Loewen says local organic options are available for gardeners looking to avoid pesticides before January 1st.

A local Master Gardener is encouraged by the province's recent ban on pesticides. The Manitoba Government introduced legislation Tuesday that would restrict the use of synthetic chemical pesticides. The bill would forbid the use of pesticides on lawns, school grounds, playgrounds, hospital properties and other areas, starting January 1st. Karen Loewen says getting rid of pests starts in the soil. She says if you have strong, healthy plants they will be less vulnerable to pests.

"We shouldn't even want to use them. So we have a few weeds in our lawn. There are other products that can be used, but not many. We are going to have to realize that a perfect lawn is not the goal and it shouldn't be. A few dandelions in our lawn are not the end of the world. So we do a little digging, it's good for us".

Loewen says people are thinking about the future and sustainability and this legislation is an indication of that. She says another sign is young families teaching their children all about gardening.

"Young parents now want to teach their children where their food comes from. They want to grow food that they know has no pesticides on it. They want to grow food that they've grown themselves and they know it doesn't have a huge environmental footprint. It didn't come from Chile or Mexico, it came from their own garden and they did it themselves".

Loewen is "rethinking" the future and the idea of how different a perfect lawn or garden will be in 10 years from now when people are no longer using pesticides regularly. She says there are environmentally friendly options found locally and suggests people start with the soil and use a fertilizer that promotes strong, healthy plants.