Chemicals Harmful?

[snagger]

I have a lawn service apply chemical fertilizer and weed killer. My wife hates it and is concerned about possible health issues for our kids. She wants me to do some research on a "natural" solution rather than chemicals. Has anyone done research on the health affects of the chemical spray? Anyone no any lawn services that use natural fertilizer and weedkiller?

[pureinsanity]

I have a lawn service apply chemical fertilizer and weed killer. My wife hates it and is concerned about possible health issues for our kids. She wants me to do some research on a "natural" solution rather than chemicals. Has anyone done research on the health affects of the chemical spray? Anyone no any lawn services that use natural fertilizer and weedkiller?

Go to a farmers house tell him you want him to come over and use his manure spreader on your lawn. when your wife comes home tell her its the natural fertilizer. She will not let the kids play outside and will let you spray and put down any chemical you want from there on out...

[hotrod1]

If there were health issues, I am sure the lawn service would not be allowed to apply pesticides. If the lawn service is applying them correctly there should not be health issues.

You could suggest to your wife to go pull the weeds instead of using chemicals.

[LwnmwnMan2]

I do applications for a living, have been licensed by the state for 14 years.

IMO, no home owner should be allowed to apply any pesticides or herbicides, OR they should have to have a license to purchase the product.

If the lawn service is licensed by the state, and is applying at label rate and following the letter of the law, then IMO, there should be no concerns.

If you have a yard bigger than 5k sq ft, it's going to be hard to afford an "organic" herbicide application.

If you want to look and see if the lawn service is licensed, look up the MN Dept. of Agriculture's HSOforum.

Even if they're applying weed-n-feed they can buy at Home Depot, they still need to be licensed to perform the applications.

[deerminator]

I'm not a tree hugger, though I have been known to do so when stalking deer through the forest, but I'm a big fan of no chemicals on the lawn. I use an organic fertilizer (milorganite) on the lawn every spring and fall and let the grass grow tall to choke out much of the weeds and clover. There are still plenty of both, but we live in the country and when mowed, it all looks good to me. To me, it's just easier not to have the chemicals on the lawn with plenty of kids and dogs always on it.

[scott b]

Chemicals and fertilizers are ruining our water supply/fisheries. Is it really worth it? +1 Deerminator!

[Bear55]

There are still plenty of both, but we live in the country and when mowed, it all looks good to me. To me, it's just easier not to have the chemicals on the lawn with plenty of kids and dogs always on it.

Same here, pretty sure half my lawn is weeds.

[pureinsanity]

With all the rain and lightning we had lawns should all be doing good this year and have plenty of nitrogen in them. I know I haven't had to do anything this year to mine.

[pureinsanity]

Yay for nitrogen oxides!

[BobT]

Chemicals and fertilizers are ruining our water supply/fisheries. Is it really worth it? +1 Deerminator!

When these things are applied correctly I don’t believe this is necessarily a true statement. It's when chemicals are over-applied or improperly applied that this becomes a problem. Unfortunately, incorrect application is one of the most common mistakes made in most cases and as a result the above statement is sadly true more often than not. For this reason I would agree with lwnmwnman2 that licensing might be a good idea.

Unfortunately that would require that I too become licensed and certified for my farm use of herbicides but that might be a small price to pay for a good cause. Education is an important ingredient and the licensing should require more than just paying for the paperwork but should include training and certification. It is better today than years ago but I still hear people express an attitude that more is better from farmers as well as homeowners.

A friend of mine this spring applied 2,4-D to his lawn to kill dandelions. I remember his statement, “I really hit ‘em hard with a strong mix!” The herbicide 2,4-D is very effective on dandelions and they have little tolerance for it. The truth is “hitting ‘em hard” with a stronger mix is no more effective than applying the correct amount. Once enough poison is ingested to kill, more won’t make things deader.

Some plants have more resistance to 2,4-D than others and a second application some time later can be beneficial but a double dose the first time will have no additional affect. This is similar to taking antibiotics. A doctor prescribes a single pill per day until gone. It would not work to take all 10 pills on the first day but it is very effective to take one pill every day for 10 days.

Most people apply fertilizer without a soil analysis. So how do they know what to apply and how concentrated? As a result it would not surprise me to learn that most apply too much of the wrong blend of fertilizers. The right thing to do is have your soil analyzed and apply only the amount and type of fertilizer necessary to feed the plants based on plant type and population density. This can change from one year to the next as soil fertility changes. Like herbicide, applying more fertilizer than needed is costly and ineffective and in some cases results in more damage than benefit. I’ve seen people damage or kill crops/lawns by over-applying fertilizer.

When the right amount and type of herbicide and fertilizer are used, the plants will use it and our water supply is not in jeopardy. When we over-apply or use the wrong type, the plants won’t use it all and the left-over will leach through the soil and potentially pollute our water supply.

[deerminator]

I would agree with Bob and mention that I do use chemicals occassionally in the form of roundup when I want to clear a new area of weeds effectivley to replant it with native perrenials. In fact, the local watershed district recommended this so long as it was done once in favor of the long term health of the planting area. So my reason for not using fertilizer is more so a combination of laziness and the fact that I am tripping over the dogs and kids when trying to mow much less spreading fertilizer. I mean, one of the dogs starts licking the flowers like a mad man after I hit them with liquid fence. I have to spray that stuff in secret or its not worth it.

[MuleShack]

Just adding on to Bobs statement that over dosing (or over kill) with the pesticides and herbicides can also lead to the plants adapting to the chemical and it can become ineffective. There is a term for it, but it is late and I cant remember it now.

The dosing instructions on each product label are the legal and safe application rates, but based on the chemical your provider is applying may or maynot have different re-entry periods. Some are until dry, some should be watered in, etc. Those are things to ask your service provider if unsure.

Steve

[CAMAN]

I saw a program that demonstrated Harvards use of completely organic fertilizer on there grounds. They "brew" it themselves and their lawns look gorgeous. It was even demonstrated how a homeowner can do it themselves with just a water barrel, aerator, and a few organic compounds.

I believe it was a This Old House show.

[Powerstroke]

Consider your concerns? If your wife is concerned have her talk to someone at a company. I applied herbicides and fertilizer for 7 years as a licensed applicator. We had people at the company who started working there cause their dad worked there. That is a testament to lack of risk because these people spend several hours a day, hundreds of hours a year in the product and do just fine.

The products used today are as weak as they can be and still be effective. The EPA and Dept. of Ag. would never allow it. Any problems are caused by overdosing the product or applying to the wrong area or target. Knowing what you're trying to hit and only tyring to hit that area will be as safe as it can get.

If there were any tangible risk these products would banned. You'll also find organic is more expensive.

[BobT]

I saw a program that demonstrated Harvards use of completely organic fertilizer on there grounds. They "brew" it themselves and their lawns look gorgeous. It was even demonstrated how a homeowner can do it themselves with just a water barrel, aerator, and a few organic compounds.

I believe it was a This Old House show.

Could just build your own compost. That's about as organic as it gets.

[CAMAN]

.

Could just build your own compost. That's about as organic as it gets.

That's pretty much what it was, except it was liquid and sprayable for easy application.

[Steve Foss]