Published in The BANAR April 2000
Think seriously of giving up pesticides this year on your lawn, it is a growing concern for everyone especially small children who have thinner skin than adults and absorb more, also pets. Not to mention the damage done when pesticides enter the water tables. There are other ways to get a beautiful lawn.
Suggestion # 1 — To get started a light raking in the spring to open up the lawn and rid of any matted or dead grass is beneficial.
Suggestion #2 — Aerate your lawn at least once. Aerification is beneficial to the grass for relieving compaction, improving the exchange of gases and improving water infiltration as well as a method of thatch control. Plugs of earth will be left after but don’t rake them up. The lawn mower will chew them up and the dirt will fall back into the holes.
Suggestion # 3 — Top dress with a light sprinkling of composted soil.
Suggestion # 4 — When you water you lawn teach the grass to grow long roots into a deep reservoir of water. If you sprinkle your lawn every other day you will have roots only to a depth of 2 or 3 cm (1″).
Other Environmental Suggestions
Buying a new lawn mower, go electric. One hour of using a gas mower is equal to eleven hours of driving a car, besides with the price of gas the way it is!! Better still try a manual lawn mower.
Rain barrels are available from Arbour Environmental Shop at $60.00 each.
If you have windows, doors, etc. please phone and I can connect you with people who are looking for items. Lets re-use and not discard items that can be used by others.
People require the following items: Wood folding doors, Pearson glass, under felt (rubber type), carpet in fair condition suitable for basements, etc., modem for a MacIntosh Apple computer and yellow or gold sink (the old type).