Weeds across Canada are breathing a sigh of relief as Home Depot announced Wednesday it’s going to discontinue selling pesticides by the end of this year.

I must admit while visiting my brother’s cabin last year on Lake Qu’Appelle, I did try to hide his gallon of Roundup. He has a beautiful lush green lawn, the kind my feet love, especially after a pedicure. Unfortunately, beautiful lawns are not always good for the environment.

Curious as to what people should be using on their lawns instead of pesticides I consulted one of my favourite websites, Living By Water. Started by Clive Callaway and Sarah Kipp of British Columbia (longtime shoreline residents), this site is a great resource for cottagers. It explains how to prevent erosion, maintain water quality, site planning for cabins and good day-to-day living habits for those of us on the water.

Below are their suggestions for lawn maintenance. It seems the best way to get rid of weeds is the old fashion way - bend down and dig ‘em out. Their yard maintenance tips are not only relevant for the cottage but also at home.

Home and Yard Maintenance (from Living By Water)

Plan for the smallest possible lawn, built on the opposite side of your home from the water. If you already have a property with a lawn to the water’s edge, read the tips on starting a buffer zone.

Consider replacing some of the grass in your lawn with clover or other groundcovers that don’t need watering. Good lawn maintenance practices will keep your grass healthier and reduce your need for fertilizers and pesticides.

• “Grasscycle”: Use a mulching mower and leave grass clippings on your lawn where possible. They can increase your soil’s fertility by up to 50 percent! The clippings will be gone in about two to three days as they turn into food for your turf’s roots.
• Keep clippings well back from water and drainage ditches. Never push them over the edge of a bank into a ravine, river or lake.
• Mow when the grass is dry to prevent clumping.
• Increase the mowing height of your lawn to approximately 8 cm (2.5 cm). Taller grass provides shade for better root growth, which helps with absorption.
• Keep lawn mower blades sharp so you don’t tear the grass; this can result in increased water loss and susceptibility to disease.
• Before you consider fertilizing your lawn, aerate it and see if that improves its health. If you still believe fertilizer is necessary, take a sample of your soil to a nursery or agricultural field office for testing.
• Choose a fertilizer high in Water Insoluble Nitrogen (WIN). WIN is released slowly and helps prevent “lawn bum” and groundwater contamination. WIN fertilizers cost more, but they’re worth it.
• Remove dandelions and other unwanted plants from your lawn using long-handled tools. Invest in a good quality weed remover; check with your local gardening centre. If you feel you must use a pesticide, do not apply it to the whole lawn. Instead, use an applicator which allows you to direct a small spray towards each unwanted plant. Avoid products like the fertilizer / herbicide mixes which provide blanket applications.

Cheers,

Julie

This entry was posted on Saturday, April 26th, 2008 at 10:52 am and is filed under Environment. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.