Protecting the turf

I read the letter by K. Jean Cottam, PhD (Citizen, Aug. 1) regarding the use of pesticides in Caledon. The facts that were addressed are huge improvements from what we used to have in place (no bylaw).

Without any control, homeowners will use chemicals at their discretion, and when finished what do they do with unused chemicals as well as the empty plastic containers? Perhaps the product goes down the drain and the container goes out in the household garbage. Licenced applicators have everything to lose and must make sure things like this never happen.

By not spraying in July and August when all the students are out of school is a bet step forward as most are home and in their yards.

By being IPM accredited, it means the company will use chemical control as an absolute last resort. First and foremost, the IPM technician suggests and promotes better horticultural practices in three vital areas:

* Mowing. Weekly and 3 inches or higher to help shade the turf and prevent weed germination. Taller grass plants also encourage deeper root growth.

* Fertilizing. Keep. turf healthy and add corn gluten meal to the fertilizer as it suppresses weed growth.

* Watering: Deep root watering results in healthy turf which tolerates droughts.

My company is an IPM accredited company. We have been sport spraying vs. blanket spraying for more than 15 years now. This has reduced our use of chemicals by over 80%. Very significant.

Points you may not know:

1) IPM stands for Integrated Pest Control, not what you thought.

2) A 4,000-square-foot lawn produces enough oxygen to sustain four people. Don't you think we should try to protect the turf rather than letting it turn to dirt and weeds?

3) Cosmetic weed control in turf (the people spraying those weeds) represents only 1% of all chemicals used. 96% is used in agriculture to grow those fruits and vegetables you are eating without a second thought.

4) 2-4D, the main ingredient in all turf herbicides, is the most tested chemical in the world and every single time it came out safe when used as directed. This includes constant testing of the employees who work with it and bottle it every day.

The Caledon bylaw is a good one because without it there would be no controlling who does what and you can bet most lawns would still be treated with pesticides, but not by licensed professionals.

I am an active member of Landscape Ontario, and we are all stewards of the landscape. Our goals are beautiful, healthy landscapes. We have to protect our greenscapes by keeping all vegetation healthy from pests and things that can wipe them out.

In the letter to the Citizen, Cottam signed off with PhD after her name. What was the purpose of that? I always maintain a little information is worse than none at all and her letter tells me she has only some of the facts.

Brian Perras BP Landscaping Ltd.

Caledon