Home for a Gnome

By: Lyn Chimera
Lessons from Nature

Would you like to have a healthier lawn and help the environment at the same time? The Safe Home for The Gnomes project is for you.

The Erie County Environmental Management Council (EMC) is an advisory board to the Erie County Department of Environment & Planning. Council members advise county government on local environmental concerns; and provide a liaison between the community and county government.

Reducing the overuse and misuse of chemicals in Erie County is a priority concern for the EMC. Launched in 2017, Safe Home for The Gnomes is a campaign to reduce the use of lawn chemicals. Homeowners pledge to maintain a pesticide-free lawn that is safe for children, pets and pollinators and receive a free lawn sign to let their neighbors know that their lawn is healthy and safe.

Garden chemicals when overused or misused can be harmful to humans, pets, wildlife and waterbodies. Collectively, residents control about 900,000 acres of lawn in New York alone - 75% of the managed turf in the state. The good news is there are many ways to care for your lawn that avoid putting family and neighbors at risk. 

Ten EMC tips for a healthy pesticide free lawn:

1.  Say no to pesticides – Make sure the products you choose are pesticide free - read the label - if the product says it’s a hazard to humans or the environment, it’s best to avoid it.
2.  Check your soil - Get a soil pH test. Kits can be found at garden centers or you can contact the Cornell Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners for info on how to get a test (652-5400, ext. 137).
3.  Know what feeds your weeds – Different weeds prefer different soil conditions. Use your soil test to make conditions favorable to lawn and unfavorable to weeds.
4.  Feed your lawn only lightly – Use slow-release fertilizers like compost or organic fertilizers. Fall, not spring, is the best time to feed.
5.  Plant a variety of grasses – Mixtures grow better in different sun, shade and traffic conditions. Fall is the best time to overseed bear patches.
6. 6.    Don’t cut grass too short, mow high – 3 inches or higher will help the grass outcompete weeds and better withstand drought and is more resistant to pests and disease. Also leave clippings on the lawn, it’s natures fertilizer.
7.  Water less often but deeply – You may not need to water at all. Grass naturally goes dormant with drought and greens up when the rain returns. If you do water,  water deeply (down to the roots) about 1 inch/week.
8.  Aerate to open the soil surface – Over time the soil under grass can become compacted and may become crowded with a layer of thatch. Thatch looks like a thick layer of brown roots above the soil level. In lawns with a thatch layer of more than 1/2-inch core aeration in late summer is recommended.
9.  Eliminate grubs with nematodes – Lawn grubs are rare in a healthy lawn but if you have more than 10/square foot you can treat with beneficial nematodes. These are naturally occurring microscopic worms that are not harmful to humans or pets but eat grubs. They are available at garden centers in a powder form which is mixed with water.
10.  If you use a lawn service make sure their treatments are pesticide free – More lawn and landscape companies are offering natural, chemical free treatments. Ask the company t to explain their methods and check references.

Having a pesticide free lawn will save you time AND money as well as eliminate harmful effects on the environment. For more information about Safe Home for the Gnome and managing a pesticide free landscape please visit the Healthy Lawns page at: ERIE.GOV/HEALTHYLAWNS.

NOTE: Our Native Plant and Perennial Sale will be Saturday, May 22, 9-2. Between Amanda’s Garden and Lessons from Nature we will have the largest selection of native plants in WNY along with a good selection of perennials for sun to shade. A GREAT place to get healthy plants at a reasonable price.

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Annual native and perennial plant sale
Saturday, May 22, 9-2
170 Pine Street, E Aurora

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