Tips for a pesticide-free lawn...

So, now what?

Now you can decide what you want to do- Do you want to enjoy dandelions as part of your lawn's ecosystem? If so, no need to proceed. Be happy that you are allowing bees a source of nectar and use some dandelion leaves in your next salad!

If, instead, you strive for an organic lush, green lawn- without dandelions- be inspired by photos here: http://www.safelawns.org/.

Then you can try some of these tips for a healthy, pesticide-free lawn:

1. Spread grass seed every spring and fall. Choose grasses that suit local conditions and try to plant more than one species.

2. Use a lawn aerator to help the soil breathe. Aerators can be rented or purchased from garden centres or equipment rental companies.

3. Mow high (3" height) to develop deeper root systems and provide tolerance to heat, pests and disease.

4. Leave clippings on the lawn as this adds organic nutrients and moisture to the soil.

5. Water deeply but infrequently to get deep rooting and try to water in the morning. Watering in the evening can increase risk of disease as grass is left wet longer. Most lawns require 1 inch of water per week or 1 hour of watering.

6. Pull weeds by hand or with a handy tool (http://www.leevalley.com/garden/page.aspx?c=1&p=44725&cat=2,2300,44822&ap=1) when the soil is moist. Drop some grass seed in the hole to discourage weeds from returning. You can also use a vinegar spray (at least 5% acetic acid) or boiling water for spot treatment between hard surfaces. Corn gluten meal can be used on lawns to discourage annual weeds.

7. Spread organic material, such as compost, on your lawn each year to add nutrients to the soil. Add organic fertilizer in the spring and fall.

8. Want to get technical? Monitor the pH of your soil with a test from a garden centre. It should be between 6.0 to 7.0. You can add agricultural lime to raise the pH, peat moss or sulphur to lower it.

You can find more information from:
http://toronto.ca/pesticides
http://www.healthylawns.net/