Great Lawn Series - Waterfront Park, Portland, OR

Here's another great lawn that we admire at Natural Turf: Waterfront Park in Portland, Oregon.  If you haven't made the trek out to the Pacific Northwest...definitely worth the trip!

When you're there, say hi to our Director of Marketing!

For more information on Portland, check out Travel Portland here.

What are some of your favorite Great Lawns?

Fact - Lawn pesticides can linger in your home

Sure, pesticide-users for their lawn may get that emerald green lawn they've craved - but it comes with a price.  Turns out, pesticides are very persistent, and can remain in your home for days, months or even years.  Far from a settling discovery.


How pesticides move
Pesticides can move from their intended targets - typically a lawn - via evaporation through the air, water, food and general surface contact.  Once they evaporate, they become part of the water cycle.  The US Geological Survey (USGS) has found nearly every pesticide they've investigated in the air, snow, rain or fog(1). 

Pesticides in your home
Unfortunately, pesticides can linger even longer inside the home.  If they're not exposed to sunlight or rain, pesticides can last even longer:

• The US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) determined that outdoor pesticides residues are tracked indoors by shoes and pets, and can increase concentration in carpets by up to 400 times.  And, they can last for years.(2)  
• A 2003 Silent Spring Institute study (originally funded by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health) proved home owners can be affected by pesticides in their homes for even decades after being tracked in. 

Definitely some sobering statistics when considering the use of pesticides on your lawn.  We'd love to hear your thoughts on the use of pesticides.

Have you tried the natural way?  
 
Sources
(1) United States Geological Survey. 1995. Pesticides in the Atmosphere. United States Geological Survey Fact Sheet. FS-152-95.
(2) New Scientist 5 May 2001 No. 2289.
(3) Nov 1, 2003, environmental science and technology, Kellyn Betts. 409a, Silent Spring Institute

Celebrate Earth Day this weekend

At Natural Turf, everything we do is to make the Earth a better place - for you, your family, your health.  This weekend, take a moment to celebrate Earth Day on April 22. 

Mobilize the Earth. 

Here's some details, but be sure to visit Earth Day's official site to learn more and to get involved:

Why do we need an Earth Day? 
Earth Day broadens the support, consciousness and activism for environmental programs throughout the world - and your local area.  Here's a great video. 

What can you do for Earth Day? 
Get involved - and the possibilities are endless.  Just do something that benefits the Earth.  Here's a couple ideas: volunteer, build a community garden, write to your governmental representatives about environmental causes...or just take a moment to appreciate the beauty of nature.

What's Earth Day Network?
From Earth Day's site: Founded by the organizers of the first Earth Day in 1970, Earth Day Network (EDN) promotes year-round environmental citizenship and action, worldwide.  EDN is a driving force, steering environmental awareness around the world.  Through EDN activists connect, interact and impact their communities, and create positive change in local, national, and global policies. EDN's international network reaches over 22,000 organizations in 192 countries, while the domestic program assists over 30,000 educators, coordinating thousands of community development and environmental protection activities throughout the year.  

How can I get involved with Earth Day Network?  
Visit their official page here.

We here at Natural Turf will respect the Earth this weekend.  How will you?  Share your stories!

An eye opener - Suburban vs. agricultural pesticide use

When we think of pesticides, we often think of industrial-grade agricultural pesticides. We think: "They use so much pesticide for farming. Personal or suburban pesticide usage must be lower, right? Right?"

Wrong.

According to a historical National Research Council study, suburban lawns and gardens receive more pesticide applications per acre (3.2-9.8 lbs per acre on average) than agriculture (2.7 lbs per acre on average).(1) That's over 3.5 times the amount!

Definitely a sobering thought. Consider your family, your pets, your environment and your lawn this lawn care season. Make the right choice: go pesticide-free.

Source
1. National Research Council. 1980. Urban Pest Management. National Academy of Sciences; Abrams, R. Attorney General of New York. 1991. "Toxic fairways: Risking groundwater contamination from pesticides on Long Island golf courses," Environmental Protection Bureau; Pimentel, D., et. al. 1991. "Environmental and economic impacts of reducing US agricultural pesticide use." Handbook of Pest Management in Agriculture, 2nd ed. CRC Press, Florida, p.679.

Sparky's Safe Lawn Tip - Aerate your soil to prevent weeds and reduce compaction

OK team, now that we're heading into Spring we need to get down to some real lawn care maintenance. This week's task is core aeration.

What is aeration?
Lawn (or core) aeration helps to reduce compaction by pulling up plugs of soil and then allowing air, water and nutrients to reach the grass roots.


Why you should aerate your lawn
Over the course of the Winter, your soil gets hard and compact. This works when you're trying to ice skate in your backyard; but, not so great for your lawn come Spring. When your lawn gets too compact, the grass might not be getting the vital air and nutrients it needs to reach its full potential.

What's so good about aeration?
Core aeration helps to:
1. Reduce compaction.
2. Strengthen grass roots, allowing them to grow deeper (this also gives you a greener, more beautiful lawn)
3. Reduce weeds.

When and how you should aerate your lawn
Lawn aeration twice per year - at the beginning (March) and at the end (Fall) of the lawn care season is ideal. Aerators can be bought or rented, or a good supply of earthworms will aerate the soil adequately as long as there is no compaction problem. You should always aerate before reseeding.

Natural Turf can help
The Spring lawn care season's upon us! Reach out to a Natural Turf lawn care professional team today for a personal consultation. We look forward to hearing from you!

Five great websites for pesticide info

We all know the dangers of pesticides - bad for your health, your family, your pets and your environment. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) declares: "Pesticides can cause harm to humans, animals and the environment because they are designed to kill or otherwise affect living organisms."

However, Americans continue to spend millions of dollars annually to support their production, distribution and eventual use. Unfortunately, current government regulations concerning the marketing of these dangerous chemicals do little to protect consumers.

So how do you stay up to date on the dangers of, regulation of and safety information on pesticides? Here's five great websites to keep in your e-Rolodex:
1. Grassroots Environmental Education - General information on environmental toxin and their effect on human health. www.grassrootsinfo.org
2. Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides (NCAP) - Publications and detailed information about pesticides. www.pesticide.org
3. NCAMP/Beyond Pesticides - Learn about pesticide action groups around the country. www.beyondpesticides.org
4. Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA) - A database of pesticide chemicals and scientific information. www.pesticideinfo.org
5. Natural Turf Pro - Professional training course for organic lawn care on DVD. www.naturalturfpro.com

Take advantage of these great resources to educate and empower yourself. Make the right choice for your family, your pets, your health and your lawn: go pesticide-free.

For more information and a personal consultation for your lawn, contact a Natural Turf natural lawn care professional today! We look forward to hearing from you.

Hurray! Spring is (officially) here!

YAY!

It's our favorite time of the year! Spring is here!

Sparky's Safe Lawn Tip - Remove winter debris

Spring's around the corner - time to get real about decluttering your mind and your lawn.

Before you begin your Spring lawn service, be sure to get as clean of a grassy surface as possible. Remove all leaves, sticks and other debris from your grass. Leaves that have been left on top of your lawn prevent proper drainage and can lead to decay. Two things that aren't helpful to a beautiful, healthy lawn.

But, compost leaves and other organic debris allow you to benefit twice:
1. You get a greener, healthier lawn.
2. Your lawn has extra nutrients for the Spring season.

So, time to head out and start collecting!

Wildlife and your pets want you to go organic

At Natural Turf, we care about three things: your lawn, your family and your health. But, one thing that we also always keep in mind is how our products are safer for preserving natural wildlife and their habitats. And so should you.

Beyond Pesticides has a wonderful fact sheet that outlines many of the real dangers of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

Some highlights:
1. Studies find that dogs exposed to herbicide-treated lawns and gardens can double their chance of developing canine lymphoma and may increase the risk of bladder cancer in certain breeds by 4-7 times.(1)
2. Of the 30 commonly used lawn pesticides: 16 are toxic to birds, 24 are toxic to fish and aquatic organisms and 11 are deadly to bees.(2)
3. Pesticides can be toxic to wildlife and cause food source contamination, behavioral abnormalities that interfere with survival, and death.(3)
4. Lawn and garden pesticides are deadly to non-target species and can harm beneficial insects and soil microorganisms essential to a naturally healthy lawn.(4)

Let's respect wildlife and go natural. The way nature intended.


Sources
1. Glickman, Lawrence, et al. 2004. "Herbicide exposure and the risk of transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder in Scottish Terriers." Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. 224(8):1290-1297; Haynes, H., et al. 1991. "Case-control study of canine malignant lymphoma: positive association with dog owner's use of 2, 4-D acid herbicides." Journal of National Cancer Institute. 83(17): 1226.
2. Beyond Pesticides Factsheet. 2005. Environmental Effects of 30 Commonly Used Lawn Pesticides.
3. Defenders of Wildlife. The Dangers of Pesticides to Wildlife. April 2005.
4. Restmeyer, S. J. 2003. Ecological Pest Management: Embracing the Organic Approach to Landscape Management. Pesticides and You. 23(1): 11-12. Beyond Pesticides. Washington, DC.

Sparky's Safe Lawn Tip - Begin mowing your lawn on a low setting

We're getting there...the sun's peeking through...

Mowing is one of the most important activities in maintaining your lawn. Regardless of whether your lawn is fertilized, irrigated or receives applications of control products, proper mowing practices are essential. Properly mowed lawns will have fewer weed populations, better moisture stress tolerance and generally better quality than improperly mowed lawns. Plus, they look spiffy-er, too.

Low heights have limited leaf area to sustain photosynthesis rates to maintain good plant vigor. In addition, your grass will develop a stronger root system.

For more info, checkout this great fact sheet from The Ohio State University.

How do you mow for a great-looking lawn?

Lawn Fun Fact!

Grass is a great air conditioner in summer and heater in winter. They stay at the nice temperate ranges of 50-75 degrees even when sidewalks and streets are as hot and cold as 100-30 degrees.

Pretty cool (or hot), huh? Happy weekend!

Great lawn series - Central Park, New York, NY USA

Sparky's Safe Lawn Tip - Get a soil test and choose the right fertilizer

OK, OK, the lawn care season is getting closer! :)

So, what now? Get ready for the season by getting a soil test. You should never spend any money on any fertilizer or soil amendment without first checking out the results of a soil test first.

All lawn care fertilizers are comprised of three main ingredients:
1. Nitrogen - Helps keep your grass healthy, vibrant green and helps keep it nice and thick! A healthy lawn can naturally ward of bugs and pests, too.
2. Phosphorous - Nutritionally helps strong roots in your grass.
3. Potassium - It also bolsters the strength of your blades, which helps your lawn weather particularly dry or hot spells.

When choosing the right fertilizer, you want to get the right combination of these three key nutrients to the soil at a rate that's optimal for growth. You also want to mind your budget, personal time investment (like hiring a pro).

Whatever your path, testing your soil first and selecting a fertilizer with the optimal makeup of the three key nutrients will give you the best shot to a more emerald, stronger and fuller lawn you can be proud of.

Sparky's Safe Lawn Tip - The 8 critical lawn care areas to protecting your pet

A healthy NJ lawn should be something you and your family enjoy together. That especially includes your pets - who revel in the chance to play fetch, have a run, or take a rest on your emerald-green grass. Hey, don't we enjoy that, too?

Dana Farbman, ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) pet poison prevention expert, says "Keeping animals safe from accidental poisonings should not end once you've stepped outside. Protecting your pet from potential hazards is just as critical." Unfortunately, the APCC's expert team fields thousands of calls each year involving pets who've had potentially hazardous contact with insecticides, weed-killers and pet-toxic plants.

According to the APCC, here's the 8 critical areas to watch out for when protecting your family's furry companion:
1. Poisonous plants - When designing your lawn space, remember that many popular outdoor plants (especially sago palm, rhododendron and azalea) are toxic to pets. Checkout the full list of plants here.
2. Fertilizer - The chemicals and fertilizers that keeps plants "healthy" can be particularly harmful to our furry friends. Ingesting large amounts can upset their stomachs, potentially causing life-threatening gastrointestinal obstructions.
3. Cocoa mulch - Although it's popular for it's odor and color to humans, it attracts pets, too who are allergic. Depending on the amount ingested, symptoms can include vomiting, diarrhea, muscle tremors, elevated heart rate and even seizures.
4. Insecticides - This is rough stuff. The most dangerous are snail bait with metaldehyde, fly bait with methomyl; and systematic insecticides with disyston or disulfoton, mole or gopher bait with zinc phosphide and most forms of rat poison. You should always keep these out of Fido's reach.
5. Compost - Food and garden waste make prime additions to the garden soil; but, watch what you put down. Coffee, moldy food and certain fruits and veggies can be toxic. Here's a list on what to avoid.
6. Fleas and ticks - Keep your lawn trim since fleas and ticks hangout in the tall brush and grass. In addition to excessive scratching, hair loss, scabs, hot spots and tapeworms; they can also lead to more serious tick-borne diseases like Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Babesia.
7. Garden tools - Be sure your essential lawn tools are secured safely away. They could cause accidental trauma to your pets, especially dogs who tend to be outside more than cats.
8. Allergy-causing flora - Pets have allergies, too. Yup. Your pets' allergic reactions can cause life-threatening anaphylactic shock of severe enough. Also, try to keep your pet out of other people's yards.

Pesticides impact both outdoor and indoor pets — since a lawn care service using toxic or misapplied chemicals will leave residue that you or your family can track inside. Dogs or cats are then exposed to it, ingesting it as they clean their fur.

The key to avoiding these hazards is to use a natural NJ lawn care company that understands the risks. At Natural Turf, we use organic fertilizers and pesticides that not only guarantee seed germination to make your lawn look its best; but, are also pet safe. Contact us today to learn more - your lawn and your family's furry companion will thank you!

Sparky's Safe Lawn Tip - Gather the right lawn tools for a healthy lawn

The lawn season is getting closer...and closer. Without question, having the right tools for the job will make the job of lawn maintenance easier, and will help make your lawn as beautiful as it can be.

There are so many tools, manufacturers - at all ranges of prices - that it's difficult to determine what the best way to go is. So what should be in your green cabinet?

Here's a good list of 10 essentials:
1. A spring tined rake
2. A garden fork
3. A spade or shovel
4. A pair of edging shears
5. A half-moon edging tool
6. A besom (a.k.a. a witch's broom)
7. A push spreader
8. A trimmer or edger
9. A long-handled shear
10. A mower

For more information, you can checkout the entire article from our friends at Enjoy-Your-Garden.com. Or, better yet, visit our website to learn about our services and contact a Natural Turf professional today. We're happy to help you fill out your green lawn cabinet with the tools to The Better Way to a lush, healthy lawn.

Children and pesticides don't mix

There are some things that go perfectly together: peanut butter and jelly, yin and yang, baseball and spring. But in the case of our kids and lawn chemicals...they don't.

Most of the popular lawn chemicals are dangerous carcinogens and mutagens. Chemically-treated lawn toxins stick to shoes, get tracked indoors and are deposited on rugs, kids’ toys, blankets and clothing. Also, walking barefoot on a chemically-treated lawn affords direct absorption of toxins into the skin through their feet and toes.

Beyond Pesticides has a great fact sheet on why children and pesticides don't mix. Here's some highlights:
1. The National Academy of Sciences reports that children are more vulnerable than adults to the dangerous lawn care pesticides.(1)
2. Studies have linked pesticides to cancer, asthma, hyperactivity and other ailments.(2, 3)
3. A study published in The Journal of the National Cancer Institute finds that household and garden pesticide use can increase the risk of childhood leukemia as much as sevenfold.(4)
4. Scientists believe that the amount of toxic chemicals in the environment that cause developmental and neurological damage are contributing to the rise of physical and mental effects being found in children.(5)
5. A 2005 study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association found that students and school employees are being poisoned by pesticide use at schools and from drift off of neighboring farmlands.(6)

Sobering news. On the other hand, Natural Turf’s organic programs approach is a completely safe, life-affirming process. Compost, seaweed, garlic, corn gluten and other 100% natural products are used to feed the micro-organisms in the soil. These organisms then help make available all the nutrients your lawn – and your family – needs to grow safe and sound.

Contact us to learn more about The Better Way to organic and organic-based lawn care. We look forward to hearing from you.


Sources:
(1) National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences. 1993. Pesticides in the Diets of Infants and Children, National Academy Press, Washington, DC. 184-185.
(2) Leiss, J., et. al., 1995. Home Pesticide Use and Childhood Cancer: A Case-Control Study. American Journal of Public Health, 85: 249-252.
(3) Repetto, R., et. al., 1996 March. Pesticides and Immune System: The Public Health Risk. World Resources Institute. Washington, DC.
(4) Lowengart, R., et. al., 1987. Childhood Leukemia and Parent's Occupational and Home Exposures. Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 79:39.
(5) National Research Council. 2000. Scientific frontiers in developmental toxicology and risk assessment. Washington, DC: National Academy Press; Physicians for Social Responsibility, The National Environmental Trust, The Learning Disabilities Association of America. 2000.
(6) Alarcon, WA., et. al., 2005. Acute illnesses associated with pesticide exposure at school. Journal of the American Medical Association. 294(4); 455-465.

Sparky's Safe Lawn Tip - Tune up and sharpen those mower blades!

"Winter" - wherever it was for the past season - is slipping away, and Spring will be here before we know it.

To prepare for a healthy lawn, be sure to get your lawn mower and lawn mower blades ready. This way, your grass is cut cleanly, allowing the roots to remain intact and the blades to grow evenly.

For more info, here's a great refresher from eHow.com.

What are some of your helpful tricks for prepping your lawn mower?

Happy mowing!

New and improved Natural Turf Facebook and Twitter pages!

Everyone here at Natural Turf - especially Sparky - are all very excited to share something with you! We've got a NEW AND IMPROVED Facebook and Twitter pages!

Like and follow us to:
1. Stay in touch with the Natural Turf team for all your lawn care needs.
2. Get great, timely insights on The Better Way to organic and organic-based lawn care.
3. Take advantage of special promotions and deals.
4. Connect with the leading local, state and national organizations that also believe in The Better Way to organic and organic-based lawn care.

And much, much more! Click on the Facebook and Twitter buttons below to connect today! We look forward to seeing you!

Here's to a great upcoming lawn care season!

Reducing Summer Water Consumption with a Natural Lawn

In the summer months, your yard is an outdoor retreat. So, it’s no wonder New Jersey homeowners spend a great deal of time and energy creating a lush, carpet-like lawn. But achieving that patch of heaven comes at a price. Two of the culprits in draining the pocketbook are overwatering and over-fertilizing. Conventional lawn maintenance causes summer water consumption to spike to nearly double normal levels. Even more staggering: Safelawn reports that Americans apply 80 million pounds of pesticides and herbicides to their grass each year. That’s 10 times more than farmers use on their crops, per acre.

Attaining beautiful, healthy and sustainable turf doesn’t require throwing your hard-earned money away on quick fixes and toxic chemicals that deplete your lawn of necessary nutrients. For example, beneficial microbes help break down organic matter into food for your grass. Pesticides kill these good microbes, preventing normal, healthy processes from occurring. Synthetic fertilizer contains high doses of nitrogen, which greens your lawn and speeds growth. However, most of the fertilizer’s energy is spent on the blades, causing roots to stay close to the surface instead of tapping deep into the ground. So, during droughts, this weakened grass can easily wilt away. This forces homeowners to turn on the sprinklers more often—and forces turf to become dependent on chemicals for survival. It’s a vicious cycle that can be avoided with a natural lawn care program.

Natural and organic lawn care reduces the time spent tending to your yard, minimizing the need for harmful chemicals. A natural, slow-release or organic fertilizer delivers safe nutrients to grass over an extended period of time, promoting stronger root growth and increasing the ability for soil to retain water. Using chemical-free products helps grass to maintain its healthy natural growth cycle –and a healthy lawn can fend off diseases, pests and the elements. In the long run, a sustainable backyard lightens the burden on the environment, your health and the watershed.

At Natural Turf, we believe you can have it all—a thick, beautiful, natural yard treated with chemical-free, effective products that are safe for your family, pets and friends. Call our NJ lawn care experts today to learn how to reduce your summer water bill with naturally and organically maintained turf!

The Environmental Cost of a Perfect Lawn, Part 2

If you caught our previous blog, you know that pesticides leach into our groundwater at an alarming rate. If you don’t use natural lawn care, you’re likely applying between 3 and 10 pounds of toxic pesticides to each acre of your lawn each year, according to the Toxics Information Project. That creates a large amount of trace chemicals which run off into the ground water and wreak environmental havoc.

According to Beyond Pesticides, 16 of 30 commonly used pesticides are dangerous to birds, 24 to fish, and 11 to bees. Dogs exposed to toxic pesticides are twice as likely to develop canine lymphoma, to say nothing of the beneficial insect species that toxic pesticides WIPE OUT. These therapeutic insects are vital to a healthy lawn, and are left intact in high-quality natural lawncare programs.

And pesticides don’t just harm the wildlife. The Georgia State Government says that 50 percent of the U.S. population relies on ground water for drinking water, and children – who are more vulnerable to pesticides because of their small and growing bodies –remain more likely to be exposed to lawn pesticides than adults. The environmental dangers caused by toxic pesticides affect all of us… even those of us who never use them.

An organic lawn care program can break that cycle. Natural turf is stronger and healthier than a lawn treated with toxic pesticides, and a natural lawncare service can bring out the best in your lawn without harming the environment. At Natural Turf, we believe in the positive benefits of an eco-friendly lawn. Our pesticides work with the local ecosystem: keeping insects out of your lawn without blanketing the area in poisons. Our organic lawn care products enrich the soil and strengthen the roots of your grass, maintaining a healthy lawn for years and decades to come. Your organic grass will look great, and more importantly, you’ll safeguard your family and the nearby environment.

When you start today, you’ll be taking a small step to solve a BIG problem. Contact Natural Turf to discuss our natural and organic lawn care programs, inquire about pricing or schedule a free consultation. We’ll show you how green and beautiful a natural lawn can be!