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.
Monday, January 22, 2007
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!
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