I hope to get the rest of my leaves this weekend. I wanted to finish them off last weekend but the rain has not been in my favor. Mulching them with my mower has been working so far but I also plan on testing out the vacuum/mulcher attachment of the Lehr Eco-blower too.

Once the leaves have been dealt with, it's time to winterize the lawn tools. Mowers and trimmers need to be winterized but so do hoses, pruning shears, rakes and other lawn care products you may use. They no longer need to be front and center, at least pack them away for the season so you're not tripping on them to get to the snow shovel.

Some lawn chemicals need to be kept from freezing so be sure to read the labels and ensure they are stored properly and separate from products like rock salt so there's no confusion about what is what.

It's also a good time to make sure the snow blower is working, there's plenty of sand or ice melt on hand, and there is a functioning snow shovel or two. Do you really want to be that person rushing out to get a shovel or ice melt right before the storm?

photo © Dougal Waters/Getty Images

Like dominoes falling, Canadian province Prince Edward Island has banned all cosmetic use of pesticides containing chemical herbicide 2,4-D on lawns. Cosmetic pesticide bans already exist in Quebec and Ontario, while other provinces like New Brunswick, Alberta, and British Columbia are considering or in the process of enacting their own bans. Is the United Sates next?

Under the PEI pesticide ban, golf courses will still be able to use pesticides cosmetically as applied by licensed pesticide applicators. Detailed records must be maintained and reported to the environmental department. This is in accordance with laws that already exist in most provinces and states already. I have been a licensed pesticide applicator, at one time or another, in Alberta, New York, and Rhode Island. I have always had to maintain records and send in annual reports to local governments. Golf course workers are among the most educated and responsible pesticide applicators there are.

As with most pesticide bans, the concern is not necessarily with licensed, professionals applying pesticides within the framework of an Integrated Pest Management program, but with the dangers posed by the frequent, uncontrolled use of 2,4-D on millions of lawns. It's encouraging to see the precautionary principle work where it is targeted while maintaining a levelheaded courtesy toward the golf course industry.

I've always approved of these types of pesticide bans and feel that they put everyone on a level playing field. If you want to have the best lawn on your block now, it's going to take some skill not just a four step program. Lawn care companies that relied on these chemicals are going to have to learn how to grow grass instead of weeds. Best of all, we are all better off without the stuff. The best way to deal with these bans is to learn more about Integrated Pest Management and embrace an organic weed control regimen.

Links:
Cosmetic Pesticide Ban for PEI on its way!
Calgary ponders pesticide rules
David Suzuki Foundation

Arthur Wilson, 100, just signed a five year contract to continue mowing the lawn at his nephew's house in New Zealand, proving that age is no barrier for some fresh air and hard work. Heartwarming lawn care stories don't make the news everyday so it was a pleasure to hear of this centenarian who still hops aboard a riding lawn mower and cuts grass. Not just a little suburban plot either, the yard is quite large.

Be sure to click on the video link to see Mr. Wilson and his nephew sharing laughs and trading friendly barbs in between shots of him mowing the lawn like a pro. As a lawn mower safety advocate, I must add that it would have been nice to see him wear hearing protection and there was a safety shield on his mower that should have been in the down position, but who's going to tell the 100 year old guy that he's not doing it right? Honestly, if that could be me at 100 years old I'd be a happy and thankful man.

Read the article:

Watch the video

The good people at Lehr have just sent me their propane powered Eco-Blower to review. I've already used the blower to move some leaves around in my backyard and plan on using the vacuum/mulcher attachment tomorrow.

Lehr first hit the lawn care tool scene with their propane powered trimmers. I have yet to try one myself but the initial feedback that I've heard is all positive. Both the trimmers and blower run on the standard 16.4oz propane canisters commonly used for camp stoves and lanterns.

The engine itself is similar to standard gas burning engines with engine oil and a spark plug. Instead of storing gas cans and fussing with fuel mixtures though, Lehr offers simple Twist 'n Go fueling with propane, which is an EPA approved eco-fuel.

Once the second part of my review is complete, I'll post the results. Check back soon.

In most countries throughout the world, suicide is an urban problem but in China it's just the opposite. In the country where 44% of the world's suicides occur, they are happening in rural areas and scientists have made the shocking link. Exposure to pesticides increases the incidence of suicidal thoughts.

Agricultural grade, organophosphate pesticides specifically. These types of pesticides have been banned for decades in Western countries because of their toxicity, but in China, use is widespread and pesticide safety is non-existent. In fact the people who had the most suicidal thoughts were found to be storing the pesticides in their home!

Why should we care? Well, I care because someone out there is still manufacturing the stuff, making a profit from a product that is known to kill people (not to mention wildlife). Chemical companies often take advantage of lax or non-existent regulations in Third World countries while cheerfully marketing "safe" products in the West. That's not right by me and we should know who they are.

The other thing that disturbs me is that similar products may still be available to unknowing consumers in Western countries. The long term effects of pesticides on people and the environment are largely unknown and what is slowly becoming known about certain pesticides is that they are more toxic than previously thought. Organophosphate pesticides used to be widespread in America as were mercury based pesticides and countless other toxic concoctions which the unassuming public were led to believe would solve all their problems. Why should I believe the deception has stopped? What is my pet or child rolling around in that may someday be banned due to its toxicity?

My solution? Utilize an Integrated Pest Management program. Use chemical pesticides as a last resort or not at all. Organic lawn care programs can be very successful and require no chemical pesticides.

Read the source article:

Pesticides Tied To Suicides In China

Winter is closing in fast. If you live in the northern part of the country, the sprinkler system should be winterized or at least should be done soon. Keeping up with leaves is the best way to ensure that there won't be any left on the ground through the winter. Do not leave them on the ground until spring!

The mower should be set a little lower than usual and there may be one or two more mowings left before winter sets in. Try and time the final mowing with mulching up the remaining leaves.

Once the lawn has been mowed for the final time, the mower should be winterized and stored out of the way. Your string trimmer should be winterized, and any other lawn tools should be cleaned up and put away in favor of snow shovels, ice melt, and other winter tools (again, depending on where you live).

Late fall fertilizing should be done after the grass stops growing but before the ground freezes. The timing varies depending on where you live and weather can be unpredictable but for my region (southern New England) it's around late November. Keep the spreader handy to spread sand or ice-melt come winter.

A Chemical Reaction, a documentary by Brett Plymale, is making the rounds at various film festivals around the globe. It tracks the rise of the anti-pesticide movement beginning in 1984 when dermatologist Dr. June Irwin discovered a link between her patients' health conditions and their exposure to common lawn pesticides and herbicides. Her determination resulted in the first town council mandated pesticide ban in North America. What has followed in it's wake has been nothing short of a landslide with pesticide bans (specifically cosmetic chemical pesticides like 2,4-D) being outlawed at an increasing rate across Canada and the rise of a worldwide "green" movement.

Another key component of the film is the story of Paul Tukey who I can only describe as the godfather of organic lawn care. I will talk more about him in future posts and an upcoming review of his book The Organic Lawn Care Manual. Through his non-profit organization SafeLawns.org, Mr. Tukey spreads the gospel of natural, organic, pesticide-free, lawn care. I'll admit, I'm smitten with his style of lawn care and am transitioning one of the properties I maintain to organic this spring.

See the trailer:

Sometimes it's more effective to remind people what they should do by pointing out first what they shouldn't do. I've compiled a list of what I consider the ten most common lawn care mistakes. Most lawn care mistakes are a result of over-doing things rather than negligence or ignorance.

Proper mowing, feeding, watering and maintenance of a lawn is best achieved through a knowledgeable approach to lawn care. Working with nature to grow the best lawn possible is easier, safer, less expensive, and more responsible than bombarding the lawn with products in a futile quest for perfection.

Avoiding these common mistakes is guaranteed to put any lawn on the path to greatness.

Read the article:

photo © Jamie Burke

We had our first frost of the season last week which has prompted me to remind all my northern lawn care enthusiasts to stay off the lawn on frosty mornings. A frosty lawn that gets compromised by walking on it (or worse) can sustain damages that will last into the spring. Usually in the form of dead-grass footprints.

When I worked at golf courses we all loved frosty mornings. The Greens Department was the absolute authority on when golfers could begin their round and that sometimes meant up to a two hour wait. Our usual frenetic morning routine would come to a crawl and we'd have a couple of extra cups of coffee as we monitored the sun's progress while the golfers stewed. We all had a story about an over-eager greens chairman, club president or co-worker who defied our expertise, couldn't wait, and subsequently left dead tire marks and foot prints up and down the fairways. Frosty mornings are not to be taken lightly when it comes to activity on the grass.

Read more:

Keep Off the Lawn on Frosty Mornings

photo © Chris Windsor/Getty Images

An annual tradition has begun for people who live up north and don't want their irrigation lines to freeze up in the winter. Yes, it's time to winterize the sprinkler system. If you're not doing it soon, it should at least be on your radar.

The property across the street from mine was blowing out their irrigation system already, prompting me to book an air compressor for early November. There's no set time for winterizing a sprinkler system although it is best to do it before winter sets in. In Canada that might be now, while in New England, early to late November is more common. In New York, Thanksgiving used to be our week for winterizing the system.

If you are germinating seed or growing in sod, you may want to hold off winterizing the sprinkler system as long as possible if the weather dictates continued watering. Keep an eye on the weather, winterizing the system too soon could result in dried out sod or seed.

If you don't have access to an air compressor or don't want to be bothered with winterizing your sprinkler system, call a professional irrigation company. Choose a professionally licensed company with a good reputation. Frozen lines can cause a lot of costly damage come spring and winterizing the system is not something to be taken lightly.

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