I love Spring! I enjoy watching the flowers begin to bloom, and the lawns turn green. I also love it when the weather becomes consistent in the 60s and 70s! It hasn’t happened in the midwest yet, but hopefully it will soon.
Just as everything else begins to grow in the Spring, so do weeds. Granted, some weeds can be pretty, but many are pesky. When treating your lawn, it’s best to kill weeds naturally.
Toxic Pesticides Are Harmful to Our Health and The Soil
Please don’t run out to buy harsh chemical pesticides this year. Pesticides are intentionally toxic substances. For example, glyphosate is a main ingredient in Roundup. Studies have shown that glyphosate can cause many health problems such as birth defects, infertility, Parkinson’s disease, and DNA cell damage.
In March 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) – the specialized cancer agency of the World Health Organization – assessed the herbicide glyphosate. They classified it as “probably carcinogenic to humans.”
We know the damage that glyphosate can cause, but other chemicals can also be harmful. According to the Environment and Human Health, Inc., the “EPA permits over 200 different pesticides to be used for lawn care, and these are often mixed together and sold as chemical combinations.”
Glyphosate and the other chemicals damage our soil and water sources. Unfortunately, all of the chemicals used over the years have severely depleted our soil of its minerals and nutrients which also impacts our health.
Natural Alternatives to Kill Weeds
Fortunately, there are things you can do to rid your lawn of weeds instead of using harsh weed killing chemicals. Here are some suggestions which are more earth-friendly:
- Plant grass seed – eventually your lawn will thicken up and crowd out the weeds
- Don’t cut your lawn too short, or too often. Never cut more than one-third off the length of your grass
- Look for organic lawn care providers who do not use harsh chemicals
- Good old fashioned work – pick them! I actually bought a dandelion picker
- Boil together 1 cup of salt and 2 cups of water. Pour the salt mixture directly onto the weeds
- Fertilize your lawn with kitchen and yard waste (compost)
- For weeds that grow in the cracks of your driveway or sidewalk, spray them at their stem with full-strength white vinegar. If they haven’t begun to grow, but you remember areas in crevices where they grew last year, sprinkle borax in that area. This should stop them before they take root
- Aerate your lawn in the fall. The air pockets in the soil will help the organisms in the soil to live efficiently
Making a Greater Impact
In addition to making changes to your own lawn, you can also take it to a greater level. If you live in a subdivision which has a home owners association, you may want to ask them to consider using a less toxic option for lawn care. Many concerned mom’s are also asking their local government and/or school district to stop using the harsh chemicals at parks and school yards.
There are many things that can be done to positively impact not only the earth, but also our health. I encourage you to use a more natural approach when tackling weeds this year!
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