Chemical-free lawn care workshop offered in Parma

The Town of Parma, in cooperation with Cornell Cooperative Extension, is hosting a workshop at the Town Hall, 1300 Hilton Parma Corners Road on April 13 at 10 a.m. for residents who are interested in lawn care that minimizes fertilizers and pesticides. Experts from Great Lawns/Great Lakes program will be the presenters for this program.

Healthy turf crowds out weeds, harmful insects and plant diseases, they say. Using fewer chemicals on lawns and fertilizing at the right time means less pollution in area ponds and creeks.

The New York Department of Environmental Conservation states that about 90 percent of Great Lakes pollution comes from private sources, including lawns, urban streets and farms. County soil tests on 200 area household lawns last year revealed that only five percent needed any additional phosphorus and only five percent had a grub problem that required a pesticide. Home soil test kits are available through Cornell Cooperative Extension for $11, but are available to workshop attendees for only $5 through an EPA Grant.

This lawn care workshop is free and open to the public. Call 473-5335 for details from 9 a.m. until noon, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.