This discussion will interest my fellow desis who are interested in gardening and a lush, green lawn.

As you know, the Ontario government has outlawed the use of chemical weed killers - the rationale being that they got into the food chain causing certain health hazards, including cancer.

As of now, no company has come out with an organic alternative, even though there was talk they should be available by March, this year. As my fellow desis know, we have a hard time containing the spread of dandelions and crabgrass, which spread faster than any other weed we know.

On the internet, I hear that the use of "corn gluten" could inhibit the growth of these weeds..... Trouble is, it is only available in health food stores like "whole foods", and it is available only in small packs.

Does any fellow desi have a viable alternative, or a solution to this issue? I'd be thankful for your ideas.


PS: Please do not suggest that I get it across from south of the border . I know that isn't a wise idea to try out.

Fiskars Deluxe Telescopic Stand-Up Weeder

http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/2/OutdoorLiving/GardeningTools/Fiskars/PRDOVR~0596744P/Fiskars%2BDeluxe%2BTelescopic%2BStand-Up%2BWeeder.jsp

If it is the type of weeds that I am thinking off, you don't have to wait too long to get them picked. Just post it on Kijiji or the Craigslist and they will make a bee line to your place and pick it up with roots and all. You don't need any thing more to get it off.

But for normal weeds, Canadian Tire has one of those that you can pick with out bending, stand and pick type, available for under $20.00 and when you use it, they are gone permanently. No problems with environment at all. Just a little sweating.

Another thing, if you Fertilize the lawn Good and if it grows lusciously, the weeds don't have a chance in entering the soil area and get a foot hold to grow. So, go gung ho and fertilize it to the best, but use the slow release type, put out by the scott people or others.

How did you come to know that I am not only the chief cook and the bottle washer and currently the Gardner too. Don't tell me that you are my neighbor too. Boy o boy this google world is now tracking me from the skies.

I believe in every thing green, since I have a lot of friends who are grass eaters.

I could not resist posting this response.

Freddie.

wow!!! and you need an immigration expert to answer your question ?

My sincere apologies to that fellow desi who pointed this out. This should not have posted under the heading "immigration".


What was I thinking, when I did that?


Sorry, sorry, again.

deleted

Buy the tool described by ftfl to pluck the weed off the ground. But a lot of times when you do this you may not be able to remove the whole weed along with its roots and it may grow back latter. To avoid this, get a 'Kills' brand spray bottle for weeds from CT or HD and spray right to the root's raw cut which should be visible when you pluck the weed. Keep doing this and you will see a significant reduction of weeds over a few weeks.
I tried this last spring and it worked. But late last fall I had squirrels all over my lawn and it looked like some of them were storing/hiding stuff underneath my new lawn. I have a feeling this may actually lead to weeds coming back this spring again.
The squirrels also damaged a huge chunk of the lawn and I could do nothing to defend it. They dissappeared when I stepped on the lawn only to come back a few minutes later.
Does anybody an idea how I can defend the lawn from these invaders this time?