Natural Yard Care

Today is the first day of spring. Despite that it’s snowing outside at the moment, it’s time to start thinking about gardening and lawn care. To that end, I’ve compiled a short list of natural lawn care ideas.

Mowing

Mowing stimulates fast re-growth that requires watering much more frequency than a normal plants need. So set your mower to cut at 3 inches. A higher setting reduces moisture loss and encourages deep root growth.

Keep mower blades sharpand clean, and mow when the grass is dry.

In the market for a new mower? Consider electric or hand pushed model. Reel lawn mowers have come a long way and many are quite easy to use.

Grasscycling

Mulch the clippings right onto the lawn “grasscycling” helps develop soil nutrients by keeping nitrogen in place, increases moisture retention and soil fertility. Grasscycling provides about 2 pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet of lawn per year. In some cases, grasscycling can completely eliminate the need for synthetic lawn fertilizers. (clover is a sign of low nitrogen)

Natural Fertilizing

To thicken a lawn, overseed at the beginning of autumn, with enough time for watering and growth before the leaves fall.

Fertilize with an organic fertilizer in the fall and spring. Your soil has a balance of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorous. Different products can treat particular needs. For example, Bloodmeal is a high nitrogen fertilizer, organic composted manure offers many nutrients, calcium carbonate neutralizes acid soil.

Have the pH of your soil professionally tested (see CCE information below). Add lime if it is below 6.0 and gardener's sulfur if it is above 7.0. (Dandelions love a pH above 7 and are a sign that your soil is too alkaline)

A thick layer of topsoil is best.

Not using fertilizer also reduces a plant’s water needs and the chance of pest infestation (pests love to feed on fast fertilizer-induced growth).

Watering your lawn

As the soil dries out, grass will start to curl and then turn brown. Water when it starts to curl. Water in the evenings and water deeply. Consider doing the watering in two sessions. If you use a sprinkler, you can measure your sprinkler application, place an empty 6-ounce tuna can on your lawn. You've watered 1 inch when it is full.

Xenoscaping

Native plants are the best choice for trouble-free gardening. They need less water and fertilizer, and have fewer pest problems than plants imported from other areas.

Weeds

If you don’t like to weed, use newspaper to keeps weeds at bay for the seasn. After that the paper and its covering will decompose to become topsoil.

Blanket the soil with newspaper or cardboard, overlapping the pieces like roofing shingles. Water the paper so the pieces stick together. Cover the paper with 2-4 inches of compost or mulch.

Water only as needed and at night .

A great local resource!

For about $10 per sample, Cornell cooperative extension (CCE) of Monroe County offers soil testing and pest/weed diagnostics. For information, see their webpage: http://counties.cce.cornell.edu/monroe/horticulture/consumer.html.

Check your medicine cabinet

Ingredients commonly found in toothpastes, shampoos, soaps, shaving creams, lotions or other personal hygiene items. These are ingredients that have had some question raised as to their safety. (My research was current in Sept 2007)

Aluminum - has been found to not only cause skin irritation, but the inflammation caused may spread beyond the areas where the antiperspirant is being applied. Antiperspirants also block pores, preventing the body from eliminating toxins through perspiration, which reduces the body’s ability to regulate its temperature. Instead of using antiperspirant, try using natural deodorant brands that don’t contain aluminum, or try the crystal stick which uses natural mineral salts.

Antibacterials - According to a 2000 World Health Organization report, antibacterial soaps are helping to promote growth of resistant bacteria. Studies in the April 1999 Journal of Biological Chemistry and the July 13 2000 Nature reported that antibacterial agents such as Triclosan encourage the rise of drug-resistant bacteria. Triclosan also carries concerns of contamination from chloroform and dioxin.

Cocamide MEA – A wetting agent. May contain DEA.

Diethanolamine (DEA) –A wetting agent. A suspect carcinogen when contaminated with nitrosamines - compounds shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals (The National Toxicology Program, 1998). Contamination is more likely if the product also contains Bronopol.

Disodium EDTA –used to enhance penetration, has been suggested to cause systemic, reproductive, neurological, endocrine, and mutagenic effects in mice and rats.

Distearyldimonium Chloride – A detergent. I read that it is not good for critters and the environment, but couldn’t find the source or any other comments about it.

DMDM hydantoin – A microbicide. Can break down to ingredients that trigger skin sensitivities. May contain formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is a preservative which has been classified as a human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, and a probable human carcinogen by the US Environmental Protection Agency.

FD&C Blue 1 – An artificial coal tar color. It is generally believed to be carcinogenic.

Flavor – doesn’t specify natural or artificial sources

Fragrances - can contain phthalates –Phthalates are used as plasticizers. Some phthalates are reproductive and developmental toxicants in animals and suspected endocrine disruptors in humans. Int J Hyg Environ Health. Sept 2007. The FDA (cfsan.fda.gov).determined that there is insufficient evidence to date to take regulatory action to remove phthalates from personal care products. Some fragrances contain or release formaldehyde.

Methylparaben, Propylparaben – Preservatives. Used in underarm deodorants, parabens have recently been found in tissue samples from human breast tumors according to a study published in the Journal of Applied Toxicology (2004). The estrogenic activity of parabens may be linked to the development of breast cancer. The American Cancer Society (cancer.org) reviews the research literature and suggests that larger studies are needed. The FDA cites research that showed that given the levels in personal care products, it is implausible that they could lead to cancer.

Methylchloroisothiazolinone and methylisothiazolinone – Preservatives. The CIR ruled them safe for use with concentration limits. May contain formaldehyde. Have a known potential for causing allergic reactions or irritations.

Nitrosamines - Chemical compounds formed by the reaction of amines and amino acids with nitrite. Found to be carcinogenic in lab animals.

Petrolatum (aka petroleum jelly, vaseline) – An ointment. Can cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. Because it is a petroleum product, its use depletes a non-renewable resource.

Polyethylene – An emulsifier. The CIR ruled it safe for cosmetic use. There is limited evidence of carcinogenicity.

Propylene glycol – A moisturizer. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has determined propylene glycol to be "generally recognized as safe" for use in food, cosmetics, and medicines. Can cause burning in sensitive individuals. Not allowed for use in cat food.

Quaternium-15 – A preservative. May contain or release formaldehyde. Can be absorbed through the skin and nails. Quaternium-15 causes more dermatitis complaints than any other preservative, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.

Silica – Some silica, especially amorphous hydrated silica may be contaminated with small amounts of crystalline quartz/silica, a suspect carcinogen. The hazard may be limited to inhalation. Tom’s of Maine requires their supplier to use a test method called X-ray diffraction to conclusively prove that the hydrated silica they purchase is not contaminated by crystalline silica. Other manufacturers may do the same.

Sodium saccharin – An artificial sweetener. A putative, but disputed cause of cancer in laboratory rats.

Sodium laurel sulfate (SLS) – The Cosmetics Ingredient Review (CIR), a panel of cosmetics-industry experts established to safety-test ingredients (cir-safety.org), reported that SLS causes "severe epidermal changes" to mouse skin, a finding that "indicates a need for tumor-enhancing activity assays." This year, after review of over 250 existing SLS studies, however, the CIR concluded that SLS is not cancer-causing. Many environmental groups still advocate avoiding it. It also seems to be an ingredient that is safest when not used with nitrosamines.

TEA (triethanolamine) - see DEA