Assume all mushrooms on the lawn or in the woods to be poisonous unless you're otherwise certain they're edible.

Like many Americans, my family spent part of its Labor Day weekend at a picnic with friends. I was reminded, though, that perils can lurk everywhere when young children are involved — and that not everyone perceives the dangers.

As we began to spread out the blanket, I noticed quarter-sized brown circles all across my friend’s lawn that he didn’t even realize were there. For the next 15 minutes or so I led him on a mushroom removal mission so that the potentially dangerous toadstools wouldn’t wind up in our children’s mouths.

“Are most of them edible?” he asked.

The best answer is that unless you’re an expert or in the company of one, ASSUME ALL MUSHROOMS ARE POISONOUS.

The reality is that most mushrooms are not lethal, but you don’t want your children — or pets — to be the petri dish.

Mushrooms are easy to remove, either by hand or with a rake. It’s best to use gloves that can be rinsed afterward rather than to touch the mushrooms with your own hands. Here’s a good web site from Missouri on the subject: http://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/outdoor-recreation/how/mushrooms/poisonous-mushrooms.

If you do fear that you, your child or your pet may have been poisoned, here is the national hotline number to keep on your refrigerator: 1-800-222-1222.

Having said all of that, scarcely anything is more fascinating in nature than mushrooms and I can’t think of anything more flavorful on the dinner table. It can be great fun and wildly educational to join a mushroom foray with an expert. Fall is the most common time for culinary forays into the woods in the northern climates.

WITH REGARD TO THE CRABGRASS your best bet is to understand that the plant is an annual and it will be dead as soon as we have our first frost, which depending on where you live can be four to six weeks from now. Spending time pulling it out, or spot seeding, or worse yet treating with an herbicide, just makes no sense.

The reason you have so much crabgrass, or goosegrass or similar plants is almost assuredly due to your lawn mower — specifically the mowing height. In a nutshell, the mower should never be set below its highest setting at anytime during the mowing season until after the first frost. Mowing low opens the soil under the lawn to all kinds of sunlight, which causes the crabgrass seeds to germinate. Once that happens, look out. You’re going to get crabgrass.

I’m in charge of two lawns in my life, neither of which has had any crabgrass for years — until this year when I broke my arm. One of the lawns is still free of crabgrass because the guy I hired to mow the lawn has dutifully kept the mower blade high. At my house, where my son mows the lawn, we have crabgrass for the first time since we moved in. Turns out my son took it upon himself to lower the mower blade “because he thought it looked nicer to mow it low.” I cringed when he did it, knowing what would happen.

Later this fall, I’ll post about crabgrass renovation.

AS FOR DROUGHT AND BROWN LAWNS in most cases you can be assured that the lawn isn’t dead, it’s just dormant. Turning brown is a grass plant’s built-in mechanism for survival during periods of time when no natural rainfall occurs. As long as we get at least some moisture in the next six or eight weeks, the lawn will come back to green sometime in September.

If, in the worst case scenario, it is dead it still makes no sense to try to do anything about it in August. Plan a renovation for after Labor Day.

If you’re wondering if that grass is dead or dormant, here’s a short blurb I wrote about that subject last summer when, yes, folks were worried about brown lawns.

This product, with 3 percent phosphorus (P), would be illegal under a new New York law.

Compile all the managed lawn surface in New York and New Jersey and, conservatively speaking, you’d probably be talking about 15 percent of the total lawn care industry in the United States. That puts billions of dollars and high emotion into play when the two states’ legislatures start passing lawn laws.

“Bills like the one in New York will effectively kill the organic fertilizer industry,” said John Weiss, the founder of Chickitty Doo Doo, a poultry-based fertilizer firm based in Wisconsin.

“For whatever reason, politicians like logical extremes, which invariably lead to illogical legislation,” said Paul Sachs, the founder of North Country Organics in Bradford, Vt.

The issue at hand concerns bans of fertilizers containing phosphorus on established lawns. New York Governor David Paterson just signed a lawn phosphorus ban into law on July 15, while New Jersey will continue work on its proposed ban next Thursday, Aug. 12, in a committee hearing open to the public. With algae-clogged lakes, rivers and streams dying off at an alarming rate — with phosphorus being one of the major known causes — at least a dozen other states have enacted some form of legislation banning or limiting the inclusion of (P) in the N-P-K on your bag of lawn fertilizer.

And while the surface of the argument would seem to indicate these legal bans are prudent governance, the bottom line is that it’s not so simple. Many soil scholars feel the bans are a waste of time; many organic fertilizer manufacturers worry their products, and maybe even their livelihoods, could soon be rendered obsolete.

What do we think? We’ll tackle the second issue first in this position paper:

ORGANIC VS. SYNTHETIC FERTILIZERS

To the average person walking into a Home Depot, or the rank-and-file state legislator, fertilizer is fertilizer is fertilizer. Some of the more enlightened folks may understand that some fertilizers are derived from chemicals in a laboratory and other fertilizers are derived from plant, animal or human wastes and byproducts — but even those folks don’t usually understand that synthetic fertilizers and natural “organic” fertilizers generally behave quite differently in the soil. Some dissolve in water readily and others are more “slow release” and bind to the soil.

“Many states do not account for the environmental risk differences among phosphorus sources,” said a report authored in Florida in 2008 that is parked on the website of Milorganite, a human biosolids (waste) fertilizer that has been manufactured in Milwaukee for more than 80 years. By exhaustively researching the differences in how different phosphorus sources leach, or not, Milorganite has been successful in gaining exemptions for bio-solids in most of the states where phosphorus bans exist.

Although New Jersey’s proposed bill would allow the exemptions for biosolids and natural products that contain up to 3 percent phosphorus, so far the New York ban signed three weeks ago does not offer any such distinction. Only two-thirds of one percent of phosphorus by weight in the bag is allowed under the New York ban. That low threshold is virtually impossible to reach in many organic fertilizers containing processed manures, fish and other meat byproducts — which are some of the major sources of organic lawn fertilizers. That deeply concerns the organic manufacturers.

“Manufacturers of synthetic chemical fertilizers can simply pull the phosphorus out of their products in the laboratory,” said Weiss, whose core lawn product contains 3 percent phosphorus. “With organic fertilizers, we cannot do that, whether the product comes from manure or composted food waste or sewage sludge. We worked and were successful in bringing language into the Wisconsin phosphorus ban law to exempt organic fertilizers made with manure or sewage sludge from the lawn fertilizer application law.”

“This New York ban is silly as it is written,” said a rep of one organic company who asked not to be identified just yet. “If this holds, then New York has essentially legislated the organic industry out of the lawn fertilizer business.”

“If the states really want to help the environment and promote organic solutions that deal with soluble phosphorus and nitrogen, then allowing not more than 1 percent phosphate in an organic product is the better way to go,” said Dr. William Sadler, the brand manager for Bradfield Organics.

“Or,” he said, “limit the phosphorus ban to chemical products.”

The cynics suggest that the chemical fertilizer industry in New York may be lobbying for the harsh ban, knowing how severely that it would restrict organic products. A company like Scotts Miracle Gro has a product offering 25-0-12 for lawns, meaning no phosphorus. But it also produces an 11-2-2 organic offering, which will now be illegal in New York unless something changes before the law takes effect in 2012.

The sponsor of the New York bill, Rep. Anthoine M. Thompson of Buffalo, does not appear to have been aware of the organic vs. chemical fertilizer issue when he and his aides drafted the bill. In his official statement, Thompson said he thought that “by reducing levels of phosphorus entering the environment, communities could save significant cost, because they would not be required to install as much storm water treatment systems in impaired watersheds.”

Thompson’s aide, Bill Nowak, took copious notes when SafeLawns contacted him this morning and he asked to be sent model language from Wisconsin, New Jersey and elsewhere about the exemption for natural fertilizers. If you would like to offer an opinion to Senator Thompson, email: athompso@senate.state.ny.us. Additional contact information is below.

SILLINESS OR GOOD SCIENCE?

Organic vs. synthetic fertilizers aside, emotions run strong on both sides of whether or not the lawn phosphorus bans are justified in the first place. We know, for example, that one pound of phosphorus that runs off into a lake can cause hundreds of pounds of algae to bloom. We know, too, that healthy, thick turf blocks soil and nutrient runoff into water. So the major debate concerns whether lawn fertilizer runoff really is a major contributing factor to algae bloom. Other sources of phosphorus such as leaves, pollen, soil erosion from housing development, runoff from pavement and poor agricultural practices are the real culprits, according to some.

“Phosphorus Bans Ignore the Problem’s Real Causes,” wrote Dr. Wayne Kussow of the University of Wisconsion. He’s one of the nation’s major go-to experts for those who would strike down all phosphorus bans.

On the other hand, Dr. John Lehman at the University of Michigan would disagree. In his study we blogged about here nearly a year ago, he found that the phosphorus ban in that state was apparently having a positive effect: http://www.safelawns.org/blog/index.php/2009/08/study-phosphorus-bans-appear-to-be-working/. If his study is replicated in Maryland, Minnesota, Maine, Vermont and other states where some form of ban exists, then the legislators’ best intentions will have been validated.

Another issue not lost in the debate is the need for phosphorus on lawns — given that most soil tests in most areas of the country will tell you that the soil already has plenty of phosphorus. By taking phosphorus out of lawn fertilizers, or even leaving it in at the most miniscule levels, overall lawn quality could diminish. Thin, bare lawns, especially near bodies of water, would cause even more erosion of soil and potentially even more algae bloom.

SO WHAT’S THE BOTTOM LINE?

Our fear is that, if New York’s law stands as written, natural organic fertilizers would essentially be legislated out of business. We cannot let this happen. Whereas careful, rational consideration is being given in New Jersey to acknowledging the differences between synthetic and organic fertilizers, New York’s seemingly arbitrary across-the-board ban needs further discussion.

Additional studies are needed to see if the Michigan results hold up elsewhere. If bans on phosphorus in lawn fertilizer are, in fact, reducing the nutrient load in bodies of water, then let’s push for national legislation that REASONABLY restricts these fertilizer products. Along with this legislative push in New Jersey and New York, let’s ask the lawmakers there to grant some money to the soil and water experts at Rutgers and Cornell Universities to study the post-ban runoff of phosphorus so that we know if their new laws are working as intended.

As for the question about lawns withering up and dying for lack of phosphorus, I don’t believe that’s going to happen — except, ironically, on chemically treated lawns where the soil is effectively dead. Living, breathing, healthy soil in a natural organic system is full of microbes that are constantly releasing phosphorus that occurs naturally in the soil. The one or two percent of phosphorus that is available in most organic fertilizer products is plenty to produce a thriving lawn; and once the organic lawn is established, little or no additional fertilizer will be necessary within a few years.

In the meantime, though, we need to stay on alert in every state where these bans on phosphorus — and also nitrogen — will now inevitably be introduced. Organic fertilizers should not be collateral damage of good intentions.

Offices of New York State Senator Antoine M. Thompson
Walter J. Mahoney State Office Building
65 Court Street, Room 213
Buffalo, New York 14202
P: 716-854-8705
F: 716-854-3051

Niagara Falls Office
Office of New York State Senator Antoine M. Thompson
1902 Main Street
Niagara Falls, New York 14305
P: 716-284-5789
F: 716-284-5820

Albany Office
Office of New York State Senator Antoine M. Thompson
Legislative Office Building, Room 902
Albany, New York 12247
P: 518-455-3371
F: 518-426-6969

FOR INFO ABOUT THE NEW JERSEY BILL, CONTACT:

Jane Nogaki
Pesticide Program Coordinator
NJ Environmental Federation
www.cleanwateraction.org/njef

223 Park Avenue
Marlton, NJ 08053
856-767-1110
856-768-6662 fax
856-912-6790 (cell)

And in our weekly appearance on NBC, we talk natural pesticides: http://www.wcsh6.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=120781

This photo of the groundcover golden creeper comes from PlantCreations.com.

Week 4: Golden Creeper

Among the fair criticisms of our national organization is that much of our information is geared for the northern part of the country. As the SafeLawns founder, I have traveled North America extensively, from the Florida Keys, to the Hawaiian Islands and most of the provinces of Canada. But as someone who has resided in Maine for 49 years, the cold-weather plants have become part of my fiber.

It’s our goal here, though, to be fair to everyone and to represent all corners of North America. So in honor of the late Rodger Keller, a retired botanist from Michigan, who spent the last years of his life in Key West, I’m going to focus this edition of Groundcover Wednesdays on a plant that only grows in the very warmest regions of our nation — where winter temperatures usually never dip below 40 degrees.

Rodger introduced me to this plant, golden creeper, when we filmed our television show, People, Places & Plants in the Keys back in 2006. I asked him for the absolute toughest groundcover that he knew of it without hesitation he offered up this one. Native to beach areas, this plant has small, light green leaves on red stems. That’s really all you need to know when you come from a place like Maine, which really has no similar plant. Golden creeper has flowers and attractive golden berries, from which it gets its common name, but it’s really the stems of plants that turn heads.

Here’s a rundown:
Botanical name: Ernodea littoralis
It does not appear to be widely available in the national trade, but Florida garden centers carry the plant and it can be purchased from www.plantcreations.com.

Plant Characteristics: If you have areas of thin, sandy soil, this is your plant. Appearing more like a perennial, but technically a shrub, it will also grow in heavy clay soils, gravelly soils and just about everything in between. It can bake in the heat and take full sun and, although it is suited for dry landscapes away from the coast, golden creeper is most noted for its ability to tolerate salt spray and reduce beach erosion. Don’t overwater, or the foliage may die back.

Foliage Characteristics: The almost delicate inch-long light green leaves might appear frail, but this plan is tough throughout the year when grown in its proper climate. Because it is a subtropical plant, the foliage won’t change throughout the year. If the overall plant appears too leggy for your taste, it can be whacked back with a scythe or hedge trimmer.

Flower Characteristics: The flowers range from white to pink, but are relatively inconspicuous. The plant will flower year-round; if you cut the stems and trim back some of the foliage, the flowers work well for cutting. They also attract all sorts of native insects.

Fruit: One of the alternative common names for this plant is miniature pomegranate due to the tiny fruits that are shaped like, well, pomegranates. They taste more like apples, though, if my memory serves.

USDA Hardiness Zone: 10-11

Light Range: Part Shade to Full Sun

pH Range: 5.5 to 7.5

Origin: South Florida

Soil Range: Mostly sand to clay loam, but prefers thinner soils.

Foot Traffic: Golden creeper can serve as a grass substitute on lawns, but it’s not something that you’d plant where you walk every day. Just know you won’t hurt at all if you chase your dog through it.

General Comments: you score major points with naturalists when you consciously include golden creeper in landscape. There’s just no way to lose with a native plant that is tough, flowers year-round, produces edible fruit and requires almost no maintenance.

Calling his product the “holy grail” of natural selective weed control, the chief technical officer of Neudorff is positively ebullient about the reception of “Fiesta” in Canada.

“The launch of Fiesta in Canada has been a great success,” says Cam Wilson, Neudorff’s chief technical officer in North America. Neudorff North America manufactures Fiesta, which is sold as Ortho “EcoSense” weed killer in the United States under an exclusive licensing agreement.

“Demand for the newest approved weed killer is much higher than forecasted, causing slight delays in shipments,” according to the leading Canadian horticultural trade journal.

Pam Charbonneau, a leading Canadian turf specialist, has confirmed what many SafeLawns followers have already observed: the product works well on many so-called weeds, especially dandelions.

“The results are still very promising considering there are very few alternatives that provide this level of weed control,” wrote Charbonneau. Her entire report can be found in the May issue of Horticulture Review.
http://issuu.com/landscape_ontario/docs/may_hr_2010_for_web/25?showEmbed=true

For more information, you can reach her by phone or email at (519-824-4120 x 52597) or by email at pamela.charbonneau@ontario.ca.

MEANWHILE IN THE U.S.

The Scotts Miracle Gro company is still not shouting to the rafters about the new weed killer, which is manufactured from a naturally occurring iron. A check of the company’s web site this morning, June 16, shows that the product is still not available in New York and California. Given that these are the two largest markets in the nation, that would explain part of the reluctance in advertising.

The company reportedly has its own proprietary weed-killing product due on the market within 24 months, if not sooner, and that is seen by many as the real reason Scotts is dragging its feet on Neudorff’s new discovery. The Scotts web site also has some less-than-favorable reviews of Ortho EcoSense: http://www.scotts.com/smg/catalog/productTemplate.jsp?proId=prod10410002&itemId=cat10110004, with an average of three stars out of a possible five.

That flies in the face of most of the reviews we are receiving. Just yesterday a professional landscape contractor from Washington state told us he was happy with the results, as did another from Texas.

“The price of the product needs to come down before we can use this stuff everywhere,” he said. “But for really troubled areas and spot applications, it’s a great tool.”

At least a few of our SafeLawns followers are taking exception to us embracing a weed killer in the first place.

“Shouldn’t the focus of your campaign be on teaching people to accept ‘weeds’ as necessary plants in the ecosystem?” wrote Pat Cummings of Fresno, Ca. “By promoting a weed killer, even a natural one, you’re just perpetuating a problem of perception.”

And I agree with Pat, to a point. The fact is that we can’t entirely change people’s perceptions overnight. If we can get people to treat their lawns with organic fertilizers and use a limited amount of a natural weed killer, that’s a big step forward from where we are today.

Stonecrop sedum adorns the grave of President John F. Kennedy

The low-ground plant will spread quickly.

Week Two:
Stonecrop Goldmoss Sedum

I remember becoming fascinated with this plant when I visited the grave site of President Kennedy in Arlington, Va., a few years ago. Just before the plant went into bloom, the foliage had a warm, rugged appearance cozied in between the granite stones quarried on Cape Cod. Later that year, when I put down a walkway at my home in Maine, I ordered a flat of the plants — which ended up being way more seedlings than I needed. They absolutely spread like crazy and are ideal for home walkways due to their ability to take reasonable foot traffic.

Here’s a rundown:
Botanical name: Sedum acre L. or Sedum acre var.aurea ‘Goldmoss’

Plant Characteristics: Low maintenance, disease, insect and drought tolerant. Tolerates wind and slopes, but grows downhill, not up. Resists deer and rabbits.

Foliage Characteristics: Slightly fragrant, shimmering green with egg-shaped small leaves.

Flower Characteristics: Bright yellow. Blooms early summer.

USDA Hardiness Zone: 3 to 9

Light Range: Part Shade to Full Sun

pH Range: 6.5 to 8

Origin: Europe

Soil Range: Mostly Sand to Clay Loam, but prefers thinner soils.

Foot Traffic: It will tolerate most reasonable traffic from “stepping,” but avoid “scuffing” due to the shallow roots. It probably won’t do well in a more commercial setting with foot traffic all day long.

General Comments: Like last week’s creeping thyme, this plant is self-sufficient. Just water it a few times after planting and you may never need to water it again. In fact, too much moisture is one of the few things that will do in this plant.

Troubleshooting: Avoid too much moisture or the plants may rot. Keep up with weeds until the plant is fully established and at least make a reasonable effort to keep the area weeded thereafter. Don’t apply more than a single application of balanced organic fertilizer per season; some folks don’t both fertilize at all.