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The Buildings and Grounds Committee wants to let all residents know that under the new landscaping contract, no chemical herbicides or pesticides can be used on the lawns. The new organic treatment plan consists of two spring applications of a reduced-risk bio herbicide to target broadleaf weeds. One application occurred the second week of May.
The active ingredient, Iron HEDTA, is not toxic and will not cause adverse effects to mammals, birds, fish and aquatic invertebrates, other non-target insects, or plants. It is not necessary to stay off the lawns for any significant amount of time following treatment, although when freshly applied and still wet it may stain fabrics.
Between the two rounds of spraying the first of our fertilizer treatments for the year will be applied. As with the herbicide, only organic fertilizer will be used this year. The second application will be in the fall. Overseeding accompanies the fertilization process and we hope this will also help address many of the bare and thin spots in the lawns around the Meadows.
This treatment plan will only be applied in “high visibility” areas of the Meadows; in front yards and around the pool enclosure. Back yard common areas will be left completely natural. The last component of the new chemical-free lawn care plan is that the lawns are not being mowed as short and clippings are being left as an ongoing natural fertilizer, and may reduce our need to pay for fertilizer applications in the future