Tennessee Turfgrass – D.E. Carroll & J.T. Brosnan
In certain regions of the United States and Canada, legislation has severely restricted traditional synthetic herbicide use in residential and commercial landscapes. Specifically, residential use of synthetic pesticides deemed “cosmetic use” in the Ontario Province, Canada, has been banned. Other aspects of the turfgrass industry such as sports and golf are able to receive exemptions through government approval, stated reduction goals, integrated pest management certification, and increased transparency requiring reporting and in-person meetings to discuss pesticide application. (Ontario Regulation, 2018). Similarly, in Montgomery County, Maryland, the use of synthetic pesticides perceived for use cosmetically is banned. Only natural, non-synthetic herbicides listed by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) may be used for this purpose (County Council for Montgomery County, Maryland, 2019). Many local governments, such as the city of New York, banned glyphosate use on public land such as school districts, parks and in municipalities, except for maintenance of invasive plants in native area. (The New York City Council, 2019).
In the United States, many active ingredients in organic pesticides are considered minimum risk, categorized as section 25b products, and are exempt from the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) registration process. Products must meet six criteria for inclusion in this category. Because labeling in this category is typically not federally regulated, labeling of non-synthetic herbicides is not consistent and may include wording such as “organic” or “natural”, despite these products not undergoing typical organic product registration.  Although not required by federal law, independent agencies perform organic standard research to determine which products receive organic seals on labeling (Figure 1). Additionally, individual states may still require a registration process for minimum risk products and may limit herbicide use in some areas to only products listed by independent testing agencies. An example of a natural product research agency that maintains a list of products compliant with internal organic standards is OMRI. OMRI is a non-profit organization, and thus not considered a regulatory agency. Conversely, the Environmental Protection Agency is considered a regulatory agency and although not federally required, also tests natural products and lists those meeting organic criteria.
Active ingredients on these lists include chelated iron, acetic acid, corn gluten meal, and a variety of soaps and oils. Chelated iron, also referred to as Iron HEDTA, is concentrated iron formulated for increased uptake in broadleaved weeds versus grasses. Once inside the plant, the iron is oxidized and causes necrosis (Charbonneau, 2010). Acetic acid, which is concentrated in household vinegar used for cooking at 5%, is generally concentrated in horticultural vinegar at 20 to 40%. Horticultural vinegar applications can kill weeds by removing the waxy cuticle found on leaves, thus drying out the plant. Citrus oil and soaps such as pelargonic acid or ammoniated fatty acid work in similar fashion by stripping the leaf cuticle to facilitate water loss. Unlike many synthetic herbicides, products with these active ingredients are generally fast acting and results may be observed within a few hours of application (Figure 2).
Products containing these active ingredients are widely available to the public and can be purchased at most big box retail stores and online (Figure 3). Due to the lack of regulation in labeling, many manufacturers produce products of differing trade names that have similar active ingredients included at variable concentrations. For example, horticultural vinegar is available as Green Gobbler concentrated at 20, 30, or 40% acetic acid; Eco Garden Pro (8% acetic acid + 5% sodium chloride); or ...