TIPS FOR A HEALTHY LAWN
The non-profit advocacy group Environmental Defense gives some tips on how to care for your lawn and the environment at the same time.
Lawn Care
Heavy applications of chemicals are not necessary for a healthy and attractive lawn. Yet in pursuit of-the "ideal" lawn, a potent assortment of pesticides is used by homeowners (who don't always read warnings or follow dosage recommendations). These chemicals are also routinely applied by lawn care companies, which do $1.5 billion of business in the U.S. each year. Some of the chemicals have been linked to human illnesses, pet deaths and bird kills.
A healthy lawn can fight off most pests on its own. You can maximize your lawn's health in the following ways:
- Don't bag it! For a healthy lawn, mow before the grass is overgrown, remove no more than one-third of the leaf height and leave clippings on the lawn. Contrary to myth,clippings do not cause thatch; but they do take up a lot of space if they are bagged and sent to the landfill.
- Choose the right variety of grass for your area. (To find out what it is, check with the county extension office of the Land Grant University in your state.)
- Many lawns don't require fertilizing. If a soil test shows that yours does, follow recommended application times and amounts. Avoid "weed and feed" fertilizers in favor of organic or other "slow-release" types that gradually add nutrients to the soil.
- To develop a deep, drought resistant root system, water infrequently and deeply, preferably in the early morning, to save water that would otherwise evaporate.
- Twenty-five to fifty million pounds of toxic chemicals--including pesticides such as Diazinon, which has been linked to massive bird kills--are used every year in this country to maintain private lawns. Find alternatives to chemical pesticides for your lawn.
Garden Care Despite your best efforts, your garden may develop some pest problems. Insects are a natural part of a garden ecosystem. Employ treatment only if a pest is doing unacceptable damage or threatening to take over. The goal is to control it with minimal disruption of other species.
- Consumers can send powerful signals. Support natural methods of growing fruits and vegetables by buying organic produce. If it's not available at your local grocery, ask to have it stocked.
- Learn about organic gardening methods, which begin with the least toxic or intrusive control tactics. Use chemicals only as a last resort and not for long-term maintenance. In all cases, choose the least toxic alternative available.
Written by: Environmental Defense
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