Healthy Lawns

It's Your Health

Help on accessing alternative formats, such as Portable Document Format (PDF), Microsoft Word and PowerPoint (PPT) files, can be obtained in the alternate format help section.

On this page:

• The Issue
• Background
• Healthy Lawn Care
• Pest Management
• Pesticides
• Lawn Care Services
• Need More Info?

The Issue

Canadians take pride in having attractive lawns around their homes, and many use lawn care products to maintain them. However, many communities across Canada question pesticide use for lawn care because of increased public awareness of the potential impact that human activities can have on our shared environment.

Background

Health Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) is responsible for registering all pesticides used in Canada. Rigorous health, environmental, and value assessments are carried out on each pesticide before it is allowed to be sold or used in Canada.

The PMRA supports reducing reliance on pesticides and, along with provincial and territorial governments, has developed information encouraging homeowners to adopt environmentally sound lawn-care practices and to only use pesticides when necessary. A well-maintained, healthy lawn is less likely to suffer from pest problems or need pesticides.

Healthy Lawn Care

Growing a healthy lawn is as easy as following a few basic steps that don't require a lot of time or money.

Fertilizing:

the type of fertilizer you use and the timing of the application are important. Compost or slow-release fertilizers are preferable, and fertilizing in early fall promotes vigorous lawn growth the following spring. Clippings left on the lawn are rich in nitrogen and provide free and easy fertilization.

Liming:

lime is applied for good lawn growth when soil is too acidic (low pH); you can have the pH of your soil tested, if you think this might be a problem.

Aeration:

compacted soil makes it difficult for water and oxygen to get to the roots. Aeration of the lawn is best done before top-dressing and fertilizing.

Top-dressing and over-seeding:

late summer or early fall, top-dress your lawn with a thin layer of compost or good garden soil, and add grass seed appropriate to your site conditions. This will regenerate your lawn and take care of any thinned-out areas.

Mowing:

rather than giving your lawn a close shave, mow it to a height of 7-8 cm, which will promote more extensive root growth for better competition with weeds. Keep your mower blade sharp, and mow often enough that you don't take off more than one third of the growth.

Watering:

Water deeply and infrequently. Early morning is the best time to water to minimize evaporation. It will also help prevent disease if the grass doesn't stay wet overnight.

Variety:

plant a variety of grass species that can tolerate a range of growing conditions, such as sunny and shady. Your lawn will then be less susceptible to pest damage.

Substitutes:

where conditions are not suitable for a traditional lawn, try growing plants more adapted to the area. For example, periwinkle and lily of the valley are good ground covers for shaded sites, while creeping juniper and wild thyme are better for sunny dry sites. A variety of plants and grasses promotes biodiversity in your yard.

Helpers:

birds, beneficial insects, earthworms, and many other creatures feed on lawn pests, help break down thatch, and aerate the soil. More of these useful organisms are likely to thrive in your lawn if you reduce your use of insecticides and fungicides.

Pest Management

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) emphasizes pest prevention as its first principle. Manage pest problems by following IPM principles.

Maintain good soil, with ample depth and organic matter, and improved drainage in wet areas to prevent problems.

Inspect regularly to provide early warning of potential problems.

Identify a pest or a problem accurately, since beneficial insects may be mistaken for pests. Identifying the pest will help you decide if and when you need to apply a treatment.

Don't be alarmed at the first sign of a pest or a weed. It is not necessarily a threat to your lawn. Accept that a few weeds or insect pests won't noticeably harm a healthy lawn.

Approach pest problems from several fronts. For example, if chinch bugs are a problem, you can de-thatch the lawn, keep it well watered, increase the mowing height, keep nitrogen fertilization to a minimum, and over-seed with grass varieties that are resistant to chinch bugs. Such a combination of tactics will make it difficult for this pest to thrive.

Pesticides

Before resorting to herbicides, try managing weeds by improving the general condition of the lawn and doing some occasional hand weeding. If you decide that a pesticide is necessary, follow these steps:

• Before buying, make sure that the pesticide label has directions for use on lawns and lists the pest you want to control. Apply the product only where the pest is found; spot treat instead of applying broadly
• Always follow instructions on the label. It will give you the directions for use, including how much to apply and when. It will also indicate whether to use protective clothing, gloves or equipment
• Store pesticides out of the reach of children and pets, and buy only the amount you expect to use in one season
• Be aware of any local, regional or provincial restrictions that may apply for pesticide use

Lawn Care Services

If you choose this option, ask what type of services the companies offer and discuss the results you can expect. Avoid lawn care programs that regularly apply pesticides whether or not pests are present. If pesticides are used, make sure that they are part of an IPM program, where pesticides are applied only if pests are at levels that require control.

Need More Info?

The Health Canada Web site provides comprehensive information for homeowners and green space professionals who wish to establish and maintain a healthy lawn while minimizing reliance on pesticides.

Consult the Health Canada's Healthy Lawns Web section for information and publications:

Pest Management Regulatory Agency Lawn Care Publications available:

• Starting a Lawn
• Lawn Maintenance
• Life of a Lawn
• Common Lawn Problems
• PMRA Pest Notes
• Homeowner Guidelines for Pesticide Use

Contact us at the address listed below to obtain any of these publications.
Pest Management Information Service
2720 Riverside Drive
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0K9
1-800-267-6315
pmra_infoserv@hc-sc.gc.ca

For more information visit the It's Your Health article on Homemade Pesticides.

For additional articles on health and safety issues go to the It's Your Health Web section.
You can also call toll free at 1-866-225-0709 or TTY at 1-800-267-1245*

Updated : April 2009
Original : February 2002
©Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, represented by the Minister of Health, 2009