"Fall is also the best time to establish a new lawn from seed. Since most annual weeds (including crabgrass) don’t sprout in the fall, turf has a chance to get established without competition from weeds."

"My neighbor’s lawn always looks great after the lawn-care people have sprayed. Why do you recommend against it?"

"Most service companies use inorganic chemical fertilizers, weed-killers, and pesticides. Each has its problems. Inorganic chemical fertilizers encourage the accumulation of thatch in the top layer of the soil. Thatch becomes an ideal place for insects to breed and diseases to take hold. The tightly matted roots and rhizomes, which comprise the thatch layer, prevent water from seeping through to the soil. Roots grow in the thatch layer, searching for water. Lawns get parched easily and go brown and dormant, while organically alive turf stays green and healthy with less water. The soil below the thatch becomes compacted, and with the steady diet of chemicals, is devoid of earthworms and soil microorganisms which help keep your lawn alive and healthy."

"Pesticides, of course, cause other problems. According to a Federal report issued by the General Accounting Office, diazinon is "the most widely used pesticide on residential lawns…EPA subjected the insecticide diazinon to Special Review when it found that diazinon was killing waterfowl and other bird species.""

"As a result, EPA cancelled uses of diazinon on golf courses and sod farms, although bird poisonings on residential lawns and in corn and alfalfa fields have also been reported. Due to the number of homeowner poisoning incidents, EPA’s registration standard imposed labeling requirements in order to provide additional use and safety information to the homeowner. EPA has also restricted diazinon’s commercial outdoor uses (e.g., uses on agricultural crops, ornamentals, and turf) to certified applicators or persons under their direct supervision, because of diazinon’s avian and aquatic toxicity. However, this restriction does not apply to commercial lawn care companies and homeowners."

"In 1989 the EPA estimated about 6 million pounds of diazinon were used annually on home lawns and commercial turf. Meanwhile, studies of its toxicity have not yet been completed."

"The health risks of 2,4-D and other weed killers have been questioned by scientists and government agencies. But while studies are being conducted, the chemicals are still widely used by homeowners and lawn-care services. According to the GAO, almost 4 million pounds of 2,4-D are used annually on residential lawns in the U.S."

"It has been widely reported that homeowners use 10 times more chemical pesticides per acre than farmers do. Before long, accumulations of all these chemicals (some of which are purposely designed to persist in the environment) leach into wells and groundwater, and run off into streams, rivers and oceans."

"Mow often, especially during the spring when dandelions are blooming. Frequent mowing during peak growth will eliminate
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