CELEBRATING 26 YEARS! Welcome to My weekly series! THE LANDSCAPE PROFESSIONAL Linda K. Lillie of Sprigs & Twigs ASKI Linda K. Lillie has been President of Sprigs & Twigs, Inc. for the last 26 years. She is a graduate of Connecticut College in Botany, an accredited NOFA Organic Land Care Professional, a Connecticut Master Gardener and a national award winning landscape designer for her design and installation projects. Dear Linda, I have heard that Sprigs & Twigs has an Organic Lawn Care Program and I'd like to know more about it. My husband puts down bags of stuff on our lawn and I'm worried he's doing something harmful. Thank you. Kathy Hello Kathy-(This is Part 5 of my answer to your question) Sprigs & Twigs offers the only true, 100% Organic Lawn Care Program in the area; we would be happy to visit with you and explain it in more detail. While it is fashionable for other companies to claim they do "organic" lawn care, it is often boastful marketing because they almost always include synthetic chemicals. #5 Lawn care product manufacturers have said for years that it's safe for children and pets to go on lawns immediately or "after the product dries" but don't believe it. Many lawn care chemicals are not safe even when they dry. They can remain active for months and release vapors when walked on or when the grass is cut. Airborne dust from these products can blow around the neighborhood from excess fertilization (Think about what you smell when you are in the garden center fertilizer department - it's the airborne product). #6 "Weed and Feed" products are a combination of herbicides and fertilizers which are intended to kill both weeds and fertilize grass in one "easy" application. There are many on the market, but they all contain toxins that are poisonous to a wide range of living things, including you. Children and pets that play or crawl on lawns treated with weed and feed products can easily absorb the toxins through their skin or by licking their fingers (or paws). Both pets and people track them into the house. In Canada, all combination weed and feed products have been banned. In future articles, I'll address other aspects of why organic lawn care is the only way to go. CONTINUED NEXT WEEK... Sprigs & Twigs is especially proud that a large number of our staff are Accredited Organic Land Care professionals (AOLCPS) who have passed the rigorous NOFA training program. Sprigs &Twigs EMAIL OR MAIL YOUR QUESTIONS TO: info@sprigsandtwigs.net or Linda Lillie, Sprigs & Twigs Inc, PO Box 245, Gales Ferry, CT 06335 SPRICS & TWIGS VOTED THE BEST BY DAY READERS EVERY YEAR! WWW.SPRIGSANDTWIGS.NET CELEBRATING 26 YEARS ! Welcome to My weekly series ! THE LANDSCAPE PROFESSIONAL Linda K. Lillie of Sprigs & Twigs ASKI Linda K. Lillie has been President of Sprigs & Twigs , Inc. for the last 26 years . She is a graduate of Connecticut College in Botany , an accredited NOFA Organic Land Care Professional , a Connecticut Master Gardener and a national award winning landscape designer for her design and installation projects . Dear Linda , I have heard that Sprigs & Twigs has an Organic Lawn Care Program and I'd like to know more about it . My husband puts down bags of stuff on our lawn and I'm worried he's doing something harmful . Thank you . Kathy Hello Kathy- ( This is Part 5 of my answer to your question ) Sprigs & Twigs offers the only true , 100 % Organic Lawn Care Program in the area ; we would be happy to visit with you and explain it in more detail . While it is fashionable for other companies to claim they do " organic " lawn care , it is often boastful marketing because they almost always include synthetic chemicals . # 5 Lawn care product manufacturers have said for years that it's safe for children and pets to go on lawns immediately or " after the product dries " but don't believe it . Many lawn care chemicals are not safe even when they dry . They can remain active for months and release vapors when walked on or when the grass is cut . Airborne dust from these products can blow around the neighborhood from excess fertilization ( Think about what you smell when you are in the garden center fertilizer department - it's the airborne product ) . # 6 " Weed and Feed " products are a combination of herbicides and fertilizers which are intended to kill both weeds and fertilize grass in one " easy " application . There are many on the market , but they all contain toxins that are poisonous to a wide range of living things , including you . Children and pets that play or crawl on lawns treated with weed and feed products can easily absorb the toxins through their skin or by licking their fingers ( or paws ) . Both pets and people track them into the house . In Canada , all combination weed and feed products have been banned . In future articles , I'll address other aspects of why organic lawn care is the only way to go . CONTINUED NEXT WEEK ... Sprigs & Twigs is especially proud that a large number of our staff are Accredited Organic Land Care professionals ( AOLCPS ) who have passed the rigorous NOFA training program . Sprigs & Twigs EMAIL OR MAIL YOUR QUESTIONS TO : info@sprigsandtwigs.net or Linda Lillie , Sprigs & Twigs Inc , PO Box 245 , Gales Ferry , CT 06335 SPRICS & TWIGS VOTED THE BEST BY DAY READERS EVERY YEAR ! WWW.SPRIGSANDTWIGS.NET