At Texas A&M, a soil test starts at just $12, and while Segars says getting one every year is ideal, she acknowledges that every few years is probably more realistic for most people. She says that most states have universities or extension programs that offer affordable testing for the public. That way they can address the specific issue at hand.Ī soil test, which measures pH, nutrient levels, and more, can be a good place to start, suggests Chrissie Segars, a turfgrass specialist at Texas A&M University. To figure out what-if anything-you want to do to your lawn, people should start by asking themselves, “What is the problem and how can I treat that problem?” says Jennifer Sass, senior scientist at the environmental organization National Resources Defense Council (NRDC). Fertilizers are meant to add nutrients to the soil, while herbicides, pesticides, and insecticides contain substances that target weeds, plant and animal pests, and bugs, respectively. People can apply a number of different products to their lawns, such as fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, and insecticides. What are the different types of lawn treatments? Here’s what experts say people should do to keep their grass, and themselves, healthy-including some chemicals to consider using with caution, or avoiding altogether. Nutrient runoff from yards can also have adverse impacts on the environment. These toxicants have been linked to cancer and other maladies in people and pets. Yet much of what people apply in backyards today still contains potentially harmful chemicals. Since then, pesticides and other lawn treatments have evolved, with newer, safer products. Around the same time, the insecticide DDT-which writer and conservationist Rachel Carson famously called out for its detrimental environmental and health impacts in her book Silent Spring-also made its way into everyday use. Fertilizer grew in popularity after World War II, when the factories that made vast quantities of nitrogen for fun bombs that production capacity toward agriculture.
Because of the many products and services this entails, the lawn and garden care industry raked in $16.8 billion globally in 2020, according to analytics firm Allied Market Research.īut the roots of lawn care are more sinister than a bright lawn might suggest. We have active collaborations and projects in Oregon, Washington, California, Hawaii, Florida, Ecuador, and Ireland.For people with yards, keeping grass lush can often feel like a full-time job: planting, treating, mowing, bug-killing, watering-and repeating. Department of Agriculture Farm Bill, Oregon Department of Agriculture, California Department of Agriculture, European Union, Christmas Tree Promotion Board, Oregon Seed Council, Oregon Association of Nurseries, and Agricultural Research Foundation.
Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Services, U.S.
We are currently investigating the potential for using plant extracts as novel biorational molluscicides, assessing the potential for using natural enemies as biological control agents, and identifying novel attractants for use in both trapping, and attract-and-kill strategies. My research and Extension program is focused on 1) understanding the ecology of invasive slugs and snails in agriculture, horticulture, urban areas, the natural environment and at the interface of these systems, and 2) developing and implementing novel strategies for the management of these pests.