 Stories About: advice AND Ask Umbra AND gardening AND green living AND toxics
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Soiled Again
On lead and gardens |
Umbra Fisk |
05 May 2008 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, In your reply to the question about pollution and rooftop gardening, you talked a fair amount about lead pollution. Since gasoline is no longer leaded, and since it's container gardening that wouldn't have any lead paint in it, and surely nobody has lead water pipes any more, why is lead even a concern? Teresa Brenham, Tex. Dearest Teresa, Our ecological history hangs around our necks like a lead weight. Still heavy after al ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, gardening, green living, health, toxics (all these topics) |
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Lady, Bugged
On fighting pests with pests |
Umbra Fisk |
16 May 2007 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I have a pest problem in my backyard -- specifically, some tiny (but apparently hungry) insect is making lace out of my basil leaves. I do not want to use pesticides for many reasons, not the least of which is that I cook with the herbs I grow. I think I have found a "natural" solution, but I wanted to consult you first. My garden-supply store sells praying-mantis egg cases ("The natural pest control s ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, food, gardening, green living, toxics (all these topics) |
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Deft Pallet
On wooden pallets |
Umbra Fisk |
06 Sep 2002 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, I've scrounged some old wooden shipping pallets for garden projects -- compost piles and raised planting boxes. They appear to be untreated wood, but I'm feeling paranoid. Is there any way to know? Do companies that make pallets routinely spray them with any preservatives? Thanks, Jim Dearest Jim, Great nations consider your humble garden pallets to be of vital economic importance. As world trade expands, the global market ofte ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, gardening, green living, toxics (all these topics) |
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Weed Creed
On weeding |
Umbra Fisk |
30 Jul 2002 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, We moved into a suburban neighborhood in Ft. Collins, Colo., last year and I began my usual organic gardening practices. I created a beautiful flower garden in our front yard, but I still receive complaints from my neighbors because I refuse to apply herbicides to kill the dandelions and other weeds in the lawn. At least they are all green and neatly mowed! My scientific explanations about the dangers of herbicides and pesticides and th ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, education, gardening, green living, toxics (all these topics) |
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A New Day Lawning
On lawn and garden pesticides |
Umbra Fisk |
30 Jul 2002 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dearest Umbra, Goddess of Green Knowledge, A few years ago, a farmer friend of mine argued that more pesticides and chemical fertilizers are applied to suburban lawns and gardens than are used in commercial agriculture. I can see how this might be the case, given the massive size of the lawn and garden chemical industry, but I haven't been able to verify this information. Can you help? Ed Hunt Dearest Ed, Supplicant, The l ... |
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| Topics: advice, agriculture, Ask Umbra, gardening, green living, health, toxics (all these topics) |
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