(as seen in a recent article...)

Lawn Division
Many people believe they must use pesticides in order to obtain and maintain weed-free lawns and exquisite ornamental trees and shrubs.  This is not true.  Through proper fertilization and cultivation practices, a lush green lawn and a magnificent landscape can be achieved - chemical pesticides can become history.

But let's break down the equation down just a bit, so you can see how all the elements of lawn care are connected and, in turn, how they might lead to "health" problems.

First, many people apply fertilizer to their lawns containing the following main ingredients:

• Nitrogen, which helps foster color and speedy growth;
• Phosphorous, which aids in new growth and floral development; and
• Potassium, which promotes root development.

These ingredients are represented on the front of a fertilizer bag by a number, which corresponds to their proportion - or part - of the fertilizer's composition.  They are also always listed in the same order, with nitrogen first, phosphorous second and potassium third.  For example, a typical commercial fertilizer might read "25-5-5," which means there is five times more nitrogen than phosphorous and potassium in that fertilizer.

High stakes with high numbers
Most fertilizers come with a high proportion of nitrogen because it's cheap.  Large retail stores thus sell a lot of nitrogen-rich fertilizers and most landscaping and lawn-care companies use them because they are more economical based on the quantities in that fertilizer.

Phosphorous and potassium alone are more expensive.  If retailers or landscaping and lawn-care companies had to buy them separately, they would lose millions of dollars.  On the private consumer level, however, they aren't that much more expensive.  But, because so many people buy their fertilizers in large bags at retail stores, or hire an outside company to tend to their lawns, they unknowingly propagate the use of nitrogen-rich fertilizers.

So why is this a problem?  Primarily because nitrogen is non-selective.  In addition to helping your grass and flowers grow, it multiplies weeds and crabgrass.  As a result, herbicides are often applied.

Nitrogen also promotes the growth of fungus in grass and plants, so fungicides are often applied.  In other words, you could be unwittingly feeding and paying for your lawn and garden's sickness, while lawn-care and landscaping companies would be getting richer.  At the same time, you could be exposing yourself to toxic pesticides.

Just say no...
Plants and lawns are just like people, so try to avoid "playing with" toxic or unnecessary chemicals.  More often than not, that leads to illness.  Just as you wouldn't want to ingest any medicines or chemicals that your body doesn't need, your grass, plants and trees don't need those substances either.

You might ask then, what about bugs and insects?  One solution might be to use insect-resistant grass, which would prevent your lawn from dying out in July and August and eliminate the need to apply insecticides.

Basically, all plants have the ability to produce their own natural pesticides.  By applying pesticides, you deprive them of the chance to defend themselves.  This is much like giving your child amoxicillin every time he or she has an ear ache.  The child's body might never adjust to its "invader" and, in turn, strengthen, and the invader might eventually develop a resistance to the antibiotic.

We all need a chance to develop our own natural immune systems, and plants and lawns are no exception. 

Dennis DiBiasio has owned and operated his pesticide-free service company for more than 15 years in Fairfield County.  You can reach Dennis directly with questions at (203) 831-1015.
 

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