Reduce Waste If not you, who? In your home If you’re looking for a way to BECOMING LESS CHEMICALLY DEPENDENT decrease your use of toxic chemi- cals in your home, take a look at how you handle unwanted pests. Reduce the The best method to control pests, such as bugs and rodents, inside your home is to keep them out by need for cleaning up crumbs and spills quickly. Instead of reaching for a pesticides can of toxic spray, grab a broom! and herbicides Pesticides (which includes insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides) are designed to kill weeds, insects, rodents, and mold. These chemi- cals can be poisonous and can pose a danger to animals and people, especially children. Keeping pests out of your home and yard in the Clean up food spills completely. first place eliminates the need for pesticides—and toxic chemicals— in your home and yard. In order to survive, pests (both the animal and plant varieties) need [ TIP food, water, and a place to live. ] In your yard * Keeping your lawn strong and healthy is the best way to care for your lawn without using a lot of pesticides. A strong and healthy lawn will minimize weeds from taking root or insects Store food in tightly sealed containers. from causing serious, permanent injury to the lawn. There are several easy steps you can take to maintain a healthy lawn and reduce the need for herbicides. • Leave your grass clippings on the lawn. Grass clippings can provide the equivalent of about one application of fer- tilizer per year. • Use a sharp blade when cutting your lawn to make it less susceptible to disease. • Water infrequently, but thoroughly during dry periods of Caulk cracks and weather strip windows and doors to eliminate easy paths of entry. more than a week or two. Water only about once a week Check your foundation for cracks or spaces. and thoroughly (about 1 inch of water). Avoid watering Mow your grass to a during strong sun and heat to minimize height of 2 1/2 to 3 inches. losses to evaporation. The best This is the single most important time to water is early in the day, thing you can do to improve the before 10 a.m. health of your lawn. By keeping your grass a little longer, the roots • Test your soil. Find out what if anything your soil needs. grow deeper and can reach more Obtaining a reliable soil test every few years can help you water during dry periods. Longer monitor the nutrient needs of your lawn. Soil tests such grass also helps shade the soil as those performed by the University of Minnesota Soil surface, making it harder for Plumbing leaks and damp basements can Testing Lab provide nutrient information as well as other weeds to get established. items related to your soil conditions. be an essential source of water for insects. Get rid of the moisture, and you could solve your bug problem. Printed on paper manufactured without the use of chlorine compounds. In your yard (continued) For more information about pest and weed • Use fertilizers with little or no phosphorus unless a specific need control is determined by a soil test. Phosphorus (the middle number on a For more information on growing a healthy fertilizer bag) should be zero if you reside in the seven county lawn, go to the Minnesota Office of metro area and 3% or less if you reside in greater Minnesota. Environmental Assistance’s web site at Careless use of fertilizers that are high in phosphorus content cre- www.moea.state.mn.us/campaign/garden/. ates run-off which can pollute nearby lakes, streams, and rivers. The Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides has many free resources on non- • Control weeds. September is the best time of toxic pest management, including fact sheets year to treat dandelions, plantain, creeping on specific chemicals and alternatives for Charlie, and other perennial broadleaf many kinds of pests at www.pesticide.org/factsheets.html. weeds. Remember the best weed control is a healthy dense lawn. If weed invasion seems “Common Sense Pest Control,” Broward County Florida Pollution Prevention and to be getting worse, find out why the grass is Remediation Division lists alternative pest not competitive enough to crowd weeds out. control methods for households at Controlling weeds may be as simple as www.co.broward.fl.us/ppi02100.htm. adjusting your other lawn care practices. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Where there are only a limited number of Pesticide Environmental Stewardship weeds present, consider removing them by Program for reduction of pesticide use is hand rather than using an herbicide. found at www.epa.gov/oppbppd1/PESP/. Consider using a natural lawn service. The Washington Toxics Coalition has alter- native pest control fact sheets on its web site • Seed. The best time to reseed bare spots is at www.watoxics.org/pages/root.aspx. either early spring or around the middle of August. If deicing salt from sidewalks or Recent studies on the roads has caused dead areas, consider human health and reseeding with a more salt-tolerant variety. Fertilize in the fall. Mid- to late- Always plant grass varieties that are adapted October is a very good time to fertilize environmental effects to our area and are appropriate for the way your lawn. At this time of year, fertiliz- of pesticides you use your lawn. er nutrients, including nitrogen, are The Center for Disease Control’s report pro- • Aerate your lawn if soil is compacted or taken up and stored in the plant vides an ongoing assessment of the expo- there is significant thatch build-up. You can where they help provide for healthy sure of the U.S. population to chemicals spring growth. Most fertilizers require (including pesticides): do this by using a mechanical device known www.cdc.gov/exposurereport/. as a lawn aerator available from most rental water after application, follow the instructions on the label to ensure Pesticide Action Network North America agencies. Use the type that removes small (PANNA) resource page contains reports, best results. cores of soil from the ground and places studies (use search words “scientific them on the lawn surface. These cores can studies”), and a pesticide database at be left to decompose naturally, contributing www.panna.org/resources/resources.html. to a decrease in thatch while the holes The Environmental Protection Agency’s poked into the ground help improve soil Muscle-powered Office of Children’s Health Protection has aeration for healthier root systems. information about environmental health weed killers threats to children at These lawn care tips will help you keep your If you have a smaller lawn, http://yosemite.epa.gov/ochp/ochpweb.nsf/ homepage. lawn healthy and less susceptible to disease and weeds can often be man- weed invasion, meaning you will have less need aged with mechanical tools. Weeds such as dandelions for herbicides and maybe even less fertilizer. can be removed easily by Visit www.reduce.org for lots digging them up with a fish- tail weeder (right) when the of ideas about reducing waste soil is damp. For those who and toxic chemicals in your Minnesota Office of Environmental Assistance would rather stay off their day-to-day life. knees, there are Minnesota Office of Environmental Assistance (OEA) helps Minnesotans make informed decisions and take actions that upright pullers such as conserve resources and prevent pollution and waste to benefit the Weed Hound™ (left). the environment, economy and society. Visit our web site: www.moea.state.mn.us..