Organic Gardening

Do you know these ten reasons to ditch your lawn and garden chemicals?

(Provided by the Northeast Organic Farmers Association (NOFA), as adapted from a fact-sheet by the Organic Landscape Alliance, Toronto, Canada.)

• Chemical pesticides and fertilizers contaminate surface and groundwater

• Chemical pesticides threaten the health of children

• Chemical pesticides threaten the health of outdoor pets

• Chemical pesticides threaten the health of local wildlife

• Chemical pesticides and fertilizers reduce the activity of beneficial organisms

• Local wildlife need safe places to live

• Chemical fertilizers are a waste of money

• Chemical pesticides have the potential to cause damage throughout their lifecycles

• Chemicals actually degrade the over-all long-term health of your lawn and garden

• Lawn chemicals are unnecessary

Get started:

• Have your soil tested and request organic recommendations. Contact the Cornell Nutrient Analysis Lab.

• Switch to organic fertilizers, ask your garden shop for information on how to use them.

• Topdress your planting beds with a 2” layer of organic compost; work it into the top 6” of soil.

• Pick off garden pests when they appear; use an organic pesticide for large infestations.

• Rotate the placement of vegetables from year to year, to avoid build-up of pathogens in the soil.

• Use a landscaping service that follows organic methods.

Get all the details:

The Suffolk County Water Authority has information on reducing water usage and sustainable lawn care.

See our page on for more resources on gardening in the SNAD.