Natural Approach

[Ducke]

The only problem we had here with IPM was it was all self governed by the industry and no one followed the rules or changed the rules as need. I have no problem with a total ban as we have here, It is now an even playing field. one set of rules and we all have to play by them. I have no problems treating lawns naturally and can pretty much keep them looking just as well with out all the poison. Say what you will about pesticides good for you bad for you or just don't care about them . I think we are better off with out them anything that is man made chemical that seems to kill everything and anything it comes in contact with can not be a good thing. I just finished reading three different books on organic lawn care and I look at what I did over the last few years and see why we had recurring infestation of insects. A lot of it was due to poor lawn maintenance habits. To much high nitrogen fertilizer and to many applications the wrong chemicals at the wrong times the miss identification of grubs and the wrong product to control them. Just look at Agent Orange, Purple, White they are now 30+ years later admitting to how bad these chemicals really were. 24D was a part agent in the make up of Agent Orange. (if you don't know these agents were defoliants tested by the US Army here in Canada). I am chemical free and am studying all the time to stay that way. It keeps my customers safe and the #1 reason it keeps me safe.

[mark123]

Lawn care business tips

Originally Posted by Ducke ... I am chemical free ... H2O is a chemical. So is petroleum.

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Boughter's Lawn Care Services Mowing and Fertilizing in New Castle, PA

[dpld]

Originally Posted by Ducke

The only problem we had here with IPM was it was all self governed by the industry and no one followed the rules or changed the rules as need.
I have no problem with a total ban as we have here, It is now an even playing field. one set of rules and we all have to play by them.
I have no problems treating lawns naturally and can pretty much keep them looking just as well with out all the poison. Say what you will about pesticides good for you bad for you or just don't care about them . I think we are better off with out them anything that is man made chemical that seems to kill everything and anything it comes in contact with can not be a good thing.
I just finished reading three different books on organic lawn care and I look at what I did over the last few years and see why we had recurring infestation of insects. A lot of it was due to poor lawn maintenance habits. To much high nitrogen fertilizer and to many applications the wrong chemicals at the wrong times the miss identification of grubs and the wrong product to control them. Just look at Agent Orange, Purple, White they are now 30+ years later admitting to how bad these chemicals really were.
24D was a part agent in the make up of Agent Orange. (if you don't know these agents were defoliants tested by the US Army here in Canada).
I am chemical free and am studying all the time to stay that way. It keeps my customers safe and the #1 reason it keeps me safe.

the whole purpose of the practice of IPM is to avoid the issues that are related to over use and poor practices.
too many companies think the only way to make money is by dumping something on the ground.

but the problem lies on the individuals who lack the knowledge of their craft.
when someone in the trade asks me how to sell IPM my first thought would be, first learn what you are doing and then we will talk.
because if the individual knew anything about insect and diseases as well as their life cycles and all other aspects of what benefits a lawn or a tree as well as what hurts it they would now posess the knowledge needed to sell the service.

there is no story line and there is no sales pitch and the only thing you need to know is what you are doing far beyond mixing ratio's and application rates and how to spray a lawn.

you are a shinning example, you did your research and you are taking the time to find alternatives that is what i did for the last 25 years and i learned more on my own then i did from anyone else.

i think banning the use all together is a little extreme and there are ways to better police it.
we have a lot of lakes around by me and there was a problem with the algae blooms and large fish kills and they linked it to the phosphorus in the fertilizer.
the areas in question were all luxury homes with picture perfect yards where everyone had a lawn guy.

once they banned phosphorus in the fert the problem was solved.

i get audited every year and my purchases have to match my usage and if the math equades to there being a surplus i need to show proof of it so it would be hard to use more then i should as well as the total app rates for the season need to be accounted for as well.

[Ducke]

Originally Posted by mark123

H2O is a chemical. So is petroleum.

H2O is a natural Compound and I would never use petroleum product on a lawn


I am all natural and chemical free.
I only use home grown natural chemical free herb.

[mark123]

I got into a discussion with a customer's neighbor. He asked about all the chemicals I put on the lawn and I explained how little was actually used. He then asked what was the most dangerous chemical I use. I had never really thought about it in those terms so I took a second and picked up the gas can and said, "this one."

Petroleum really is the worst chemical we use on a daily basis.

I do think that using natural products does have some very minor merits, I'm just not sold on switching and my customers won't pay the extra cost involved, especially since it doesn't do as good a job.

I do think we overuse. I cut an entire round last year because of that.

[gardenbarber]

I don't do any pesticide work at all. I sometimes apply a herbicide in brick paving but I encourage my garden owners to run their gardens organically. Leave the bugs to the birds,tolerate some bug or disease damage in return for a chemical free environment, trim off diseased plant early and leave the healing to the plant and so on.

Most have found that the birds do take care of the bugs and the plant disease is almost non existent with some plant management.