A Greener Way to Garden: Safe, Natural Alternatives to Harmful Pesticides

With warmer temperatures comes more time outside and inevitably yard maintenance. Before you hit the garden store for supplies or set up your landscaping and insect spraying contracts for the season, please consider the unintentional impacts of herbicides and pesticides, including mosquito and tick spraying and other chemical treatments to those who share our yards with us.

Each year 80 million pounds of pesticides are sprayed onto American lawns and gardens to achieve aesthetic perfection and reduce nuisance insects like mosquitos and ticks (Brailei, 2024). While the goal of a plush, green yard devoid of buzzing insects may seem ideal, it comes at a high environmental cost. These chemical applications tend to be broad-spectrum in nature, meaning they do not target one specific insect or weed, but instead kill most things they are applied to. For example, residential mosquito spray companies often use pyrethrins, a chemical derived from chrysanthemum flowers that is highly toxic to insects. Pyrethroids, a class of synthetic chemicals designed to mimic the impacts of pyrethrins are similarly toxic to many insects beyond the targeted mosquito. Both classes of chemical “can disrupt bee learning and navigation and weaken their immune systems, causing death and reducing populations.” Some are so toxic to bees they can kill bees both at application time, as well as for several days after application (Mizejewski and Weber, 2022).

Pollinators, including bees, are some of the most vulnerable species impacted by such chemicals. Beyond pyrethroids, neonicotinoids (neonics) are a commonly used class of chemicals in both pesticides and herbicides. “Long-lasting and water-soluble, neonicotinoids can be dispersed far beyond their intended targets, carried on the wind as spray drift or dust particles, or enter the water system through runoff or leaching into groundwater. Plants can take up the chemicals into leaves, pollen, and nectar, which can be consumed by insects and other animals.” Neonics spraying was banned in Europe in 2018, and neonicotinoid-treated seeds were banned in 2023 because they kill insects that pollinate crops.  Research has shown that songbird decline is associated with the decline in the insects they eat.  Purple martins and bluebirds, for which we are providing houses at Hilltop Park, are insect eaters. In addition, growth-regulating herbicides such as aryl triazinones and acetolactate synthase inhibitors can destroy the plants that pollinators, especially caterpillars of butterflies and moths, need to feed on (Kern, 2022).”  Without healthy host plants for adults to lay their eggs on, the life cycle of these species can be severely disrupted. 

While the impacts to the butterflies, moths and bees happen above ground, earthworms are also impacted below the soil surface. Earthworms “have a crucially positive impact on soil structure and function, which changes the distribution of aggregates, improves water infiltration, and enhances air exchange in the subsoil (Elhamalawy et al).” Studies show earthworm populations increase when pesticide use decreases benefiting the soil structure through improved organic matter decomposition and cycling of nutrients. 

Predators like bird populations are heavily reliant on insect species like earthworms to feed their babies in springtime before fruits and berries become available. From the American Bird Conservancy, “An astonishing 96 percent of all terrestrial North American bird species rely on insects for at least part of their diets at some point throughout the life cycle. They are especially important for young migratory birds: a steady diet of protein-rich insects like caterpillars helps them grow quickly and fuel up for migration.” 

This article would be incomplete without a mention of glyphosate-based herbicides, commercially known as Round-Up. These herbicides have been widely used around the world since the 1970’s. “Glyphosate is a nonselective, postemergent herbicide known to control more than 150 weed species, including mono- and dicotyledonous plants of annual or perennial nature” (Kanissery et al, 2019). Following application to plants, glyphosate bonds quickly to soil particles and can move quickly into waterways via surface water run-off and groundwater leaching having significant impacts on aquatic life. 

So, how do you achieve an enjoyable yard experience free of herbicides and pesticides? 

- Go Native! Plants native to the Eastern USA are typically more resilient and resistant to pests than turf grass and non-native species. Plant a diverse array of such natives, as it is harder for pest populations to get established. 

- Add compost to your lawn in early spring and fall, leave lawn clippings/mulched leaves on your lawn for natural nutrients. Core aeration can also help improve air flow to turf lawn roots.

- Install bird and bat houses in your yard to invite predators in who eat unwanted insects like mosquitoes. 

- Turn to natural alternatives for specific weed and pest problems like: boiling water for weeds along drive/walkways, diluted vinegar and salt sprays for weeds, diatomaceous earth for snails and slugs, neem oil for aphids and mites, and thyme, rosemary or peppermint oil to repel mosquitoes, ants, beetles, flies and cabbage loopers.

- Mosquitoes can breed in small amounts of standing water (as little as a cap full), so remove or empty any standing water around your yard frequently.

- Use Mosquito pellets or “dunks” in standing water where female mosquitoes breed, thereby killing her larvae with a bacteria toxic only to mosquito larvae.

- Lastly, if you must use an herbicide or pesticide, make sure you target and time the application for the best result while doing the least harm.  Target your application by using a product designed for only the plant/insect you are addressing, use only the amount you need, and stay at least 30 feet away from any waterway.  Time your application to be at least 24-48 hours before a rain event so the herbicide/pesticide does not wash away into the stormwater system and on a day with winds of 2-10 mph, so the herbicide/pesticide does not blow into unintended areas.  

Sources: 

Braelei Hardt. Dangers of Lawn Chemicals: Impacts and Alternatives. August 30, 2024. https://blog.nwf.org/2024/08/dangers-of-lawn-chemicals-impacts-and-alternatives/

Elhamalawy, Osama, Ahmed Bakr, Fawzy Elissa. Impact of Pesticides on non-target invertebrates in agricultural ecosystems. Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology, Vol. 202. 2024. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048357524002074)

Kanissery, Ramdas, Biwek Gairhe, Davie Kadyampakeni, Ozgur Batuman, Fernando Alferez. Glyphosate: It’s Environmental Persistence and Impact on Crop Health and Nutrition. Plants (Basel). 2019 Nov 13;8(11):499.

Kern, Hardy. Take Flight from Lawn Pesticides: Tips for Organic, Bird-Friendly Gardening. April 12, 2022. https://abcbirds.org/blog/bird-friendly-gardening/

Mizejewski, David and David Weber. What You Need to Know Before Spraying for Mosquitoes. August 8, 2022. https://blog.nwf.org/2020/09/what-you-need-to-know-before-spraying-for-mosquitoes/

Salt Lake City Sustainability Office. “Alternative Pesticides” “Lawn Care” https://www.slc.gov/sustainability/pesticidefree-2/lawn-care/ 

https://www.slc.gov/sustainability/pesticidefree-2/alternative-pesticides/include utensils by request.  Angie’s also tries to purchase items in bulk to reduce commercial packaging, as well as sourcing local items when possible to reduce their carbon footprint. 

According to Lynh, “Being green isn't easy, but every little change counts.  From composting food scraps to recycling to being mindful when sourcing paper products."  

Since signing up with Back to Earth Compost Crew, Lynh says, “The service itself has been great.  I love feeling good about putting out full buckets for pick-up.  Back To Earth Compost Crew has made being green a lot easier.  The best thing is the customer service!  Every question asked gets answered.” 

Visit Angie’s Vietnamese Cuisine in-person inside Creekside Market and Tap (7909 High School Rd, Elkins Park) and online at angiesvietnamesecuisine.com or www.instagram.com/angiesvietcuisine/

Back to Earth Compost Crew is happy to have Lynh and Angie’s Vietnamese Cuisine in our composting community!