The Green Room

Jeannine from Winnipeg, MB writes:

The gnome Suzuki has inspired us to keep our yard as green as possible. However, we have a problem that everyone tells us can only be resolved with Roundup (a chemical weed killer), which is an option we’d rather not consider.

Off the back lane to our property is an area that must have been used at one time as a parking spot, but it hasn’t been put to use since we bought the property. It is covered in crushed limestone and overgrown with weeds: dandelions, quack-grass, common burdock, plantain, and many others we can’t identify.

We’ve tried handpulling, but there are just too many, and because of the limestone, it’s impossible to dig out the dandelion and common burdock roots. Is it crazy to consider getting a machine in to remove the limestone and the roots? Or are there better options for us?

David Suzuki’s Nature Challenge asked Lisa Atkins, President of SOUL (The Society for Organic Urban Land care) to answer this one:

Horticultural vinegar works just as well as Roundup and isn’t toxic to anything but plants. Vinegar is systemic just like Roundup (apply to the leaves, and the plant intakes the liquid into its system), so it needs to be applied to exposed leaves. Also like Roundup, vinegar works best on annual weeds and needs repeated applications for perennial weeds.

Horticultural vinegar is now available to the public. Ironically, until recently, one had to have a license to apply hort vinegar, whereas any homeowner could purchase much more lethal pesticides at the local garden store.

Denham Dingle of Lindsay, Ontario asks:

Define "pesticide" please! Is it a substance to kill animal pests only or does it extend to plants - i.e. so-called "weeds"?

Good question! The definition of ‘pesticides’ includes insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, rodenticides, algaecides, and slimicides. Be aware that "Weed and Feed" products include chemical pesticides.

So yes, the definition of pesticide extends to plants - so-called ‘weeds’.

Mike Kaill sent in this report from the Spring Street Aquarium in Friday Harbour, Washington State:

 ”Last winter we had a major die-off in the Spring Street Aquarium. Virually all of the animals that lived on the bottom died - a large, candy-striped anemone that has been with us since we started, other anemones, giant barnacles, sea cucumbers and bottom fishes such as flounder, cling fish and gunnels. I suspected water quality problems and did some preliminary tests. We found high levels of detergents.
 
People need to look at their use of cleaning products, as well as lawn care and weed-killer products.  - anything that might go down the storm drain.  They need to consider how it’s affecting the water quality for all creatures. I don’t think people make the connection that when they hold car wash events, for example, that the detergents they use are deadly.
 
Storm drains go directly to lakes, streams and oceans without any treatment. I am concerned that runoff from the streets and parking lots goes directly into the harbor (and my aquarium). The best way to protect the nearshore environment is to keep cleaners out of the storm drains altogether.”

Judith Lodi of Kitchener, Ontario writes:

I am hoping that you can offer some advice. I have been trying, without success, for the past three years to eliminate the dandelions, plantain, etc. that are spreading and choking out my grass. I also have numerous two leaf plants coming up that look like they could be seedlings from my maple. On top of all this, I am sure that I have some form of lawn infestation, but definitely do not want to turn to pesticides and weed and feed type solutions. However, my lawn is unsightly and because it borders my neighbour’s property, they are also impacted by my inability to solve these problems.

Last weekend, I visited my parents and relatives in the Peterborough area, which as I am sure you know has a stringent pesticide by-law in place. That weekend the Peterborough Examiner was filled with editorial comments and news articles about the massive patches of dead grass and exposed dirt that now seems to be the off-shoot of white grubs and no alternative means to control these pests. (My aunt did say that she is going to apply Nematodes and hopes they may help.) I expect that the battle over maintaining the green will only become worse, as Ontario struggles to institute a law governing the use of cosmetic pesticides. Those in opposition will either dig in their heals because the proposed legislation is a water-down version of what their community has in place or they will argue against instituting such laws because golf courses, etc. are exempt.

What we can do to ensure that the laws we have put in place, or are struggling to achieve, aren’t way-laid because we don’t have readily accessible alternative answers to pesticide?

This is a timely question, Judy, because we are just putting together our July issue of David Suzuki’s Nature Challenge newsletter, where we will be featuring earth-friendly strategies for attracting beneficial predators and recipes (from our Queen of Green, Lindsay Coulter) to make yards and gardens inhospitable to unwanted pests. Watch for this early in July.

In the meantime, can any readers offer some wisdom?

Derek Malivoire of Oakville Ontario writes:

"With all the golf couses in Ontario, how can they be exempt from the pesticide ban? Half of Ontario is covered with golf courses, with lots of streams running through them. They are the bigest user.
My garden has been drug free for years., but I have seen the frogs, snakes and a lot of the good insects disappear. In fact, I have not seen any for the last three years."

Thanks for this question, Derek. According to Lisa Gue, our Health and Environment Policy Analyst, the short answer is yes, the proposed Ontario ban would exempt golf courses, as does the ban in Quebec and in most municipalities.

The Ontario legislation has yet to pass and may be amended, but in its current form, golf courses would be exempted from the ban if they comply with certain requirements. Those requirements would be specified in regulations and would likely involve measure to reduce (but not eliminate) pesticide use.

We suggest you write to Premier McGuinty and Environment Minister Gerretsen and urge the Ontario government to tighten up that aspect of the law. You’ll find a direct link to them on this page of our David Suzuki Digs My Garden site: http://www.davidsuzuki.org/NatureChallenge/GardenContest/Take_Action.asp .

Leave us a comment here with your favourite pesticide-free gardening tips, or requests for advice on how to manage your garden and lawn without pesticides.

The forked tongue dandelion weeder is my fav tool this time of year.
I literally remove them by hand. Hundreds a week. A wheel barrow full last week, at least 6 dozen today.

Ban the herbicides and pesticides is my thinking.

Tones, Hawkestone Oro Medonte Ontario