Twelve Steps to a Perfect Organic Lawn

Posted on March 14, 2011 by admin

  1. Soil Testing: Helps you begin a “soil care” program – the healthy grass will follow
  2. Aerate Your Lawn: If it hasn’t been done for several seasons and the soil is hard dry and compacted. Aerate prior to applying any soil amendments. Manual reel type aerators are effective for small lawns. Power aerators can be rented for larger lawns.
  3. Apply Organic Fertilizer: and other soil amendments in spring and fall for slow release nutrients that will help to build healthy roots and a “green-up” that will last over a longer period of time. Avoid non natural ingredients like super phosphate, harmful “natural ingredients” and sewage sludge/biosolids. In hot, dry summer weather, lawns can be sprayed with a liquid fish emulsion to prevent summer burnout.
  4. Compost: is key to organic lawn care. It provides a stable source of nutrients, beneficial organisms, and organic matter for your lawn. It acts as a “soil guardian.” Top dress with 1/4 inch preferably in spring and fall. Broadcast with a shovel or use a spreader open to its widest setting. For small lawns a garden sieve works well. Compost is sold in many different forms including liquid, or make your own. If you use municipal compost check that it has a “clean bill of health.”
  5. Mow High With Sharp Blades: think “lush” instead of “scalped!” Keep your grass high to shade out weeds and protect against drought. First spring mowing should be at 2 inches to remove any winter fungus. Subsequent mowing for the rest of the season should be at 3-3.5 inches. Last fall mowing return height to 2 inches. Avoid cutting off more than 1 inch of blade at a time. Your grass should still look green after you have mown. If you don’t “do it yourself” tell your landscaper how you want your lawn mown.
  6. Leave Your Clippings On The Lawn: for a free nitrogen fix your grass will appreciate. Clippings do not cause thatch.
  7. Thatch: is a build up of dead grass roots, stems, and leaves caused by faulty watering practices, excessive fertilizing, and pesticides. A bit of thatch is ok. Test by sticking a finger down between the grass blades you may push through a thin layer of tangled root stolons but then touch soil. If you cannot feel the soil there is probably too much thatch. Heavy thatch indicates soil deficient in microbial life. Add compost to turn thatch into soil building organic matter.
  8. Reseed Heavily: Early fall is the best time to reseed/renovate a lawn. Invest in a good mix of seed. Look for endophytic varieties, which provide natural protection against some insects and fungal diseases.
  9. Weeds: in turf are indicators of poor soil conditions and faulty watering, mowing, or fertilization. Grass itself is one of the most aggressive plants there is. Dense turf is the best herbicide. It will take over and choke out your weeds once you have nurtured the soil it grows in. Determine your weed tolerance. Then hand weed small areas or solarize larger areas – then reseed heavily to let grass get the upper hand. There is no such thing as a weed free organic lawn. Some weeds are actually beneficial to your lawn , enhancing the availability of necessary nutrients. And some are actually misplaced ground covers. But you’ll hardly notice the few weeds that survive in a dense organic lawn that you keep mown high.
  10. Corn Gluten: Corn gluten products provide natural non-toxic pre-emergent weed control. Apply in early spring or fall. Do not apply at the same time as grass seed.
  11. Water Your Lawn Properly: Water your lawn properly and only when needed. Your lawn’s water needs are site specific influenced by soil type, drainage, and sun shade. The goal of an organic lawn is to let nature provide the lawn’s water needs. Established organic lawns with dense turf and deep roots are drought tolerant. And remember: grass naturally goes dormant in late August. A slightly brown lawn at end of summer is resting and will green up again in the cooler fall weather. If you must water, a general rule is one time weekly for 3-4 hours to a depth of 2 inches. Early a.m. is the best time to water. If you have an in-ground irrigation system make sure it has a rain gauge on it.
  12. Disease And Insect Problems: Disease and insect problems are symptoms of soil problems and/or turf stresses that need to be addressed. If you have a problem, work on your soil’s health and improve your lawn care techniques by following this simple 12 step program. It has been estimated that 90-95% of insect control is done by naturally occurring organisms above and below ground that are part of a healthy ecosystem. Pesticides disrupt this system killing microbial life, beneficial insects, and birds that work to keep disease and insect problems in check. Use beneficial nematodes for grub and for grub and cinch bugs and sod web-worms. Milky spore powder can also be applied in a grid pattern on the lawn for effective and long lasting grub control. Both of these need to be applied during the warm months.
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