Do we need lawn chemicals at all?
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Do we need lawn chemicals at all? Posted on May 17 2007 at 5:18pm by How's about we start a movement to just get rid of all LAWN AND DECORATIVE GARDEN CHEMICALS. For that matter, do we need all these lawns at all?
They use up water.
They don't have anything useful for bees and bugs (unless you have clover in your lawn).
People use all sorts of chemicals to have the "BEST LAWN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD" or something similarly stupid; dandelion killers, etc.
If lawn chemicals were not allowed but someone still wanted a "perfect" lawn, then they would either have to dig up the dandelions themselves or hire someone to do it.
Since both kids and adults often have an obesity problem, why not get some gardening exercise?
New Jersey (where I live) is the "Garden State" but with all of these lawns and green fields, it's actually a big deer and Canada goose farm (the geese eat grass).
Perkons
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RE: Do we need lawn chemicals at all? Posted on May 18 2007 at 2:04pm by Well I'm not sure that killing all the grass is really the solution... grass is a plant, and just because you don't like geese is no reason to get rid of it... that's not a very "green" solution!
As for chemicals, I agree that some people go too far. It's better to use natural fertilizers and to pull weeds out by hand if necessary. On the other hand, I'm not sure how many people really want to know what most natural fertilizers are made of! What do you think "blood meal" and "bone meal" are? (Those are two of the best and most commonly available natural fertilizers.)-
RE: Do we need lawn chemicals at all? Posted on May 28 2007 at 9:36am by What lawns need most is nitrogen, potassium and iron. Yes blood and bone meal are used for this purpose, but you can also use things like comfrey to make a tea, that can then be applied to your lawn. It is possible to have a great lawn without using any harmful chemicals.
As far as using them for food production - I prefer organic food over something that is smothered in toxic chemicals. Organic food can feed the world. It is just very labour intensive which costs farmers more. Pesticides and herbicides and all the other 'cides' they spray on and inject into your food are a toxic cocktail that is carginogenic. The developed world produces a surplus of food from conventional farming every year, so organic farming will reduce that.
I must say I prefer my lawn full of meadow flowers that attract insects...RE: Do we need lawn chemicals at all? Posted on Jun 16 2007 at 10:25am by Hi - this is a great discussion! Does anyone know landscaping companies in the Chicago area that do NOT use chemicals in their lawn maintenence/management programs? We're planning Naturally Healthy Children's Expo in Chicago in October and are looking for experts to speak on a panel discussion and share their knowledge about how to provide great, healthy outdoor space for kids, grwon ups, dogs, and other critters to play on. I think this is important for homes, schools, and parks, so these companies can specialize in either the residential market, the commercial market, or both. Many thanks in advance!
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RE: Do we need lawn chemicals at all? Posted on May 20 2007 at 11:11pm by No amount of chemical fertilizer will improve the structure of a soil. Before plants can take up food they need roots that can find it. Plants need passages along which they can absorb the nutrients necessary for healthy growth.
There is a Dr. Boronte that has improved on an existing a process to reduce and possibably eleminate fertilizer and pesticide use all together www.agronormsoilconditioner.com . It is almost impossible to get this but it is delightful alternative to naturally cleaning the soil and stop the genetic calderon that is taking place in lawn and gardens. Before man nature was able to take care of itself unhindered. Then man began to manipulate the freely available primary ingredients and in doing so modified and extended life. And the earth then just became the receiverand custodian of hummans dirty cargos. I am lucky i have used it.RE: Do we need lawn chemicals at all? Posted on May 21 2007 at 12:30pm by I wish we could get rid of ALL pesticides and chemical fertilizers, but I don't know what the agricultural situation is.
With so many people on the Earth we have to provide food.
However, our gardens and lawns are LUXURY items, not food.
A lawn "like a carpet" is just a fashion statement, a question of taste.
We could as easily decide that a lawn "like a carpet" is UNFASHIONABLE and UNSOPHISTICATED and that in order to be fashionable a garden should be entirely natural.
The questions is, how do we get this fashion going?
Perkons
HEY YOU MOVIE STARS!.... HOW'S ABOUT FIXING UP YOUR GARDENS IN A "GREEN", ALL-NATURAL WAY AND THEN INVITE ALL SORTS OF REPORTERS FOR A GUIDED TOUR?
MIGHT START A TREND?
RE: Do we need lawn chemicals at all? Posted on Jun 12 2007 at 11:57pm by Compost - the best fertilizer for anything! Your own compost - throw in the kitchen scraps, grass clippings, leaves, weeds (the ones you pull yourself) - hopefully before a good rain. Use a push mower, or at least a re-chargeable electric or corded electric. Bugs? If kept moderately fed with compost, the grass will be healthier and resist bugs.
If you can, plant bermuda - it crowds out weeds and is drought tolerant. Mowed high in the hot summer, it will actually look and feel like a plush carpet. It does take a bit more work since it spreads through runners, but is worth it.
RE: Do we need lawn chemicals at all? Posted on Jun 18 2007 at 8:17am by Good point. Lawn chemicals are a big problems that can seep into groundwater and cause pollution. We recommend in The Green Book that people keep their lawn at 2" and leave the trimmings on the ground for use as a natural fertilizer. Also, water is a big issue here. The average lawn only needs about an hour's worth of watering per week, and the best time to water is in the morning or early evening.
RE: Do we need lawn chemicals at all? Posted on Jul 8 2007 at 8:41pm by There is a new org. in our area promoting organic lawn care...safelawns.org. Spearheaded by the editor of a local magazine...Plants, People, Places. You can have a great lawn without using all the chemicals, it just takes a bit longer.
I am a commercial gardener and find that my properties on the "good side" of town (where all the lawns are manicured and contain who knows what) are also void of butterflies, bees and lady bugs (and often, birds). The Roses, the Viburnum and other Ornamentals, as a result, are full of aphids and other pests. Our customers have been open to trying the organic way based on the problems they are having with their other, much loved plants. I have my fingers crossed that others join the bandwagon.
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