Should I Use Pesticides on my Lawn? NO!

Jogging around the neighborhood is one of my favorite things to do. I get to listen to my music, in peace, just me and the road. I particularly enjoy the slide show of homes and manicured lawns as I trot by. On my route, I noticed a disturbing number of those mini flags that alert you to the presence of a recent pesticide spraying. Not just a few, a lot. I am completely amazed by this. How is it, that in this day and age, that people are more concerned about the look of their lawns than the impact of synthetic pesticide use on humans (especially children), plants and animals, and the environment? It's either ignorance- or ignorance in my book. Since the EPA and government continue to allow corporations to create and sell products that harm us in the name of $$, we have to take matters into our own hands. Here are a few key facts that should make you give up the flag, at last!

Fact: There is no registered pesticide that is safe. In the US, it is a violation of Federal law to state that a pesticide is safe. (Which means it's harmful, people!)

Fact: According to the Journal of National Cancer Institute-1987, children whose homes and garden have been treated with pesticides have 6.5 times greater risk for leukemia than children living in untreated environments.

Fact: Besides sensitivity and toxicity, other dangers to humans include decreased fertility, cancers, leukemia, asthma/allergies, low sperm count, genetic disorders and more.

Fact: Only 5% of sprayed pesticides reach their intended target - the rest drifts to unintended areas such as water or the air. ( Like on that swing set, or on your shoes, then in your house, where that baby is crawling on the floor!)

Fact: Pesticide use is one of the top pollutants of our water, it degrades our soil and it harms wildlife.

"Chemicals have replaced bacteria and viruses as the main threat to health. The diseases we're beginning to see as the major causes of death in the latter part of this century and into the 21st century are diseases of chemical origin." -- Dick Irwin, toxicologist at Texas A&M Universities

The proliferation of pesticide use has only occurred over the past 50 years, yet for centuries farmers used natural methods to protect their crops. Alternatives are available! Reach out to your local village, Chamber of Commerce or environmental non-profit to learn about organic methods to treat your lawn at home.

Some of the information in this post was found at the link below. For more information, go to http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/environment/RATE/pestfact.html

NOTE: When I say 'pesticides', I mean any poison meant to kill a certain target. These include insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides. Read more!

How to Winterize your Organic Garden

I DO NOT have a green thumb in the least. Every houseplant that I have ever owned has struggled for survival, albeit my somewhat timely care. When I decided to grow an organic veggie garden this year, I was very concerned that just by my mere involvement that it would become an overgrown jungle of weeds. Oh contrare! With careful planning, I was able to start and maintain a delightfully plenteous patch in our yard. I will save discussing the success of this endeavor until springtime, so that you can all mimic my efforts and produce your own 50-75 lbs of tomatoes from 2 plants! I regret to even say it, but the upside of global warming in the Northeast region of the country has been red,ripe tomatoes on your dinner table on Halloween and beyond. This is clearly an anomaly, but I can't deny the sheer joy of harvesting this late in the season. How selfish and un- green of me! Anyway, let's focus on how to properly "close down" the garden until 2008.

After consulting with several experts in the field, I have learned that you need to complete the following steps:

1. Once the temperature has dipped to 30-low 40 degrees F. in the evening, it is time to remove all remaining annuals or weeds that are dying, dead or just limp. This weekend, we removed our peppers, zucchinis and cherry tomatoes, but we left the eggplants and a few tomatoes plants in case of a miracle. Some plants like eggplant,beets, and carrots are hardy and can survive a few weeks later in the season, but with climate change, all the rules are out the window.

2. Rototill or turn over the soil to aerate and mix in any remaining organic matter. This will save time in the spring as well as lessen the effects of erosion. An alternative is to plant a cover crop to protect soil, like rye, buckwheat or winter wheat. Although some experts might adhere to this approach, I dismiss this method as simply too much work for busy people like us.

3.Treat the soil to a 1-2 inch layer of organic mulch, such as dried leaves, pine needles, shredded bark, or pine boughs. This will provide an adequate layer of protection, break down nicely in the soil and provide nutrients for next year.

4. For herbs, cover with mulch after the first major frost. This should be a few weeks after Step 3.

That's it. Considering the bounty that will follow next year, its 60 minutes well spent. Read more!