Pesticides are on their way out when it comes to home lawn care but there are plenty of low-risk alternatives that will still help keep your lawn lush and green, including products in the pest control department.

Weeds in your lawn or garden?
Dig them out and use corn gluten meal.

Weeds in the sidewalk, patio stones or driveway?
Use acetic acid (horticultural vinegar); herbicidal soap/fatty acids.

Grubs in your lawn?
Use nematodes.

Aphids in your plants?
Try insecticidal soap/fatty acids; pyrethrum/pyrethrins.

Black spots, powdery mildew on plants or flowers?
Sulphur!

Ants, earwigs or cockroaches?
Silicon dioxide/diatomaceous earth; borax/boric acid.

Scales on your plants?
We recommend minreal/horticultural oil.

Slugs in your garden?
Silicon dioxide/diatomaceous earth; ferric phosphate should help.

Caterrpillars?
Give them some goold old bacillus thuringiensis (Bt.).

Good luck! And as always, follow the directions on the label.

For more information on green gardening, check out Go For Green.