A New Perspective: Improving the

Environment from your Back Yard

Hal HultgrenURI Master Gardener

University of Rhode Island Outreach Center

Charlestown Town CouncilApril 20, 2011

Charlestown Town Council Resolution

• Passed at December 14, 2009 meeting

• Voluntary non-use of harmful pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers on lawns and gardens

How can we help?

Pawcatuck River Basin

What You Can Do

Inspect/Survey before using herbicide, pesticide, or fertilizer• Soil Test• ID pest or disease• Can you live with the number of pests?

Use approach or product least harmful to environment• Know the hazards and dangers• Follow the directions

Consider going native• Native plants• Less lawn

Keep water off impervious surfaces• Capture water from roof in rain barrels or cistern• Rain garden

The Top 10 SolutionsYard Care1. Never dump anything into the path of a stormdrain.2. Sweep everything back onto the lawn. 3. Water wisely.4. Divert rooftop runoff.5. Reduce fertilizer and pesticide use.Home Care6. Never put hazardous household wastes down stormdrains,

indoor drains, or the trash. 7. Have your septic system inspected regularly (every 3-5

years) and pumped as needed. Auto Care8. If you change your own motor oil, recycle the used oil.9. Wash your vehicle at a designated car wash or on grass.Pet Care10. Scoop your dog’s poop. Then throw it in the trash.

www.RIStormwaterSolutions.org

Maintain a Healthy Lawn• Water wisely

1 inch per week - Combination of rain and watering If watering, water deeply and in the morning

• Mow High - 3 Inches or higher Increases root depth Denser grass and fewer weeds

• Leave Grass Clippings on Lawn Provides a source of slow release nitrogen Reduces fertilizer needs by up to 50%

• Use Low Input Grasses Overseed lawn with fescue grasses Consider adding white clover

• Fertilizer use Lawn clippings plus lime sufficient for mature lawns Consider organic fertilizer

Herbicide & Pesticide Use

• Mechanical – handpick insects and weeds, remove infected leaves

• Organic controls

– Insecticidal soaps

– Natural ingredient based, eg, Neem, Rotenone

– Biological controls, e.g., nematodes, parasites

– But they can have negative implications

• Chemical controls

– Some more toxic than others

Goal: control the problem with minimal impact to the environment

Major Problems with Lawns - Crabgrass

Instead of Chemicals

Dithiopyr - Dimension

Siduron – Tupersan

Benefin/triflur – Team

Use Organic ApproachesCorn Gluten Or …

Really OrganicHand pull

Re-seed bare spotsMaintain dense lawn

Major Problems with Lawns - Grubs

Instead of Chemicals

Imidicloprid

Trichlorfon

4F Carbaryl

Use Organic ApproachesMilky sporesNematodes Or …

Really Organic - Hand pick adult beetles

JAN FEB MAR APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC

Survey first – you may save yourself a lot of money!

Major Problems with Lawns – Broadleaf Weeds

Instead of Chemicals

2,4-D dimethylamine salt

Mecoprop

Dicamba

Use Organic Approaches

Hand pullRe-seed bare spots

Maintain dense lawn

What the weeds say …

Example of What the Weeds Say

Weed Lo N Compaction Shady Excess Water

Moss X X X

Thin Turf Dry Lo pH Poor Drainage Low Mow

X X X

Garden Pests Control

• Neem

• Bt

• Spinosad

• Insecticidal soaps

• Pyrethrins or Rotenone

• Sevin

Chewing Insects – e.g., cabbage worms, flea beetles, corn

borers, caterpillars Least Harmful

More Harmful

• Neem

• Insecticidal Soaps

• Diotomaceous Earth

• Rotenone or Pyrethrins

• Horticultural Oils

• Malathion

• Orthene or Isotox

• Imidicloprid

Sucking Insects – e.g., aphids, leafhoppers, leaf miners,

mealy bugs

Garden Pests Control

• Safer Mite Control

• Insecticidal soaps

Mites – two-spotted, cyclamen and other mites

Least Harmful

More Harmful

• Sulfur

• Lime Sulfur

• Copper Sprays or Dusts

• Daconil

• Funginex

• Benomyl (Benlate)

• Captan

Diseases – e.g., powdery mildew, leaf spots, fruit diseases

Read the Labels!

• Know what fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides you are using

• Know the active ingredients

• Apply only the amount directed

– More is not better!

• Read the warnings

– Toxicity – humans, animals, birds, insects

– Shelf life and half life

ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDSThis pesticide is toxic to fish, aquatic

invertebrates,and aquatic life stages of amphibians. Do

not apply directly to water. Drift and runoff may be hazardous to aquatic organisms in

areas near the application site. Do not contaminate water when disposing of

equipment washwaters. This product is highly toxic to bees exposed to direct

treatment on blooming crops or weeds. Do not apply this product or allow it to drift to

blooming crops or weeds if bees are visiting the treatment area.

DirectionsFor proper mixing, the spray tank should

be atleast ¾ filled with water before this

product isadded. Shake sprayer occasionally or

agitateto keep spray particles in suspension

duringapplication. Follow spray schedule given in

SPRAY CHART.Do not apply this product through any type ofirrigation system. For home garden use only.

Pesticide Label

What is Charlestown Doing?

– Recycling – 2nd Highest in State• Motor oil and oil filters• Yard waste

– Educational pamphlets – Monthly monitoring of storm drains– Controlling soil erosion at construction sites.– Requiring holding ponds/swales for stormwater runoff– Monitoring well water– Sponsoring well water testing and sales of rain barrels– Preventing pollution on public property through landscape

care, storm drain cleaning, and good housekeeping at public works garages.

Charlestown Stormwater & Wastewater Manager: Matt Dowling

Thank You!URI Gardening Hotline

1-800-448-1011

Web Site

www.urimga.org

URI CELS Outreach Center

www.uri.edu/cels/ceoc