The Alternatives - Tools Outside Pesticides and

Herbicides for Green Space Maintenance

Talk given by Paule Hjertaas,B Sc, president and spokesperson of the Saskatchewan Network for Alternatives to Pesticides (SNAP Inc) to the 2010

Saskatchewan Green Trades Conference, November 12, 11 a.m., Saskatoon Inn, Saskatoon

www.snapinfo.ca

Table of content

• Problems in green space management

• SK efforts at pesticide reduction

• Weed control in various situations

• Chemical versus natural fertilizer

• Comparison Regina-Barrie, ON

• Insect Control• Fungicides• Usefulness of IPM• Questions to ask• Acknowledgements

Problems faced in green space management:

• Probably mostly weed control

• Some insects on individual species of plants or lawns

• Mosquito, wasp and other biting insect control

• Rodent control (especially ground squirrel)

Saskatoon - pesticide-free hospitals

• In 2009, the Saskatoon Health Region started to maintain hospital properties pesticide-free

Regina Pesticide-Free Parks 1

In 2010, Regina designated 3 pesticide-free parks

Regina Pesticide-Free Parks 2

• When looking for candidate parks, Regina realized that they had 106 parks (37%) which had not been sprayed for years

• Parks chosen also had good turf conditions.

Regina Sports fields The group in charge won the 2009 city awards for innovative

initiative

• Currently class A sports fields are maintained without the use of herbicides or other pesticides

• The award was for starting a composting project with grass clippings, pulled flowers, and use

the resulting compost to topdress the grass

• More frequent aeration

• Top dressing and overseeding

Weed controlTiming is everything

• flower beds

• under trees and shrubs

• under fences

• hard surfaces– along fences– paths and walkways– patios and paving

– gravel

• lawns

• noxious weeds

• along water

• neglected areas

• in ground covers

Flower / Shrub Beds 1

• Avoid leaving bare soil - plant or mulch

• Pull out any weed roots

• If it gets out of hand, dig plants and start over.

• Apparently, shrub beds watered by sprinklers, they stay too moist if mulched so plant any new shrub beds accordingly

Flower / Shrub Beds 2

Getting started on new ground

• Grow smother crop for 1-2 years

• Solarize the bed before planting to reduce weed seeds

• And/or cultivate often

Weeds Under Fences

• The city of Seattle chose to pour a cement mow strip under their fences in the area which cannot be mowed.

• Other types of barrier strips may be effective. They can be covered with mulch

• More options in “Maintaining Hardscapes and Fencelines” NCAP

Weed control on hard surfaces

• Currently most of you likely use RoundUp

Crack and sidewalks - my experiment

Use of Ecoweeder in cracks and hand tool for asphalt edges besides sidewalk

• Strategy: when weeds come out

• Prevent going to seed• Annual weeds mostly

under control• Replaced by plantain and

Portulaca but not a big issue.

Weeds in Play areas, school yards Alternatives

Crusher Dust• Regina increased its use

of York rake on these surfaces

• Harley rake (Seattle)

Playgrounds and scoolyards

• Regina uses Eco-Clear, a vinegar-based product

Other Alternatives• Prevention: sweeping or

blowing the dirt out or caulk cracks.

• Aquacide excels on hard surfaces

• Propane• Eco-weeder

NOTE: effectiveness may depend on timing

Comparative cost/ha for grass(inclusive - Regina)

TraditionalClass B =

$6,750/hectareMowed 1/week at 2-3

inches, trimmed 1/mo,

• Class C = $1,000/hectare

Mowed once/month 

Cultural/IPM• Class A =

$9,200/hectareMowed twice/week at

2-3 inchesTrimmed 1/weekWatered, fertilized and

edged twice as often as cl B

Cost of chemical vs natural lawn care

• The main difference between class A and B parks in Regina is mainly one of man power

• Both Chris Osborne and Paul Tukey have shown that the cost of natural lawn care is similar after a few years

• Lawn care industry testimonials also indicate reduced costs and larger profit margins (Osborne DVD)

How to Reduce cost of weed control

• Costs can be maintained or decreased by improving soil life and quality

• Only control weeds based on complaints and infestations, not everywhere as a matter of fact

• Education campaign• Donate edger tools to

home owners• ‘Naturalize’ some

grass areas• Clean streets more

than once/year

Complete Approach to pesticide-free grass - Cultural

• Go Organic cold turkey• Soil test for pH, all

nutrients, minerals and microrganisms

• Optimize soil conditions based on soil tests

• 7 times more Calcium than Magnesium

• Use natural fertilizer to add organic matter and the right organisms

• Aerate as needed• Topdress with compost• Brew own compost tea• Overseed spring and fall• Water deep and less

often• Mow high all year, leave

clippings on• Use 5 % clover for

nitrogen• Mow low and rake in fall

Chemical vs Natural Fertilizer

Chemical • Feeds the plant

directly• Usually results in

organism-poor soil

Natural• Feeds the

microorganisms in the soil

• Re-establishes nutrient and pH balance

• Adds organic matter and beneficial organisms

Noxious Weed Control

• Most common will likely be Leafy Spurge, Scentless Chamomile (image 1) and Purple Loosestrife (image 2)

• All have Integrated Vegetation Management plans

Leafy Spurge

chemicals don't work very well on spurge is because

• the mature weed has roots that reach 10 to 15 feet deep

• the weed spits its seeds as it dries up

• a creeping habit• tillage is ineffective

Leafy Spurge alternative control 1• Integrated control

better if the infestation is the size of a large room or larger

• Image 1: Leafy Spurge Flea beetles (5 species)

• Image 2: Leafy Spurge Hawk Moth caterpillar is established in some areas but no major control noticed

Goats to Control Leafy Spurge 2

• Image: Angora goat eating leafy spurge

• Grazing• Goats are especially

effective. • Goats destroy seeds• Prefer weeds, especially

leafy spurge• Aerate and fertilize soil• Can be used to effectively

reseed• Grazing pattern prevents

regrowth

Goat herd successfully used to control leafy spurge in Elbow

community pasture

Goats for weed control• Are there any Acts,

Regulations or municipal bylaws to prevent livestock in municipalities?

• Best site: http://www.goatseatweeds.com/

• Email: Ewe4icbenz@aol.com |• Lack of training

Goats are hired to eat the following weeds:

• Canada thistle • Cheat grass • Common tansy • Common mullein

• Dalmatian toad flax • Dandelions • Downy brome • Indian tobacco • Knapweed • Larkspur • Leafy spurge • Musk thistle • Ox-eye daisy • Plumeless thistle • Poison hemlock • Purple loostrife • Scotch thistle • Spotted Knapweed • Sweet clover • Yellow star thistle

With dog

Comparison Regina - Barrie, ON 1

Regina• Entirely planted urban

forest

• Less species diversity• More pesticides use• Insect pests: Canker

worms, beetles transmitting Dutch Elm Disease, occasionally tent caterpillars

Barrie• Many natural woodlots

left within city• More tree diversity• Already used much

less pesticides than Regina

• No tree pests

Comparison Regina - Barrie, ON 2

Regina• In the past, Regina has

sprayed trees in summer for aphids with insecticidal soap by itself or mixed with pyrethrins.

• WCA has sprayed for scale insects with dormant oil in spring and used Cygon for borers in conifers. (over-reaction?)

Barrie• No insect issue• Citizens supported a

phase out of chemical pesticide use

Insects

Canker Worms• Banding in fall - timely• Btk• Wondering if shop

vac would not work for home owners

Tent Caterpillars• Btk• Lures available

Dutch Elm Disease• Transmitted by elm

bark beetles • Winnipeg unpublished

experiments: banding before Sep 1st causes 96% mortality

• Lures available

Insect Control - MosquitosChemical

• Fogging with malathion or other chemical

Alternative• Find out where

mosquitos breed and larvidice the area with Bti or Bacillus sphaericus

• Promote use of mosquito repellent and other lifestyle changes

• Garlic barrier as area repellent

Insect control - Wasps

• Close garbage cans• Cover drinks• Identify nest area and

vacuum with shop vac or/and vacuum outside guards and squirt diatomaceous earth inside nest.

Regina use of fungicides

• Currently never used in parks

• Only on golf courses, especially greens

Alternatives• Planting different

grasses ecotypes with more resistance to local fungi

• Compost tea as fertilizer and to prevent diseases

• Bio-fungicides

Compost Tea

• Can be made from compost, or herbs and weeds

• Nettle tea is very rich in nutrients and a good compost activator as well as controlling aphids, fungi, algi, lichens (permaculture)

• Manure teas also useful

• On August 31, 2006, the French government seizes all information related to using nettle tea for insect and disease control because it is not a registered pesticide product.

• Public pressure had the law changed.

IPM / IVM Integrated Pest Management / Integrated Vegetation Management-

Canadian Definitions

• “Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a process that uses all necessary techniques to suppress pests effectively, economically and in an environmentally sound manner.” (IPM Council of Canada, http://www.ontarioipm.com/tasks/sites/IPM/assets/File/ST_policies_doc_-_June_4_2010.pdf

• “IPM takes a variety of monitoring techniques and biological, cultural and chemical measures to control pests in an ongoing management program.” (Canadian Produce Marketing Association, http://www.cpma.ca/en_gov_IPM_factsheet.asp )

Compare the previous two to IPM Institute of North America definition

• “IPM relies on inspection and monitoring - to detect and correct conditions that can lead to pest problems.  They act against pests only when necessary, and use the least-hazardous methods when action is needed.”

IPM Definition- the essential

• “Integrated pest management (IPM) is an integrated approach of crop management to solve ecological problems when applied in agriculture.”

• “These methods are performed in three stages: prevention, observation, and intervention. It is an ecological approach with a main goal of significantly reducing or eliminating the use of pesticides while at the same time managing pest populations at an acceptable level.[1]” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integrated_pest_management

Missing mandatory components of Canadian IPM definitions

1. the goal to significantly reduce or eliminate pesticide use

2. the lack of prioritization of methods used based on their toxicity, such as using chemicals only in last resort, and starting with the least toxic methods and products.

Questions to ask

• Why is no alternative training available in SK?

• Why are there so much fewer natural products registered in Canada than the US?

• Why is Canada persisting in using an ineffective IPM definition?

Acknowledgement

• Neil Vandendort, Director, Parks & Open Space Department, City of Regina

• Chett Neufeld, Native Plant Society of Saskatchewan

• Heather Adie, Saskatchewan Organic Growers

• Brenda Frick, Bluebur Fluent Organics• Harvey Anderson, Invasive species

specialist, SARM