No More Chemicals....What now?
 
As many of you know the Ontario Government is passing a ban on all pesticides used cosmetically on residential lawns, gardens and patios, as well as school yards and parks. This ban takes effect on April 22nd 2009 which is also Earth Day. Regardless if you support this new law or feel it's excessive, we need to look at our properties differently now. We need to be more proactive in building sustainable gardens and lawns and not just wait until problems present themselves and spot treat.  There is a huge learning curve for all of us gardeners ahead of us so we here at Gemmell's have spent the winter researching many different eco-choices for our customers.
I thought in this email perhaps I would touch on a few of the environmentally friendly choices available.
 
Insecticidal Soap         used to control aphids, spider mites, whiteflies, caterpillars, mealy bugs and a whole lot more on just about every plant in the book. This is a product that you can safely use on your vegetables, herbs and fruit trees as well. It is available in purely the soap base or mixed with pyrethrins which is a natural based insecticide. Excellent product that every gardener should have in the shed.
 
Garden Fungicide         this sulphur based product is used  to control blights, black spot, rust, powdery mildew & molds on  trees, shrubs, flowers, vegetables and especially roses which are very prone to these diseases. It comes in ready mixed spray, dusts and wettable powders.
 
Weed & Grass Killer  this is now an Acetic Acid based non-selective control for broadleaf and grass weeds. It is very effective on annual weeds such as black medic, chickweed, ragweed and lamb's quarter. It also successfully controls the top growth on perennial weeds, like dandelion, wild carrot, plantain and quackgrass.  It comes in ready-to-use sprays and concentrates.
 
Diatomaceous Earth   this is a dust that comes from the mineral deposits of diatoms. It is very effective in the control of slugs, earwigs, sowbugs, caterpillars, ants, fleas and other crawling insects. It is very effective but needs to be reapplied after rain. Can be used both inside and outside.
 
 
 
Need to Feed   another aspect of this new eco-garden trip that we are all on is the importance of maintaining healthy strong plants through feeding. This is true more than ever as strong well fed plants are less susceptible to insects and disease.  We have brought in a new line of fertilizers specifically formulated for individual plant requirements i.e. roses, tomatoes, trees & shrubs, perennials etc. An important elemental makeup of these fertilizers is the micronutrients which help form a complete fertilizer formulated to establish good root systems, resistance to diseases, and promote flowering.
 
 
This is merely an introduction to some of the products you may need to help create a beautiful outdoor living space this season. Feel free to drop into the garden centre anytime or email us with any specific questions you may have.