That s the downside, he said. The industry is shifting, he said, limited by what you can get and by the higher cost of products, which tends to encourage more limited usage. But think of the labor cost in weeding flower beds in a large commercial project if chemical applications weren t available. An upside to the pesticide challenge is that companies can prosper with a safe, organic approach to pest problems. Apply partially decomposed bark mulch to maintain soil moisture and temperature to deter weeds.
Monitor plants regularly for signs of pests and diseases.
The organic trend with all companies, commercial or residential, is because of all the new environmental laws and product restrictions. We felt since we started seven years ago that this is the way people should be doing things, focusing on a healthy plant environment so plants naturally resist some of the things Mother Nature throws at it, Smith said, noting that people prefer pesticides because there has been a very successful marketing of these products, they are easily accessible at a good price and provide the instant result that people hope to get, killing a weed or insect or dealing with a disease. Smith said he teaches people to tolerate a few dandelions or a bit of clover in their lawns, urging them to think of it as a trendy thing, as evidence the homeowners don t use pesticides. Organically developed landscaping just gets better and better over time, Smith said. Terry Stephens is a freelance writer based in Arlington.