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•Watershed and Flood Control
•Groundwater
_____- Keys to Clean Water
•Cost-Share
•Conservation Trees
•Regulations to Protect Soil and
Water
 We
All Hold the Key To Clean Water
Lawn and Garden Best Management Practices:
Pesticides
Weed and insect killers can be valuable tools. They must be used
according to label directions, with concern for the safety of
people, animals and the environment. Here are suggestions from
the University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension:
Weed Killers: The best defense against weeds is a thick,
well-managed turf. Before trying chemicals, try to correct a weed
problem through management: mowing, watering, fertilizing , or
controlling disease or insects. Here are some steps in developing
a weed control strategy:
Properly identify the weed. Take a plant sample to your local
county extension office or lawn and garden center. Learn about
the weed’s life cycle to know when to apply a chemical.
Remember: Different turf grasses vary in their tolerance to weed
killers. The wrong chemical could injure your lawn.
Insect killers: First, identify the pest and determine
whether it will cause enough damage to justify using chemicals.
If you do, take the following precautions:
Minimize chemical exposure to your body through skin adsorption
or inhalation.
Spot treat if possible.
Avoid applying when it is too hot, rain is forecast within
24 hours, or winds are faster than 10 mph.
Store chemicals in their original containers, locked away from
food, children and pets. Mix only the amount you will use at
one time. Triple rinse empty containers before disposal.
More details:
Contact the Cooperative Extension or local lawn and garden
center.
More information on-line:
[ Turf
Grass Weed Prevention and Management ](Extension NebGuide)
[ Pesticide
Management and Safety on Home Grounds ] (Extension NebGuide)
[ Kentucky
Bluegrass Lawn Calendar ](Extension NebGuide)
[ University
of Nebraska IANR Extension Publications on Horticulture
]
Other Lawn and Garden Best Management Practices:
[ Watering ]
[ Fertilizing ]
Developed for the Dutch Flats Groundwater Quality Project.
The project is partially funded by a Section 319 Clean Water
Grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through
the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality.
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