Good Growing Neighbours
We are growing healthier by the yard!
The City of St. Albert has partnered with the City of Edmonton, Strathcona County, and the City of Leduc to bring you Good Growing Neighbours. Partners of Good Growing Neighbours are committed to maintaining a healthy natural environment and encourage residents to reduce the need for pesticides related to lawn care.
Follow the Good Growing Neighbours' tips and you'll see that taking a grassroots approach to lawn care is easy.
Good Growing Neighbours Lawn Care Tips
What the City is Doing to Reduce Pesticide Use
The City of St. Albert strives to practice Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in its management of parks and turf areas. IPM is a multi-disciplinary approach that calls for the use of non-chemical methods for pest management. The City does have a formal IPM Plan and staff utilize management strategies and practices that are fundamentally IPM-based such as:
- maintaining a pesticide-free buffer zone in and around playgrounds and public outdoor pools;
- improving the health of turf areas by routinely irrigating, aerating and top dressing the area;
- using mulch in areas likely to be infested by persistent weed species; and
- eliminating problem areas during the design and landscape construction stages.
Lawn Care in Your Yard - What You Can Do
Using alternative methods to control pests in your yard will reduce the amount of pesticides (herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides) that reach the Sturgeon River and stormwater ponds. Other simple ways to reduce or eliminate the use of pesticide in your yard include:
- only treating problem areas;
- following instructions to avoid improper application and repeat treatments; and
- asking local lawn and garden retailers for advice and assistance.
Related Pages
Last edited: September 8, 2021