Recently, the Portland Press Herald had an article about organic lawn and garden care vs. using chemical pesticides and herbicides. In many ways, this article seemed biased. It quoted a local lawn care company president saying that he had lost 20-30% of his business in Ogunquit when the voters opted for organic products on all land in town, public as well as private. A garden center with a place in Kennebunk claimed that people bought chemical pesticides from him – the suggestion was that these people lived in Ogunquit.

 Expense and a poorer looking lawn seemed to be the main themes here and they were in the first part of the article – the part most people read.

 The newspaper reporter failed to look into any of the severe health risks that chemical pesticides have shown to have on children, adults, and family pets. She barely touched on the health of the environment – the lawns and gardens, the streams and rivers and ground water people drink, along with the ponds and lakes and the ocean where people often swim. If chemical pesticides are so great, then why are they linked with serious illnesses and, incidentally, a radial decline in the bee population needed for pollination of many of our food crops?

 

The second part of that article had to do with organic lawn care but again the reporter failed to look seriously at turning to this safer alternative, nor were reasons given for why the first year turning to organics from chemical pesticide use might have lawns looking a bit haggard.

 While it might be true that going organic from chemical pesticide use might be more expensive initially, in a few years it will be much cheaper, if the owner asks his lawn care company to follow those steps we have mentioned more than once – testing your soil with a soil kit to see what it needs; adding grass seed to the bare spots if you have them in the spring; adding compost to your lawn in the spring; then, come summer, watering just once a week; leaving your lawn about 3” high and leaving any grass clippings you might have to feed the soil.

 In a year or two, your lawn that you or your lawn care company dumped pounds and pounds of chemicals on will be looking lush and comfy feeling, like the best rug you can buy.

 That will beat poisons any day.