Can I have an attractive lawn without pesticides?

Answer 1

Yes. Before using pesticides, first ask yourself if your lawn truly has a pest problem. Lawn care companies and homeowners sometimes apply pesticides as a preventive measure even when no insect or weed problem exists. All types of healthy outdoor environments, including parks, woodlands, wetlands and meadows, are made up of a variety of insect, plant and animal life, most of which are not at all harmful or unattractive. Unwanted lawn "pests" and other problems tend to occur when lawns are not given proper water, are cut improperly, have excess thatch, are over-fertilized or planted with the wrong mixture of grass seed. By identifying and correcting these conditions you should be able to maintain an attractive lawn without using pesticides.
If you do have a lawn problem you may choose to address it by following least toxic, least impact pest management practices. These practices, often called Integrated Pest Management (IPM), use non-chemical alternatives like biological pest controls and least-toxic chemicals to reduce or even eliminate the need for the more toxic chemical controls. For example, grub infestation in a lawn may be addressed by mechanical means, by the use of commonly available products containing bacteria or microscopic worms (beneficial nematodes) which infect and kill the grubs, and by traps which control the adult beetles which produce the grubs. At the heart of IPM is prevention by good planning and maintenance. Some commercial firms offer integrated pest management services. You should exercise caution in selecting a contractor to implement an IPM program. Have a clear idea of what you want, and choose a contractor with the training, experience and equipment needed to deliver it. Be aware that a wide variety of services may be offered as "integrated pest management" and that not all will necessarily fit your requirements. Supplies are also available at home and garden centers and by mail for do-it-yourselfers. Several references, listed below, provide useful information on IPM for lawns.

Answer 2

That other answer was very good. A good reference for Integrated Pest Management is at http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/menu.turf.html

It's a website from the University of California, Davis and is very good. It's like a scientific journal in that it is peer reviewed as well I believe....