Organic1 Lawn and Tree Care » craig

Organic Lawns for the Cheap And Lazy

craig — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 14:10:07 +0000

Organic Lawn care for the Cheap and Lazy. Now that’s my kind of lawn care! Sorry to say it but I’ve got a million other things to do. Can I have a nice lawn without working too hard on it? I’m all for it!

The web page linked to below is written by “The colorful and dynamic permaculture icon, Paul Wheaton” who is a speaker on all sorts of eco-friendly and sustainable topics. If we would all observe organic lawn care practices it would have a huge beneficial effect on the environment. It is estimated that Americans dump at least 80 million pounds of pesticides on their yards each year, much more per acre than agriculture!

He lives in Missoula Montana so some of his advice is tailored to that area but basically it comes down to two things: setting your mower high and proper watering. And, a word of warning – he calls it “lawn care in a nutshell” but the article is 20 pages long! He’s a very entertaining writer though. It’s a fun read.

http://www.richsoil.com/lawn-care.jsp

Weed Seed or Feed

craig — Wed, 13 May 2015 14:29:32 +0000

If I weed and seed at the same time, won’t the weed kill the seed? I guess I can feed at any time but here’s some discussion from Scotts.

Creating A Healthy Yard

craig — Tue, 15 Apr 2014 16:50:04 +0000

Great brochure (pdf) by North and South Rivers Watershed Association in Massachusetts explaining how to get a green healthy yard in just seven easy steps.

Basically, here they are:

1.) Go cold turkey – Don’t make a slow transition. Organic is about creating healthy soil to nurture plant growth – synthetic is about stimulating plant growth above ground. They are not compatible.
2.) Get your soil tested -This is imperative, because you must know your soil’s deficiencies, including ph levels to provide the right soil conditions for healthy root growth. Go to the MSU Bookstore to get a Soil Test Kit Self-Mailer, which is comprehensive and very inexpensive!
3.) Add the soil amendments that the test results suggest.
4.) Top dress with compost- Put 1/2” of compost on your lawn. Compost provides organic matter, teeming with microbes, that will make the soil more porous and nutrient- rich.
5.) Overseed in the spring and the fall. Mowing does not let grasses form the seed heads necessary for them to self-sow, which is why overseeding is important. When overseeding, use a blend of fescues, which grow deep roots and are very drought tolerant.
6.) Spray compost tea on your lawn once a month during the growing season. You can make your own or you can buy liquid or dehydrated compost tea at many nurseries.
7.) Apply organic fertilizer in the fall. Organic fertilizer is much coarser and less soluble than synthetic fertilizer, so it tends to stay put.

The end result – a beautiful, and green healthy yard!

Organic Crabgrass Control?

craig — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 19:54:22 +0000

This place Pure Prarie Organics claims it is possible to control the crabgrass weed using gypsum (drywall). I do believe it grows where there is salt runoff though.

Good Advice

craig — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 02:50:42 +0000

Over reading at bestlawn.info c’mon and check it out! Lots of good lawn care info, tests of various grass seed, experiments with different lawn treatments (raw milk). And quite a few pics of nice looking lawns. Except this guy – he should just stop!

Your Lawn Needs Air Too: Benefits of Aeration

craig — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:19:47 +0000

It’s amazing what a little fresh air can do for people, pets, and even lawns. While it might not be possible to take your lawn for a nice, bracing drive in the country, you can improve its health with a process called aeration.. Every lawn needs to be aerated at some point in its life. To see if yous is due, consider getting a lawn analysis. An analysis will tell you about the general health of your lawn and whether your lawn’s soil could benefit from aeration.

What Is Lawn Aeration?
When you aerate your lawn, you punch holes in the soil. These holes allow more air and water circulation around your lawn’s roots, preventing fungal invasions, and they encourage the growth of healthy microorganisms in the soil. These microorganisms eat lawn thatch, a layer of dead bits of grass on top of the soil that can choke out your lawn. Aeration also makes it easier for your lawn to grow stronger, deeper roots. A good root system is essential for your lawn’s survival in times of drought.

To get your lawn aerated, you have a couple of options. You can contact a lawn care service that will come over and aerate your lawn for you, or you can rent an aerator from a home improvement store and tackle the job yourself. If you opt to aerate yourself, be sure to make a couple passes with the aerator to ensure that you have gotten thorough coverage.

When Should I Aerate My Lawn?
The best times to aerate your lawn are the spring and fall If you have warm season grass on your lawn, spring is preferable because the grass is gearing up for rapid growth and can recover quickly from aeration. Cool season lawns grow most vigorously in the early fall, so that is a prime time to aerate them. You should avoid aerating in the heat of the summer, or if your lawn is very dry. Plan on giving your lawn a good watering two days before you want to aerate.

Some lawn are better candidates for aeration than others. Lawns growing in clay soils usually need aeration around twice a year because the clay compacts easily. Lawns in sandy soil usually need to be aerated much less. Once a year should be sufficient.

Aeration is an easy way to improve your lawn’s health. By aerating just once or twice a year, you can ensure that your lawn’s roots are strong. You will see the result of healthy roots every time you look outside: an emerald green carpet of thriving grass.

by Kate McIntyre, All About Lawns Columnist