A Guide for

“Put Toxic Waste In Its Place”Visit: www.1800cleanup.org

Call: 1-800-CLEANUP or 1-800-253-2687Brought to you by: The San Diego Regional Household Hazardous Waste Partnership

Did You Know…

“On average, homeowners use

10 times more pesticides

than farmers do;

spend (nationwide) nearly

25 billion dollars annually

on lawn care products; and

use roughly 67 million pounds

of synthetic pesticides

on U.S. lawns.”That is a lot nationwide. Butthere are alternatives tochemicals that can help reducethe amount of pesticides weuse. Many times, theseproducts are not used correctly.These products can harm trashcollection personnel,

contribute to fire hazards, enter storm drainsand pollute creeks, rivers, lakes and beachesthat include some of our most cherishedrecreational locations. These water sources arealso critical to local water supplies and wildlifehabitat.

To help protect and preserve our naturalresources, 17 cities and the County of San Diegohave come together to form the San DiegoRegional Household Hazardous WastePartnership. We have developed this guide,

which contains a wide variety of informationincluding building healthy soil, gardening withcompanion plants, grass cycling, identifyingbeneficial bugs, plus many more tips. Mostimportantly, this booklet provides residentswith information about how to properlydispose of household hazardous waste.

Residents can bring their household hazardouswaste, free of charge or for a small co-paymentto a nearby collection facility. There are a variety of programs offered throughout theregion. Visit www.1800CLEANUP.org or call 1-800-CLEANUP (1-800- 253-2687) for information about your community’shousehold hazardous waste collection program.

The San Diego Regional Household HazardousWaste Partnership is striving to create a cleanerand safer environment. So … read our Guidefor Less Toxic Yard and Garden Care andremember to always …

Put Toxic Waste In Its Place!

How to Create a Fabulous Landscape

that’s Safe for You, Your Family

and the Neighborhood!San Diego County’s climate and geology poseconsiderable challenges to lawn and gardencare. Homeowners and landscape professionalsalike confront the same set of hurdles… rainfallin coastal areas averaging less than ten inchesper year and soil conditions ranging from sandto clay to rock. Lacking the sponge-like abilityof good soil to hold nutrients and amendments,clay performs much like pavement, allowingapplied pesticides and fertilizers to run-offeasily. Sand, on the other hand, lets theseadditives flow through. The result is our lakes,streams and ocean end up with chemicalsintended for our gardens and lawns.

Without healthy soil, plants may gain little orno benefit from fertilizers. And commercialpesticides often kill more beneficial organismsthan pests, compromising the health of ourneighborhoods in the process. Here’s whathappens… you apply pesticides and fertilizersto your landscape because the plants you’regrowing are doing poorly. Unaccustomed to thisclimate and poor soil, they are weak andsusceptible to a variety of diseases. You waterthe plants and the chemicals you apply washaway with it into storm drains. The pesticideand fertilizer laden water weaves its waythrough channels and may end up in rivers,lakes and the sea, wreaking havoc on bothaquatic and terrestrial life.

Some people believe all those nasty things thatgo down the storm drain are filtered out bysome treatment plant. Unfortunately, in mostcommunities they’re not. The same chemicalsyou apply to your lawn may very well end up inthe water you or your children swim in, milesfrom your home.

A few of the simple methods described below cannot only help eliminate unnecessary toxins from

our local environment and yield a more beautifullandscape, healthier plants, reduced water bills,and even some protection from wildfires as well.A less toxic approach to yard and garden care iswell worth the effort. This brochure containsmany possibilities for you to try.

Upgradeyour Soil

The first step in growing great plants andeliminating the need for pesticides and chemicalfertilizers is good soil. Two inches of compostapplied to the top six to eight inchesof your soil will help clay soils drain,sandy soils hold moisture, andintroduce a beneficial population ofmicrobes. The improved structure ofsoil will allow root systems tosprawl, slow erosion, hold nutrients,and improve the overall health ofyour plants, making them moreresistant to pests and disease.

In addition to reducing the amount of waterrequired to maintain your lawn or garden, soilamended with compost may harbormicroorganisms capable of breaking down toxiccompounds already present where you’regrowing. So even if you’ve used some questionableproducts in the past, you’ll be scrubbing your earthwhen you amend with compost!

MicrobialMulch

Mulches made from yard trimmings not onlyprevent weed growth, eliminating the need toapply herbicides, they also help preventerosion, moderate soil temperature, reduceevaporation of water and strengthen amicrobial community beneficial to plants. Youcan mulch with coarse compost, wood chips,shredded leaves, and even grass clippings. Useit and you’ll water less and have healthierplants better able to ward off problems withoutthe aid of chemical agents. Mulch is also greatfor controlling unwanted vegetation in areasdesignated for firebreaks.

Go Native!Q: What do wild strawberry, California holly,

coast live oak, California sycamore, westernredbud, monkeyflower, and numerousvarieties of sage have in common?

A: They’re all native to this region, grow well,have a natural resistance to fire, aren’t proneto pests and diseases, require little water,fertilization or pesticides, and look greatwhen incorporated into a well-designedlandscape.

Q: Why aren’t you growing natives? “Too hardto find.” Not true. Most nurseries carrynative plants. A few specialize in them.“They don’t look good.” That’s a matter ofopinion, but be assured that a dynamic,beautiful landscape can be easily createdusing only natives.

A: Let’s say the native plants aren’t for you, butyou wisely decide to amend your soil withcompost and mulch your plants, trees, andshrubs. You’re on your way to a healthierlandscape. The nonnative plants you chooseto grow may need some more help fightingoff problems.

Here are a few more thingsyou can do:Plant a Friend

By growing certain plants next to or nearothers, you can discourage some unwantedinsects and encourage beneficial ones.Companion planting promotes diversity and a

natural balance in your landscape.Intermingling native plants withnonnatives is one way to attractbeneficial insects. Catnip has beenfound to repel a wide variety ofunwanted insects, such as aphids,Japanese beetles, and squash bugs.Mint is especially effective inrepelling pests, including fleas,aphids, white cabbage moths, and

even rodents! Tarragon, nasturtium, garlic andmarigolds are also excellent deterrents to many

problem insects. Beneficial insects can be attracted by planting a variety ofitems, such as: California poppyNative sages, Yarrow Californiacoffeeberry Clover and many others.

Some plants both attract and aretoxic to the same pests. For example,white geraniums attract Japanesebeetles, which die after feeding onthem. We encourage you to do a littleresearch before you plant, andexperiment a bit as you go, as choosing theright companions may not only help keepunwanted pests away, but also enhance thegrowth of the crops you establish.

Good BugsYou can grow some of the plants listed above toattract beneficial insects or buy the insectsdirectly from a supplier. Let’s say you have anaphid problem. Coriander attracts lacewingsand lacewings feed on aphids. You may want toplant coriander, or order lacewing eggs andspread them in your garden.

Beneficial bugs include:

n Ladybugs

n Praying mantis

n Parasitic wasps, and other insectsknown to feed on pests.

n Dill, fennel andprairie sunflower,among others, willattract ladybugs.Parsley and lemonbalm will attractparasitic wasps. Thechoice is yours. Do alittle research, askaround, andexperiment a little tofind the option that works best for you.

The Grass is Greener…

When you do grasscycling!

Every time you mow your lawn and discard theclippings, you’re removing a substantial volumeof organic matter, nitrogen and other nutrientsyour grass could be benefiting from.

How does it work? Cut the grass and leave theclippings on the lawn. The key is to chop theclippings as finely as possible, something thatcan be easily achieved using a very sharp blade,mowing over the clippings twice, or using amulching mower. A good rule of thumb forgrasscycling is to cut your grass no morethan1/3 of its length. This allows clippings tofall between the blades of grass and back intothe soil, reducing watering requirements,pesticide use, and saving you money too! Andby the way, grass clippings make excellentmulch for flowers and vegetables!

Create a Solution!

Some of the same plants that repel pests canbe used to make sprays for foliar applicationsuch as:

n Garlic & Onions

n Horseradish

n Hot pepper or mint brewed just like teaand filtered into a spray bottle all workin deterring or killing problem insects.

Vinegar is often used by organic farmers for weed control. A few drops of mild, non-detergent dishwashing soapmixed with water also works foraphids. Once they’re dead, rinsewith fresh water. And speaking ofwater, sometimes a swift flowfrom the hose will wash awaypests as well. Whitefly and antscan be removed this way. A quicksearch on the web or a visit toyour local library will yield dozensof recipes for non-toxic,homemade solutions for pestcontrol. Just as easily as runningdown to the store, you canconcoct your own remedies rightfrom home, saving money andkeeping your garden toxic free.

Whether you make it yourself or buy it pre-made, compost tea has tremendous benefits asboth a growth enhancer and pest repellent. Anymature compost will make a nice tea whensteeped in water. Tea made from worm castingsis particularly effective and can be used as afoliar spray or applied directly to soil. Worm teaalso contains compounds that repel someproblem insects and fungi, while providingmicronutrients and introducing a beneficialmicrobial community to your plants.

Safeon the

ShelfAlthough it can sometimes take a little researchto find them, there are some safer, moreenvironmentally friendly products you can buy.Look for pesticides made from essential oils,mint, citrus, or some of the same plants younow know repel pests. Insecticidal soaps arealso available and much easier on theenvironment than some of the toxicalternatives.

Get FriendlyWhen plants we call weeds and insects we callpests invade our landscapes, we often panicand scour the shed, garage or local store forproducts designed to eliminate them. A slightadjustment in perception can go a long way. Wespend hours gardening, carefully pruning,watering, and maintaining our plants. Wedecide what fits, what doesn’t belong, and howto adjust things so they’re just right. Butdiversity is a fundamental component ofnature, and our plants and animals have aunique way of blending together nicely withoutour help. A plant becomes a weed only whenwe choose to call it a weed.

Change the way you look at your landscape. Letit flourish, diversify, and grow a bit wild. If youwant to remove unwanted plants, handpickthem. Avoid the chemical sprays. Accept therandom design of nature, and you’ll find itbeautifying your landscape better thanimagined. Try some of the methods we’vesuggested here to create a magnificentlandscape that you can enjoy knowing it’s safefor your family, pets and environment.

Create a toxic-free home landscape, and delightin the rewards that blossom.

For Local Disposal Options:

Call 1800CLEANUP or visit

www.1800CLEANUP.org

AdditionalResources:

Solana Center for Environmental Innovation’s MasterComposter Program at . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (760) 436-7986

www.solanacenter.org

I Love A Clean San Diego(877) R-1-EARTH (877-713-2784)

www.ILACSD.org

Central Contra Costa Sanitary DistrictOur Water Our World

www.ourwaterourworld.org

County of Los AngelesSmart Gardening Program

www.smartgardening.com

Master Gardeners of Californiawww.mastergardeners.org

National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC)1-800-858-7378

www.npic.orst.edu

The San Diego RegionalHousehold Hazard WastePartnership thanks you.

ParticipatingMunicipalities

Carlsbad Chula Vista

Coronado County of San Diego

Del Mar El Cajon

Encinitas Escondido

Imperial Beach La Mesa

Lemon Grove National City

Oceanside Poway

San Marcos Santee

Solana Beach Vista

Funded by a grant from:The California Integrated Waste Management Board.

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