What You Should Know About Lawn Care Pesticides

By gardener | Jul 26, 2009

Dont be deceived by the ‘care’ in lawn care pesticides. They are toxic substances and are intended to be that way. If you want to keep yourself, your family and your pets safe, here are some things you should know about lawn care pesticides and the proper way of using them:

Lethal chemical combination
While there are more than 200 EPA-approved pesticides on the market specifically for lawn care, many of them are often mixed chemically to produce different varieties. They are toxic not just to pests but also to humans and other animals.

Lawn care pesticides have long been associated with certain adverse effects including cancer, mutation and birth defects in laboratory tests. Government testings involving ground water have also shown varying levels of contamination by lawn care pesticides. Consider this fact when choosing and using these chemicals.

What you can do
Lawn care pesticides are only as dangerous as you are careless and negligent. If you want to keep your household safe and do your part in ecological responsibility, there are certain things you can do:

Find out what your lawn problems are.
You can design a better pest control plan if you know what kind of pests you’re dealing with. Many lawn owners use more lawn care pesticides than they need to.

Always read the label.
The label will tell you everything you need to know, from the level of toxicity of the product to what type of pests it can control. Refer to it for proper mixing and usage.

Be careful with your choice of lawn care pesticides.
Lawn care pesticides come in varying strengths, with the strongest being manufactured for commercial use. Choose those that are intended for residential use and make sure you pick ones with the lowest level of toxicity. There are also lawn care pesticides that are based on natural or organic sources which you might want to try.

Protect yourself and your pets.
Before you apply lawn care pesticides, wear rubber gloves and if possible a mask. All pesticides can be harmful when absorbed or ingested. Apply the pesticides in an area that has plenty of ventilation but make sure to do so on a day when there isn’t any wind blowing. A slight breeze can carry the airborne lawn care pesticide where it’s not needed.

Dont apply when there are children or pets in the yard and make sure to keep toys and feeding bowls away. Wash water bowls and bird baths thoroughly to remove any residue. Wait for the lawn care pesticide to dry up before using the lawn again. Real all instructions carefully and make sure to keep out of children’s and pet’s reach.

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