Organic Lawn Care Products

Frequently Asked Questions

1. QUESTION:
   Lawn care advice so I don't poison my baby?
   I have a one year old. Previously we have used whatever lawn care products. I have a hard time finding the organic stuff. My husban recently sprayed moss killer (non-organic) in the back yard but not the front. Previous to this, since last summer, we have not used anything.

   Questions

   My little guy was playing in the untreated since last summer front yard grass. Would there be anything dangerous left over?

   If we get organic lawn care products and treat the back yard again should I still keep him off the grass because of the non-organic stuff that was used?

   I'm not good at this stuff as it is. Now I need to figure out how to have a nice lawn and not poison my toddler!!

   Any help or advice would be great.

   Thanks

   • ANSWER:
     Tell your husband to consult with you on any household matter.

     You can go green in a thousand ways.
     You can start with using non toxic cleaners.
     You can get a healthy lawn by composting instead of chemicals.

     "green" is the google term you want to start using.

     I cannot imagine anything more healthy than moss.
     I have never heard of a moss killer. How would a chemical kill moss? Do you mean mold?

2. QUESTION:
   School me on proper shady lawn care?
   Here are some particulars: live in PA, have about a third of an acre with about a 10, 50-60 year old trees in my yard. There's a mix of grass, moss, weeds, and other organic matter (acorns, twigs, needles, etc) on the ground now. I'm trying to grow grass effectively. This is the third spring we've been here, and in the previous two years, I've put down random 2-3 pound bags of grass to try to get some of the repair started. It's pretty spotty and I did notice that this spring, some of the seed that I planted in the past 2 years had surprisingly began to emerge! But it's still pretty thin.

   I'm not interested in tearing up the whole lawn and starting from scratch. I'm interested in perhaps trying some of those new products like Scotts EZ Seed, but want to perhaps mix it with another seed to a) control costs, and b) have a grass that can grow fast, but live throughout the year and remain after the grounds thaw in the winter. Is this doable? If so, what are your tips to help my partial lawn grow into a nice, thick lawn?

   BQ, I just spread some weed 'n feed in my front lawn, how long should I wait to spread seed so that the new seed won't burn from the fertilizer?
   I appreciate the input. But I will also add that my neighbors have GREAT lawns. So my physical attributes don't matter TOO much. I'm just wondering how I can get over the hump! !

   • ANSWER:
     You may never be able to grow grass in the situation you have. Any grass you attempt to grow should be for shade variety.

     Your problems are as follows - You may not have enough light to grow grass effectively.
     Depending on the type of trees - eg conifers the roots of the trees may make it impossible for grass to grow due to dryness and competition.
     Some trees such as conifers make the soil around them very acid due to continual needle drop.

     You may have to give up the idea of growing lawn everywhere and grow lawn where there is enough light available and grow ground covers that are more suitable where there isn't. Violets are particularly good if you have lots of shade. Consider growing banks of shrubs under trees such as azaleas and rhododendrons. Groups of lower growing shrubs such as nandinas are also good. Large areas of hellebore's may also suit. Even ivy is good but you must not let it climb the trees, but makes a great ground cover. If areas are very dark use a white variegated ground cover such as V. liriope or variegated ivy this will lift the gloom. Check all selections with a local nursery to check for your climate needs, and if you pick something like violets (the seed themselves) or liriope which runs then roots it may be more economical than what you may think. Hope this helps.

3. QUESTION:
   I want to make organic fertilizer?
   By taking a product with 6 common ingredients. I want to then add 3 new patent pending ingredients and sell it as a new product as a distributor to lawn care businesses. Can I legally mix these products together and make my own product and sell it under my own brand name.

   • ANSWER:
     i think there would be a legal issue, but if the bussiness was small time its ok. Make sure you record the phospherous, nitrogen, and iron content within the fertilizer so people know what they are getting.

4. QUESTION:
   find draft, grammar check, and the fourth para is my conclusion and i wrote in alternative term. Please help
   The use of herbicide in lawn care has increased in the past year. Advertising has portrayed herbicide as a magician that could provide a nice environment in a really short time, in order to fulfill our desire. This chemical spray is use to destroy needless weeds and plants, but a lot of people overuse it, and that causes many problems. These problems can typically be found around us. Pollution in our water, and other effects on human health. Therefore, we have a responsibility to prevent the use of herbicide and protect our life and the environment we live in.

   Herbicide contains two specific ingredients: glyphosate and 2,4D. These chemicals are commonly used in farms, parks and golf courses. Farmers and gardeners use the chemicals to kill unwanted plants, but they don’t realize that the chemicals do not stay on the plants. The herbicides are getting into our water, rivers and, subsequently, into the rain. It could kill fish, beavers, frogs and birds.
   I found that some researches have proven that weed killer is toxic to the environment. John Struger, a scientist at the Canadian Centre for Inland Waters, analyzed urban streams and detected nine types of herbicides. Tyrone Hayes, the developmental endocrinologist at the University of California at Berkeley, said that over-use of herbicide is directly effecting male tadpoles in the laboratory. He tested the level used in the environment, and found that this chemical removed the testicles of male tadpoles, and prevented male characteristics from fully forming. He concluded that herbicide exposure turns the tadpoles into hermaphrodites (creatures with both male and female sexual characteristics). If there are no more male frogs, frog populations will decrease, and, without the frogs to consume them, bug populations will increase.

   In fact, herbicides are not only harmful to our environment but are also slowly poisoning both children and adults. Children are at a high risk of infection because their immune systems are very weak. A U.S. National Cancer Institute survey found that children with leukemia and asthma are six times more likely to come from homes where herbicides were used. Children are most at risk of developing problems because they play on lawns, and herbicides can enter through their skin. And according to Dr. Kelly Martin, 20% of the people who arrive in hospital emergency rooms with toxic herbicide exposure are children who have crawled on a lawn after it had been sprayed safely. The Ontario College of Family Physicians, the Canadian Public Health Association and the Learning Disabilities Association of Canada have said that herbicides affect children’s neurological development, reproduction, growth, and the functioning of the immune and endocrine systems. Moreover, Canadians are using approximately four million kilograms of herbicides every year. Adults have stronger immune systems, but are also affected by the chemical sprays, exhibiting symptoms such as sneezing, running nose, stinging eyes, headache and diarrhea.

   Now scientist had investigated organic herbicide, this organic product is vinegar. Vinegar does great job in killing off weeds without hurting plants, animals and human. The acidic nature of vinegar (4 percent acetic acid) is what makes it an ideal organic herbicide. It is perfectly for farm and even home garden. All you need to do is make a one-time application of a quart of vinegar using a standard spray bottle. This is a cheap alternative way to protect both human and environment. You can find vinegar anywhere like Superstore, Safeway and Wal-mart.
   This information reported by Rafiq Islam a soil and water specialist with Ohio State’s South Centers.
   i thnk i need a better conclusion

   • ANSWER:
     u might want to check this sentence: *Pollution in our water, and other effects on human health.
     in this sentenec: *Tyrone Hayes, the developmental endocrinologist at the University of California at Berkeley, said that *over-use* of herbicide is directly *effecting*male tadpoles in the laboratory. , i don't think over-use needs a hyphen. and it should be affecting not effecting
     in this part: Now *scientist* had investigated organic herbicide, it should be either scientists or a scientist
     u should check this sentence: Now scientist had investigated organic herbicide, this organic product is vinegar. i think it should be a period instead of a comma.
     in this part: Vinegar does *great job in* killing off weeds without hurting plants, animals and human. it think u should say *a great job of

     sorry if i critized too much..... it really a good conclusion
     good luck i hope i helped

5. QUESTION:
   I want to make organic fertilizer?
   By taking a product with 6 known ingredients. I want to then add 3 new ingredients and sell it as a new product as a distributor to lawn care businesses. Can I legally mix these products together and make my own product and sell it under my own brand name.

   • ANSWER:
     You will need a to be registered with your state to distribute fertilizer. This is often accomplished by paying a or 0 fee to your state USDA. You will also need to register the product you are planning to make and sell. To do this you will need to make a label that follows the labeling guidline of your state. Then mail it in to the USDA with an application to register a fertilizer product. Because there is no federal regulation of fertilizers, everything is done at the state level and the rules vary greatly from state to state. The material you are planning on mixing may have a bearing on whether it is legal to distribute. The link below provides an article about organic materials used for fertilizers.