More Fiesta Results Here
http://hamiltonturfking.ca/pdfs/Fiesta_EarlyAprilApps.pdf
Fiesta works even in cool temperatures.
Showing posts with label organic weed control. Show all posts
Showing posts with label organic weed control. Show all posts
Thursday, April 7, 2011
More Fiesta Results and Photos
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Lawn Care Challenge
The thinned out turf coupled with a lack of nutrients has also permitted moss to get a toehold on the lawn.
Our recommendation would be to aerate and overseed heavily with a high quality lawn seed mixture that contains endophytic perennial rye, in order to restore a healthy population of grass plants in the lawn.
A program of regular applications of a high quality, slow release fertilizer will help to thicken the lawn and to increase its density.
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or 1000 FREE AIR MILES reward miles.
or 1000 FREE AIR MILES reward miles.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Avoid Unsightly Weeds
Avoid Unsightly Weeds
New ORGANIC Weed Treatment NOW Available
Turf King -the King of Green
www.hamiltonturfking.ca
905.318.6677
1.888.TURFKING (1.888.887.356)
Serving Hamilton, Haldimand, Burlington, Oakville, Grimsby, Beamsville
Earn 5 AIR MILES (R) reward miles with each $113 of Lawn Program
Details at www.hamiltonturfking.ca/airmiles
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Fiesta Weed Control in Cool November Weather
Turf King the Lawn Experts providing professional Lawn Care.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Fiesta Weed Control Before and After Pics
Turf King has been using Fiesta weed control . Check out these before and after photos on a lawn treated a short while ago..
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Second photo, June 23rd. Not perfect but such a huge difference.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Eliminate Violets from your Lawn with new Product
– Jun 14, 2010 – With nearly 32 million acres of lawn grasses in the United States making it the largest irrigated crop in the country, it is estimated that over twenty million homeowners use different types of lawn products, every year.
A Michigan lawn care specialist, Shane Schultz, has obtained patent pending status on an all natural control process for sporadic bunches of violets that are considered weeds in lawns. This very common pest is one of the most difficult problems, as the plants are much stronger then grasses. When a lawn is thin, violet weeds can move right in. Most homeowners become convinced, after years of failure, that it is impossible to eliminate violets in their lawn.
The new product offering , called Vio-less is all natural and when applied directly to the heart shaped leaves of the target, eliminates the plants in only two days, most importantly, they do not return. This is much faster then any other known treatment and the new powerful product is completely non toxic. Current available products rarely eliminate
the purple and white flowering plants completely and they can grow, again. Online, there are hundreds of blogs, where users seek advice on how to get rid of weeds in their lawn. Common questions, most often involve the toughest kind of weeds, like the violet and safer alternatives then chemicals .
The new Vio-less product is available at several online sites, on ideabuyer.com. a service which helps entrepreneurs’ establish business to business partnerships and on Ebay in the weed control listing. Future plans are to offer the product at major lawn and garden retailers.
www.hamiltonturfking.ca
Monday, June 7, 2010
Sarritor for Sale - at Bargain Prices
Weed control product for sale. Saw this on craiglist. What is the reason?
Not working, not enough weeds available, too much product, other alternatives.
Sarritor Bags (Commercial size) - $95 (Vaughan)
Date: 2010-06-02, 5:31PM EDT
Reply to: sale-fmxcm-1772087555@craigslist.org
Sarritor Organic Weed Control 15 - 7.5kg bags left, They have been kept in a deep freezer which is required to ensure they remain very fresh.
Works well on dandelion, plantain, clover and thistle. With the warm spring, and good rains, it's time to get moving.
Willing to sell at a very good price (much cheaper than retail)
Sold by the bag or buy the whole lot. Sells for 29.95 for only a small 350 g bottle in retail stores (that will hardly treat 100 sq ft.)- The bags I have for sale are 7500 gram (7.5kg) bags which would be worth about 640.00 at retail pricing, but are only 95.00 obo each incl tax
Works well on dandelion, plantain, clover and thistle. With the warm spring, and good rains, it's time to get moving.
Willing to sell at a very good price (much cheaper than retail)
Sold by the bag or buy the whole lot. Sells for 29.95 for only a small 350 g bottle in retail stores (that will hardly treat 100 sq ft.)- The bags I have for sale are 7500 gram (7.5kg) bags which would be worth about 640.00 at retail pricing, but are only 95.00 obo each incl tax
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Fiesta dandelion
here the damage a day later. The dandelion has turned black
another dandelion bites the dust with Fiesta weed killer
Monday, October 26, 2009
Weeds on Stones
Weeds have the ability to grow in some unlikely spots. We don't want weeds to grow in our lawns and we go to great lengths to keep them out and away from our tidy green patches of "our turf."
With the new Cosmetic Pesticide Ban now in place in Ontario, people are looking for ways to control weeds not only in their lawns but in other places as well. The shelves of the garden centres and hardware stores had to be empty of any of the banned pesticides by April 22, 2009.
Soon after the ban, I went into one national retailer to see what was on the shelf. No lawn weed killers but a rack with a couple hundred bottles of Roundup which contains glyphosate. Now in Ontario, glyphosate is the only active ingredient that is allowed to be used for "proscribed" uses. This includes uses such as controlling poison ivy, since this would be for health and safety and not cosmetic reasons.
I bought a bottle just to see if anyone would stop to tell me that the only place I could use the Roundup was on poison ivy. Using it to kill weeds on my driveway or on my patio would be illegal. (you wouldn't want to use glyphosate on your lawn as it is non-selective and will kill both weeds and lawn grasses.) No one stopped me or cared that I was buying Roundup. It wasn't until I left that store that I looked at my cash register tape, and there was a small note telling me to go to the provincial website to find out where this product could be used. Fine time to tell me after I bought the product.
You can buy vinegar type products in the stores now. They are basically acetic acids of varying strengths. The ready to use product is about 6% acetic acid, the household vinegar that you buy for your pickling is 5%. The packaged products may also include some citric acid to help with the weed control.
I have tried both vinegar and the packaged eco products. Both work quickly when it is sunny. Acetic acid will quickly blacken the leaves of your plants by removing the protective waxy coating on the leaves. The plant is more likely to have the leaves destroyed on a sunny day.
Acetic acid treatments work very quickly on the top part of the plant. Although grasses are less likely to be damaged, they will turn yellow and the tops will die. Fortunately, the grass will recover in about 2 weeks, 3 at the most.
Unfortunately, the weed roots are rarely destroyed, and many will regrow from the roots.
Similarly, you can use other household products to give similar effects. Household ammonia, another acid, will brown clover leaves, at least temporarily, while the lawn will recover. Baking soda is alkaline, and will create condition in the soil that make it harder to grow plants. Here the lawn is also affected.
In areas where no plants are desired such as along the driveway, a solution of water and salt will also kill off the top of the plants.
Any products that are used in these situations should be used with care and caution. Preparing, storing, and using homemade pesticides could pose risks to your health and the environment.
Please read Health Canada's article on Homemade pesticides.
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Friday, October 2, 2009
A Pail of Weeds
In Ontario, we have a Cosmetic Pesticide Ban. People are finding new ways to deal with the weeds. The products that are allowed are nowhere as effective as the "old" ones.
When visiting a lawn the other day, I spoke to a manager of a Housing Co-op. She told me how she was able to make it fun for the children to pick a few weeds. Bring back a pail of weeds and you get a special prize. By involving the youngsters, the lawn had less weeds and the boys and girls got popsicles and ice cream. This way everyone wins!
Great idea. Great way to think outside the sandbox.
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have a lawn/tree/shrub that needs some Tender Loving Care- get The KING OF
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Wednesday, July 22, 2009
DIY weed killers
Simply put, weeds are the bane of my existence. They surround our building -- peeking up from cracks in the concrete, mocking me as they brazenly poke their haughty heads through the weed-proof layer beneath the mulch. I hate weeds!
Luckily for me, living in a highly-urbanized downtown area doesn't leave much space for weeds to grow, which keeps my weed stressing at a tolerable level. I can't imagine how crazy I'd be if I had a real yard, with real grass, and lots and lots of real weeds. Suffice it to say, weeds and I don't get along, and I'm always on the look out for new, ingenious ways to kill them.
The most obvious way to kill weeds is to buy some name-brand chemicals from your local hardware store, and spray those suckers till they shrivel up and die. Over the years, however, there have been allegations made that certain weed killers are harmful to the environment (beyond the weeds) and wildlife. So what's the best way to get rid of weeds using safer, less expensive ingredients? The three most common DIY weed killers are:
1. Vinegar - Supposedly the high acidity kills weeds. It's cheap, fairly benign to the environment, but smells like... well, vinegar.
2. Bleach - Bleach isn't much better for the environment than store-bough weed killer, but I heard if used in small amounts, it will kill weeds and dissipate rather quickly.
3. Salt - Ever heard the saying, "salting the earth." Apparently salt makes the ground inhabitable to weeds, or any other plant for that matter.
So, how well did these DIY solutions stand up to the name-brand weed killer? As you can see in the video, none of them were quite as effective as the expensive weed killer I bought from the store (although the bleach came close). The biggest problem with simple, DIY weed killers is that they're not systemic -- they only kill what they touch, which leaves the weed wounded, but far from dead. A good weed killer gets inside the weed, destroying the root system and devouring the cells like a virus from a cool sci-fi movie.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3XcfC8qoRg
Still, the most environmentally-friendly AND cost-effective way I've found to remove weeds is by simply using a little elbow grease and pulling those suckers out by hand (roots and all). Sure it takes a lot longer, and isn't nearly as easy as spraying them with dangerous chemicals, but it gets the job done while having the least impact on your surrounding environment, and in the end, that's all that matters.
NOTE: No matter how tempting it may seem, do not mix the bleach and vinegar together to make a super weed killer like this person did. The combination will create toxic chloride gas, which is not a good thing.
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have a lawn/tree/shrub that needs some Tender Loving Care- get The KING OF
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Control Poison Ivy with Goats- No Kidding
Goats to picnic on brush at Pasadena park
Part of Resolution Park is 'challenging' for mowers
By Nicole Fuller | nicole.fuller@baltsun.com
In yet another partnership between Maryland government and goats, Anne Arundel County Executive John R. Leopold said that the munching power of a herd of 40 goats will be employed to help clear invasive vines and plants from a half-acre site at Hancock's Resolution Park in Pasadena.
Monday's announcement came two months after the State Highway Administration enlisted another group of goats on a similar mission in Carroll County to protect the habitat of the bog turtle.
The goats, on loan at no cost to the county from Garden Farms in Davidsonville, are scheduled to graze on overgrown bittersweet, honeysuckle and poison ivy plants for two days later this summer. On Aug. 2 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., park visitors can watch the goats at work.
In the past, county officials had used manpower and heavy machinery to clear undergrowth and vines and allow for the growth of the native oaks and hickory trees on the site, but they wanted to use a more environmentally friendly method, said Karyn Molines, supervisor of cultural resources at the county Department of Recreation and Parks. Molines described the area where the goats will graze as "very challenging."
"A group of 40 goats will just descend on the problem plants and just devour them," said Brian Knox, owner of Sustainable Research Management Inc., a natural resources consulting firm that connected the county with the goats. "They're very effective. They love to eat poison ivy. They can get on steep and rocky ground. They're really adept at reaching things that you can't do by machine and by hand."
Jim Morrison, president of Friends of Hancock's Resolution, said the group is "thrilled."
"We wholeheartedly support this," Morrison said.
The park, a historic farmstead, is situated on Bodkin Creek, the site of explorations by Capt. John Smith in 1608 and battles during the War of 1812. The area cleared by the goats will serve as a site for historical re-enactments.
"This use of goats for targeted grazing serves as a role model for other parks and sends a strong conservation message to the community," Leopold said in a statement. "Goats provide a unique opportunity to move toward economical, sustainable and ecological weed control and away from methods relying on the use of heavy equipment or herbicides."
Copyright © 2009, The Baltimore Sun
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/anne-arundel/bal-md.ar.goats21jul21,0,5192596.story
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Monday, July 20, 2009
New/Old Weed Control for Ontario
adf
Saw this gentleman going to town on his hands and knees - getting the weeds out of his lawn. Now that Ontario is severely restricted in the availability of legal herbicides that do work inexpensively and effectively.
If you
have a lawn/tree/shrub that needs some Tender Loving Care- get The KING OF
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Thursday, July 16, 2009
USING BORAX TO CONTROL CREEPING CHARLIE
USING BORAX TO CONTROL CREEPING CHARLIE
Borax (sodium tetraborate, a white, crystalline mineral salt) has been found to be an effective herbicide for creeping charlie (Glechoma hederacea, also known as ground ivy, creeping jenny and gill-over-the-ground). Creeping charlie is an invasive perennial weed that vines throughout lawns and chokes out grass. Since the 1920s, borax detergent has been used as an herbicide to eradicate weeds, but it has only recently been tested scientifically for effectiveness on creeping charlie.
Borax contains boron which is an essential micronutrient that aids in sugar transportation in plants. However, in minute excess amounts, boron has a toxic effect on creeping charlie.
Borax must be applied with great caution because boron remains immobile in the soil and can accumulate to form a "hot spot" in the lawn. Boron toxicity results in yellow and brown spots around edges of leaves. Stems wilt and eventually the weed dies. Established grass appears to withstand the minute excess of boron needed to kill creeping charlie, though it may show brown discoloration temporarily. If the borax solution is applied in too high a concentration, or repeatedly, it will then be toxic to grass and many other plants.
This treatment can be applied only once each year for two years. If you still have creeping charlie problems, then switch to a standard herbicide.
Before applying borax as a herbicide be sure to test your spraying technique and the rate at which liquid sprays from the nozzle. Fill the sprayer with water and walk at a constant pace, passing back and forth over an area the same size as the one to be sprayed with borax. Your goal is to walk fast enough to empty the sprayer tank, spreading its contents evenly over the entire area.
Borax Solution for Creeping Charlie Control:
Dissolve 10 oz. Twenty Mule Team Borax in 4 oz. (½ cup) warm water.Dilute in 2.5 gallons of water.
This will cover 1,000 square feet. If you have a smaller area to treat, cut the "recipe" accordingly.
Apply borax when creeping charlie is actively growing in the spring, when no rain is expected for 48 hours. The borax treatment appears to be most effective during warm summers when soil moisture is ample.
Remember: The borax recipe has been tested only on creeping charlie and is not to be used on other broadleaf weeds. Be sure to use the borax spray only in the lawn because research shows established grass is tolerant of the spray. It should not be used in gardens.
If creeping charlie is growing in a very shady location, think about what you can replace it with before spraying this borax treatment. Unless you can establish other plants you'll find the creeping charlie sprouting again in the same location.
A healthy lawn is the strongest defense against weeds. Maintaining a regime of proper mowing practices, watering and fertilization will enable any gardener to combat weeds in a lawn. Contact your local County Extension Office or call The Yard and Garden Line for information on lawn maintenance and fertilization.
From http://www.extension.umn.edu/yardandgarden/ygbriefs/h519borax.html
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Thursday, July 9, 2009
Grub protection time is coming soon
Grub protection time is coming soon. Order Now.
Grubs will be hatching soon. When they do, they have a tendency to do a lot of damage to lawns. Here in Ontario, Merit is not longer a legal product. (even though the granular Merit that we used to use is less poisonous than table salt.)Nematodes are now the only choice in Ontario. Nematodes are microscopic worms that find their way into the grubs. Once inside, they multiply and produce a toxin that knocks the grubs off the scene.
Nematodes are living organisms and need special treatment and care. They require lots of moisture to prevent them from drying and dying. Ideally, applications done during a rain are the best. Unfortunately, there aren't enough rainy days during the August-September time period that everyone who is supposed to get a nematode treatment. The folks with sprinklers are lucky- set the sprinkler system to manual ! and give the lawn a watering. This will get the nematodes off the lawn and down into the soil.
Please order your Grub Protection Now. There are indications that Nematodes may be in short supply.
If you
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White grub prevention
This link is to an article from Kansas City. We can't use the products she is suggesting here in Ontario, Canada, but the other information is helpful.Eat Your Weeds Away: Dandelion Greens
Written by Leslie QuigleyPublished on May 29th, 2009
I can remember as a kid blowing the fuzz off of a dandelion weed and making a wish. Little did I know that dandelions were nutritious. Dandelion greens are considered a leafy vegetable that contain more nutrition than broccoli. Having a higher content of vitamins A, and C, and iron. Dandelions also contain lots of magnesium and potassium.
The best time to eat dandelion greens is in the spring and early summer when the leaves are still young. Dandelion greens should be harvested in early spring, before the flowers appear. Th! ey’re a bit bitter but taste fantastic in a salad. You can als! o saute the flowers, roots and leaves with onion and garlic, serve them on a sandwich or salad, boil the leaves and serve like spinach or add them to your green smoothies like I do!
Dandelions are a natural diuretic and a spring tonic. Dandelion is used to cleanse the body naturally and is an herbal detoxification saint. It is believed that the herb produces beneficial effects by removing toxic pollutants in the body that have accumulated over time. It has also been known to prevent or cure various forms of Cancer.
Dandelions have many therapeutic benefits they support digestion, prevents anemia reduce swelling and inflammation, helps with hypertension and lowering blood sugar, treat skin problems such as eczema, warts and acne and number of other ailments including gallstones and gout. It is known as one of the most effective and beneficial herbal remedies. The roots, stems, and leaves of the dandelion excrete a white sticky resin, This sticky resin when applied! directly to warts daily, several times a day, will slowly help to dissolve them.
A few other ways to use dandelion are : Make a tea using the flowers by boiling them in water for 15 minutes, roast the roots of dandelion to make a coffee substitute and for you wine connoisseur’s try making dandelion wine.
Dandelion’s are considered weeds and are known to be pesky. Plain and simple dandelions have a bad rap! So, next time you think of a dandelion think of all the great qualities it possesses. Forage your lawn for these nutritious leafy greens rather than spray them down with toxic chemicals. For old time’s sake, you can blow a wish to health. Take advantage of their healing and cleansing benefits. Eat your weeds away!
Article at
http://ecochildsplay.com/
Somethin’ strange…in your neighbourhood?
By Jim HynesRaccoons destroying your garden, skunks living in your cabana, bats in your attic, ants in your kitchen, fungus on your tree leaves, weird worms in your lawn? Who you gonna call? Call UNIS!
McGill students Mel Lefebvre and Christie Lovat field hundreds of calls (and emails) like these every summer in a non-descript former classroom in the Raymond Building on Macdonald Campus. The two are officers at the Urban Nature Information Service (UNIS), a not-for-profit organization affiliated with McGill’s Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences providing answers to horticultural, wildlife and green-living inquiries from callers all over Quebec.
The program started as the Horticultural Information Centre back in 1982, a free service offered by the Plant Science Department. In 2001, it merged with a similar service called the Wildlife Information Centre, run by the Department of Natural Resource Sciences, to create UNIS. Today, the program is staffed by students and overseen by two coordinators: Dr. David Bird, professor of Wildlife Biology in the Department of Natural Resource Sciences, and Dr. Danielle Donnelly, a professor in the Plant Science Department.
When they can, Lefebvre and Lovat offer solutions to horticultural and wildlife dilemmas both common and unusual. They will even examine samples, of insects or damaged leaves for example, to get to the bottom of their callers’ problems.
When it comes to situations involving wild animals, however, UNIS acts as more of a referral service.
“If we are unable to help someone, like in the case of caring for an injured bird, which is illegal in Quebec without the proper permit, we can provide the numbers of organizations who can help,” says Lefebvre, who will be completing her studies in biodiversity and conservation at the McGill School of the Environment in the fall.
Every summer, UNIS staff update the list of the services they refer people to, services with names like Eco-Bug Doctor and Squirrel Rehab, to make sure the information they are providing is still accurate.
Some calls though, like the first one they received one morning in early July, can be handled with a little experience and common sense. A man in Dollard-des-Ormeaux has discovered a duck and a nest with four unhatched eggs in it near his backyard swimming pool, so Lefebvre advises him to pit the nest in a box and walk, it, slowly, to a nearby park that has a pond. Mother duck, she explains, will surely waddle behind.
Many calls to UNIS last summer, says Lovat, a Botanical Science student, were about white grubs and the animals that like to eat them ravaging suburban lawns.
“We don’t have as many white grub questions this year. A lot of our calls right now are about tree diseases. The cold spring has resulted in a lot of cold damage to trees. People are concerned that trees that were beautiful and full last year have fewer leaves and dead branches this year,” Lovat says. “In most cases we just reassure them that their tree is not dying and will come back to normal if they cut off the dead branches.”
The past two years have offered a new challenge to the UNIS officers as they got to take their know-how on the road to be shared with local municipalities and their residents. In bi-weekly visits to Terrasse-Vaudreuil, a community on the farthest reaches of the West Island, they give workshops and field questions on subjects like environmentally friendly lawn care, composting methods, white grub control, recycling, and dealing with wild animals in urban settings.
Another challenge, an ongoing one, is funding. UNIS has traditionally been funded through donations from various Quebec municipalities, a grant provided by the Federal Government, and by support from the Natural Resource Science Department. Funding cuts of any kind, UNIS says, could jeopardize the future of the service.
To reach UNIS, call 514-398-7882, email them at unis.macdonald@mcgill.ca, or visit them online at www.unis.mcgill.ca
Article from http://reporter.mcgill.ca/
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Gee, McGuinty, thanks a lot for all the new weeds and grubs
Ottawa Citizen
June 24, 2009 Wednesday
Final Edition
Gee, McGuinty, thanks a lot for all the new weeds and grubs
BYLINE: John Angus, The Ottawa Citizen
SECTION: NEWS; Pg. A13
LENGTH: 340 words
I would like to thank Dalton McGuinty for the legislation banning herbicides and pesticides from our lawns. For the past two years, I hired a lawn care company in the summer to dump herbicides and pesticides to reduce weeds and grubs. This had the effect of enormously altering my lawn's health and appearance. I particularly noted a reduction in grubs, which were everywhere.
Now, thanks to this legislation, I can't use herbicides or pesticides so my lawn is again half covered with weeds, and is a playground where the grubs and ants roam free.
Yet my neighbours, many of them elderly, are much more active now, frantically attacking weeds on their previously immaculate lawns with various implements of destruction. It's true that some of them will probably have health problems, as a result, but that will only provide extra work for the health care industry.
As for us middle-aged folks, particularly those with bad backs, well that's what sick leave is for.
McGuinty must be receiving all kinds of complaints about the ban --God knows my neighbours despise him for it.
But I think his decision to please activists and take the decision away from city councils, which can be swayed by the wishes of homeowners, will surely pay political dividends down the road. He knows what's best for people -- or he knows what his advisers tell him is politically advantageous.
Children will soon be able to run and play amidst the weeds, grubs, ants and thistle, without fear that the grass that used to be there has been treated by a herbicide rigidly tested, controlled and approved by Health Canada. Chemicals are bad, every single one of them, and with Mr. McGuinty's help, there will soon be fewer of them in our lives.
Oh, the homeowners may curse him now, but one day they'll come to love their new weed lawns, and when Liberal candidates come visiting next election, they'll be gifted with the wondrous greenery of our suburban world.
I may not wait, in fact. I may ship Mr. McGuinty a box of dandelions to brighten up his work day.
John Angus,
Ottawa
If you
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Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Help Wanted: Experienced Skunk Trainers
Steve sent an email asking, "What will you be using this year for white grubs?"
I replied, "I was thinking of hiring trained skunks and raccoons to go out onto
the lawns. They will be trained to remove the grubs and eat them. Most
importantly, they will be trained to put the grass back down, green
side up, and stomp it down with their paws.
The only other legal treatment is to use beneficial Nematodes.
We used to use granular Merit, now a banned pesticide. Granular Merit, incidentally is less poisonous than table salt.
btw, any skunk trainers out there??
Here is a recent article from Turf and Recreation Magazine about Nematodes
http://www.turfandrec.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2552&Itemid=9999
The value of entomophathogenic nematodes in lawn pest control
By Lily Darold
Marketing Communications Manager
Becker Underwood Inc.
The recently enacted ban on cosmetic pesticide use in Ontario has lawn care specialists wondering which biopesticides offer the best results and are a safe alternative.
Entomopathogenic nematodes are an effective alternative to conventional insecticides. Now, more than ever, these nematodes are gaining acceptance and use as an important tool in controlling turfgrass insect pests.
“Entomopathogenic nematodes are remarkably versatile in being useful against many soil and cryptic insect pests in diverse cropping systems, yet are clearly underutilized,” states Randy Gaugler, department of entomology at Rutgers University. nemaslug nematode
Nematodes are simple, microscopic roundworms—colourless, unsegmented and lacking appendages.
Certain plant parasitic nematodes are associated with crop damage. These harmful organisms include cyst, sting, lance and root knot nematodes. The beneficial nematodes, Entomopathogenic, have proven highly effective in controlling insect pests and reducing the damage they can cause. Entomopathogenic nematodes belong to the Steinernema and Heterorabditis nematode families.
Beneficial nematodes attack larvae by entering their natural body openings. Once inside, they release symbiotic bacteria that quickly kill the insect. Reproduction inside the insect releases a new generation of hungry, infective juveniles which disperse in search of further prey.
What makes these nematodes useful as a bio-insecticide is that applications are safe for the environment. There is no need for protective masks or safety equipment. While they are lethal to insect pests, they have no harmful effect on plants or animals. Groundwater contamination and pollution are not concerns.
In addition, nematodes can be applied with standard agrochemical equipment and sprayers, and kill the target insect within 24 to 48 hours.
Additional benefits of using nematodes include:
• Quickly controls pest larvae at the time of application
• Controls the problem before it appears
• No re-entry restrictions
• No pest resistance problems
• Natural product that is safe to users, consumers and the environment
• Compatible with other biological/IPM systems
• Non-toxic with no requirement for protective clothing
• No disposal restrictions
Choosing the appropriate nematode product for a specific target pest is crucial, as each species carries different bacteria, uses different hunting tactics and has different temperature activity ranges.
Several different strains of beneficial nematodes are currently marketed for controlling insect pests in the turf industry:
• Steinernema carpocapsae searches out, enters and controls Armyworm, Billbug, Sod Webworm, Annual Bluegrass Weevil, Cutworms, Fleas, Cinch Bugs
Brands: Millenium, BioNem C, Guardian, NemAttack
• Steinernema feltiae controls Leatherjacket
Brand names: Nemasys, Gnat Patrol
• Heterorhabditis bacteriophora is effective against European Chafer Grub, Oriental Beetle Grub, Masked Chafer Grub, Japanese Beetle Grub and Black Vine Weevil
Brand names: Nemasys G, NemaSeek
• Steinernema scapterisci targets Mole Crickets
Brand names: Nematac S
A study completed by the British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries showed that H. bacteriophora was the most effective non-chemical product for control of second-instar European Chafer larvae, causing 100 per cent chafer mortality relative to the control, only 48 hours after treatment.
Just like any other pest control, the implementation of nematodes requires users to be knowledgeable about how to use them effectively.
As you are considering the use of beneficial nematodes in your operation, keep these five tips in mind:
1. Take the tool box approach. Think of beneficial nematodes as another tool in your integrated pest management tool box. When used along with beneficial insects, crop scouting and other cultural practices, beneficial nematodes provide another valuable tool for controlling crop pests.
2. Buy quality and know what you are getting. Not all nematodes are created equally. Since nematodes are a living organism, they require special handling to ensure that they will be effective when applied. Be sure that the nematodes you purchase have been shipped and stored in a way that does this. Most nematode suppliers ship directly to the grower using next day or second day air freight along with ice packs to keep the nematodes cool. There are several quality manufacturers and marketers of nematodes in North America, many of whom are members of ANBP. For a listing of members see the ANBP website at www.anbp.org.
3. Read and follow label directions. The formulation of nematodes varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. As a result, the mixing and handling instructions may differ, depending on the manufacturer. Be sure to read the directions for use provided with the nematodes. Pay special attention to the storage guidelines and expiration date information. Most nematodes need to be stored in refrigeration and cannot freeze. Detailed storage instructions should be provided by the supplier. Removal of screens from spray nozzles may also be recommended.
4. Know the pest’s life cycle. While few of us are entomologists, having a good understanding of the life cycle of the pest being controlled is still needed. Nematodes are primarily effective on the insect’s larva stage and not on adults. The nematode will enter the larvae and release a lethal bacterium. So being able to recognize and anticipate the life cycle of the pest will help you in timing the nematode application to maximize its effectiveness.
5. Resource the industry contacts. Since nematodes are very specific and selective in the pests they control, having the assistance and input of others knowledgeable in the use of nematodes will be helpful. Reach out to your industry contacts for further help and assistance. Some university researchers and extension professionals specialize in the study and use of nematodes. Other growers and producers may be able to provide information about their experiences in using nematodes. Your distributor sales representatives and the nematode manufacturer are also important resources to provide assistance and recommend the right nematode and rate to use in controlling the target pest.
By using these five easy steps, you can begin to use nematodes as a part of your integrated pest management program.
To learn more about these products, contact a reputable distributor of your choice. They can provide detailed cost, use and application information.
Becker Underwood creates and produces specialty bio-agronomic and colorant products for turf management, agriculture, seed treatment, wood recycling, aquaculture, vegetation management, forestry, structural pest control and many other industries. All products are developed and manufactured under strict ISO 9001 standards. Quality is monitored at every step, from raw materials through packaging. This same quality is reflected in customer-focused field support staff. For more information, visit www.beckerunderwood.com.
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Thursday, March 5, 2009
My View on Ontario’s Cosmetic Pesticide Ban
My View on Ontario’s Cosmetic Pesticide Ban
The Torstar environment reporter Moira Welsh-- called me Wednesday afternoon. I’m not sure if I gave her all the right answers, or all the politically correct answers. It may be that the way my remarks are presented will make me or the Lawn Care Operators, in general, look like the “Bad guys.” I was trying to be careful how I said things, but reporters can take things out of context or leave out a few words to give it the slant that they want. We shall see. So here are my viewpoints in context and with explanations.
The role of a newspaper reporter is to please his/her editor whose job it is to sell papers. Much like the role of a politician is not to do the will of the people or to serve their needs- it’s to get power- either to get elected or to get re-elected. This was brought home to me when Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff said it was his job is to defeat the government. If he had said it was to help Canadians or to protect Canada, then one could believe some of the things he says.
I said I was most upset that the media was given advance notice of the announcement, not by the MOE (Minstry of the Environment) but by CAPE (Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment.) The Hamilton Spectator, a Torstar publication published an article on March 3, entitled “Ontario set to implement pesticide ban Rules for sale of restricted-use products to be phased in” http://www.thespec.com/printArticle/523309
Do the Activists and the McGuinty Government have a secret agreement? (see CAPE Newsletter Summer 2008)
http://www.cape.ca/res_cardfile.shtml?cmd[227]=i-227-1434c181dcca811bc71e7db77dde7b3a&cmd[252]=i-252-1434c181dcca811bc71e7db77dde7b3a
Why didn’t the MOE have the courtesy to tell the stakeholders of the date when the changes would be announced? I was at the Ontario Turfgrass Symposium at the University of Guelph on February 18th, this year, when an MOE spokeperson, Violet van Wassenaer made a presentation on the proposed ban. She stated that the government wanted to have everything "clear and transparent." Yet when repeatedly asked "When will the ban start?" would simply say "the spring of 2009."
I received that same week my operator's licence in the mail. I thought that if MOE wanted to let all the affected businesses know what was happening, they could have saved some postage. All Pesticide operators' licences expire on February 15th of each year. Why not let them know when the ban is to be implemented? Or even to tell us that we would find out on March 4th.
Never mind that the MOE wasn’t very forthright with information. Informing the industry of when to expect the changes would at least show some respect and courtesy. I feel betrayed by the Ministry that should be a partner with the industry in promoting change and in compliance.
If the MOE is seen as an enemy, it will be harder to get co-operation and more importantly- a willingness to co-operate. Lawn care operators follow the rules. Homeowners may keep illegal products in the garage and use them illegally after dark. Lawn care businesses apply their products in the daytime and are highly visible.
I explained how insects are different from weeds. With insects, we have been able to use organic products to stop insect damage. When the lawn has a brown spot, and we apply an organic product, we may only control half the insects. But if the lawn damage is stopped, even with only 50% of the bugs controlled, we are successful.
With weeds, it is a lot different. No matter which product is used, if 99% of the weeds are eradicated, but there are a couple of weeds next to the front door, people may say, “look at the weeds they missed.” People look at weeds and insects differently: insects -- they look at the results; weeds – you actually see the weed itself.
I explained that I believe that we have this new Cosmetic Pesticides Ban because politicians listen to polls. This is political science not true science. If the polls say 60% of the people want a pesticide ban, it’s mostly because they don’t understand the science and they are not sure what a pesticide is. Politicians, however, only see votes. It didn’t matter that Ontario already has a host of regulations to regulate pesticides and to regulate those that apply them. A politician did nothing unless he does something new. So let’s make a new law.
I said that the traditional (now banned) weed killer mixture applied to a lawn is 400 times less poisonous than coffee with caffeine. Now toxicity is not the only criteria, but the Health Canada’s PMRA (Pest Management Regulatory Agency) won’t ever say a product is safe. I may have said that the PMRA would never say a pesticide was safe. So if one took that out of context it could be used against me. Even with food additives, such as aluminum the PMRA uses the phrase “does not pose an unacceptable risk.”
She asked will the industry change. I said yes, people (customers) have been used to a certain expectation and that expectation will change. Weed control will be less effective. To have a completely weed free lawn will be more difficult and more expensive. Most people will probably not go for an extremely high price and no weeds. They will likely opt for a medium price with an acceptable amount of weeds. A healthy, green, thick lawn will resist weeds. A healthy, green thick lawn with a few weeds will still look good.
In order to achieve a lawn completely weed-free, will be difficult with the products currently available. Sarritor touted to be a good alternative, has some difficulties, and is not available until perhaps fall. Some hand weeding may be required. Will it increase employment? Perhaps, but it will be minimum wage, temporary student type labour, rather than better paying, trained technicians.
She wanted my photo – but only if I would pose with the products that were to be banned. I said no. Not sure that I want my photo to be associated with banned pesticides. Maybe, if you took a picture of me with a bag of Merit granular insecticide and put the caption I choose- “Granular Merit Grub Killer- less toxic than salt but BANNED.”
Again, I am not for the ban. We will continue to serve the needs of our many loyal customers. It’s just that we now have fewer tools available to do a good job. Programs, products, prices and expectations (what word starts with P- prospects?) will change. We will adapt, customers will adapt. Life will go on. The King of Green will continue to be The King of Green and will become the King of Green (the Green that is over used and often applied to things Environmentally Friendly, etc)
Our Lawn Care programs here at Turf King Hamilton will continue to be the best value for those who are looking for expertise, customer centred service and high quality products. And if anyone complains about their lawn- we can always blame McGuinty!
www.hamilton.turfking.ca
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