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Environmental Tips for Your Yard
Down to: Waterfront Property
Getting your lawn and flower beds off drugs is easy! A chemical-free lawn rarely has problems with bugs or disease so what do you have to lose?
- Weeds: Dig up dandelions rather than using pesticides (Lee Valley Tools and Home Hardware have diggers, water-lifters and burners). You need to dig (or mow) frequently during spring. After that just normal mowing.
- Weeds: Use corn gluten meal on lawns before weeds sprout, spring and fall. It's a pre-emergent weed killer as well as a source of nitrogen (about 10-0-0).
- Weeds between your patio bricks: Soak with vinegar before 3 days of dry weather.
- Weeds: Grow moss between patio bricks prevents weeds: Put a clump of green moss and water in a blender, then sprinkle the result between bricks or stones. Keep moist until moss starts to grow.
- Weeds: Replace all or some grass with native shrubs and flowers - this may take a few years but will result in less work.
- Bugs: Soak rhubarb leaves in a pail of water for 2-3 days to water flowers and vegetables (cover it as this is poisonous). Wait a week before harvesting food as this is poisonous to humans too!
- Bugs: Diatomatious earth (ground rock) sprinkled where bugs crawl - use only in problem areas as this kills "good" bugs too.
- Bugs: Look around your garden regularly and "pick" off bugs and caterpillars that are eating your plants. Use gloves and drop in soapy water if you are squeamish.
- Fertilizer: Seaweed concentrate, mushroom factory compost, farm manure (rotted), and of course, composted kitchen and yard waste.
- Fungus on plants: #1 Water plants with mixture of 5mL baking soda, 5 mL dishwashing liquid, in 1 L water. #2 Water plants with water soaked with horsetail weeds for 2 days.
- Bugs: Feed birds in the winter and they will eat insects in the summer.
- Bugs: Grubs in your lawn? Apply Nematodes (they eat grubs).
- Bugs: Chinch bugs live in "thatch" - convert lawn to organic, topdress in spring, and vacuum them up!
- If you have moles or shrews, rejoice - they eat insects, grubs and slugs without chemicals! Voles (field mice) eat grass, tubers, seeds and insects. (HealthyOttawa.ca)
Tips for Waterfont Property
Most of the pollutants and algae overgrowth in the river are caused by runoff from the shoreline soil containing chemicals. You can help the health of the Rideau River and your children, by doing a few simple things.
- Plant more trees and shrubs to prevent rain run-off and pollution
- Reduce water consumption using water-efficient shower heads, low-flush toilets, full-load clothes washing.
- Buy environmentally friendly household and garden products.
- Retain rainfall in rain barrels;
- Dig up weeds rather than using pesticides (Lee Valley Tools and Home Hardware have the best dandelion tools).
- If you must use chemical weed killer (i.e. 2-4D), apply ONCE with a spot sprayer at the beginning of dry weather.
- Use organic fertilizers (manure, compost, corn gluten)
- Use organic mulch (bark, cedar, hay, shredded leaves, bean hulls) around shrubs, vegetables, and flowers to conserve water, prevent weeds, and enriches the soil. 3 for the price of 1.
- Keep plants healthy to reduce the need for chemical treatment
- Use biodegradable soap to wash a car on pavement.
- Get involved in neighbourhood water-protection activities
"We know for instance, that a brand-new baby typically, out of the womb, has over 230 industrial chemicals in its blood, 190 of which have been linked to cancer."
... Guy Dauncey, 'Prevent Cancer Now'
- Related Pages:
- Recycling, Donating and Selling
- Rideau-Goulbourn Garbage & Recycling
- "Fewer gardeners rely on pesticides (StatsCan)"
- Manotick's "100 Mile" Dinner
Links to Other Sites
- Brownlee Water Quality Management Inc. - test your well-water to ensure it really is safe to drink. Goes far beyond city testing.
- Ottawa WaterLinks program - prevent water pollution by educating and working with neighbourhoods. (info@ottawa.ca, 613-560-6086 x3292)
- Rideau Valley Conservation Authority is a government agency that provides information and regulates development along rivers.
- Mississippi-Rideau Source Protection Region - source water protection, the Clean Water Act, and local projects.
- Green Communities Association - Pesticide-free lawn advice for dandelions and grubs.
- EnviroCentre (613-244-5624) has free kits. Resources for saving energy and water. Energy audits.
- Ottawa Septic System Office (613-692-0160)
- City of Ottawa tree program
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