use of pesticides, particularly DDVP (dimethyl dichlorovinyl phosphate) and Sevin (carbaryl) which work by attacking the nervous system. Unfortunately these chemicals may attack your pets as well as the fleas. Additionally, exposure to these chemicals may build up a tolerance in the fleas, resulting in a need for even nastier pesticides in the future. We strongly recommend avoiding these products.
If your pet has fleas, the first step is to vacuum thouroughly. Vacuum the floors, corners, upholstery, sofa cushions, under the couch, anywhere a flea might be hiding. Immediately burn the vacuum bag or at least seal it securely to prevent the captured fleas from escaping. Repeat this process frequently. Be sure to wash all throw rugs, bedding and other materials that your pets may sit/sleep on in hot water. Sprinkle diatomaceous earth on the carpet—as well as outside on your lawn, under bushes and in shady areas—to kill any remaining fleas on the ground. Finish up by bathing your pet followed by a thourough flea combing.
There are several options for maintaining a flea-free zone:
- Feed your pet one clove of garlic a day
- Add a touch of vinegar to your pet's water (may also help control mange)
- Saltwater baths may discourage fleas
- Flea traps also have been known to work well. A flea trap is a light held about 6 inches from a dish of water with a small amount of detergent mixed in. The flea is attracted to the light, fall into the bowl and drown. Flea traps are also available for purchase at many locations that use a "capture" pad instead of a bowl of water if you prefer.
Flea infestations should be taken seriously. Besides the risk of allergic reaction, fleas also carry the bacterium that causes bubonic plague and can carry tape worms.
Common methods of flea control and prevention include the use of pesticides, particularly DDVP (dimethyl dichlorovinyl phosphate) and Sevin (carbaryl) which work by attacking the nervous system. Unfortunately these chemicals may attack your pets as well as the fleas. Additionally, exposure to these chemicals may build up a tolerance in the fleas, resulting in a need for even nastier pesticides in the future. We strongly recommend avoiding these products.
If your pet has fleas, the first step is to vacuum thouroughly. Vacuum the floors, corners, upholstery, sofa cushions, under the couch, anywhere a flea might be hiding. Immediately burn the vacuum bag or at least seal it securely to prevent the captured fleas from escaping. Repeat this process frequently. Be sure to wash all throw rugs, bedding and other materials that your pets may sit/sleep on in hot water. Sprinkle diatomaceous earth on the carpet—as well as outside on your lawn, under bushes and in shady areas—to kill any remaining fleas on the ground. Finish up by bathing your pet followed by a thourough flea combing.
There are several options for maintaining a flea-free zone:
- Feed your pet one clove of garlic a day
- Add a touch of vinegar to your pet's water (may also help control mange)
- Saltwater baths may discourage fleas
- Flea traps also have been known to work well. A flea trap is a light held about 6 inches from a dish of water with a small amount of detergent mixed in. The flea is attracted to the light, fall into the bowl and drown. Flea traps are also available for purchase at many locations that use a "capture" pad instead of a bowl of water if you prefer.
Flea infestations should be taken seriously. Besides the risk of allergic reaction, fleas also carry the bacterium that causes bubonic plague and can carry tape worms.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Welcome
Winter has hit, and with it the rains and resultant influx of ants into kitchens across northern California. Before reaching for poisons, which seem to only work on ourselves and our pets anyway, we'd like to encourage you to use this forum to seek information regarding non-toxic alternatives to dealing with your pests. From ants to fleas to invasive weeds, all requests for information will be answered as completely as possible. So please share your concerns with us and we can begin building a healthy, non-toxic future.
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