Organic lawn care is much simpler than it seems. We've grown so used to the idea that a green, attractive lawn is attainable only through the use of synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, and insecticides. The fact of the matter is that a healthy organic lawn will naturally withstand weed and insect invasions. All but the toughest weeds are nothing against a thick, strong, deep-rooted lawn. These five steps will result in a healthy, beautiful organic lawn.
Lawns are a bit picky about their pH level and nutrient requirements. The only way to accurately measure these factors is to get your soil tested professionally. For example, lawn grasses need a pH of between six and seven to thrive. You can add either lime or sulfur to your lawn, depending on the results you get, and your lawn will grow much better. The nutrient requirements for lawns are also rather specific: too much of certain types of nutrients will benefit weeds at the cost of lawn health. A professional soil test, performed by a facility such as your local county cooperative extension service, will accurately measure soil pH and chemical composition and supply you with recommendations for how to improve your soil based on their findings.
Adding amendments and additives without getting a soil test first is not only a waste of money, but can also potentially result in a less healthy lawn than the one you started with.
Regardless of what your soil test finds, every single lawn can benefit from a semiannual topdressing of compost. It will add trace minerals and some nutrition to your soil, which is always a good thing. Even more importantly, compost introduces beneficial microbes into the soil, which results in healthier soil that has better water retention rates. Also, earthworms love compost, and will tunnel through your soil to get to it, aerating your soil, adding fertility, and increasing worm populations.
So, how much should you add? A one-quarter inch layer of compost, raked evenly over your lawn, will accomplish all of these tasks without overwhelming your lawn. An easy way to figure out how much compost you'll need is to remember that for each 100 square feet of lawn area, you'll need one cubic foot (or .05 cubic yards) of compost. Simply measure your lawn area (total square footage = lawn length multiplied by lawn width) and divide by 100. Then, multiply that number by 1 (for cubic feet) or .05 (for cubic yards) and you'll know how much compost you'll need.
Mowing high, which is mowing at 2.5 to three inches tall, does several important things. First off, taller grass shades the soil, which helps prevent weed seeds from germinating. It also helps keep the soil moist and cool, so the lawn will require less water. Finally, mowing your grass high will increase its ability to photosynthesize. Each blade of grass soaks up the sunlight and converts that energy into food. The longer the blades of grass are, the more surface area there is to absorb sunlight.
Another beneficial mowing practice is to use a mulching mower, and leave your grass clippings right on the lawn. The clippings will shade and cool the soil while they decompose, and will give your lawn frequent, low doses of nitrogen at the same time.
People waste more water on lawns than anywhere else in the household. The fact of the matter is that lawn grasses need approximately one inch of water per week during the growing season. If it doesn't come from rain, then you'll need to supplement with a sprinkler. Lawns should dry out between waterings. The reason for this is twofold: first, a lawn that is watered frequently and never allowed to dry out only develops roots in the top inch or two of soil. These lawns are especially susceptible to droughts. The second reason is that while lawn grasses grow best when their roots extend deep into the soil, the vast majority of weeds are shallow-rooted. So, by watering frequently and not allowing the soil to dry out, you're actually encouraging weeds.
The best way to ensure that your lawn is getting the proper amount of water is to place a rain gage on your lawn while you're watering. Another good alternative is to place a cup or can out to catch the water, and then measure how deep it is every ten minutes or so until you reach one inch.
A note on watering: water early in the morning so your grass has a chance to dry out before evening. A damp lawn can lead to fungal issues, and that's something we definitely don't want to have to deal with.
Weeds are not the end of the world. No one wants a lawn that is more dandelions than turf grass, but a bit of white clover here and there isn't going to hurt anything, and can even be beneficial. Clover captures nitrogen from the air and releases it through its roots into your soil. In addition, it is a source of food for beneficial insects such as honeybees.
That said, there are several good, organic ways of dealing with weeds in your lawn. The first method is to simply pull or dig out weeds on a regular basis so they don't take over your lawn. This is especially important for weeds like dandelions, which can easily get out of control. The second way is to apply corn gluten meal, which is an organic pre-emergent herbicide, in early spring around when the forsythias bloom. Corn gluten is good at controlling dandelions, crabgrass, and other weeds, but it may take a couple of years of use before the corn gluten gets the situation under control. Another great method is to leave your fallen autumn leaves on the lawn, and simply run over them a few times with the lawnmower. A recent study by Michigan State University demonstrated that chopped leaves (especially maple leaves) left on the lawn and allowed to break down naturally prevented dandelions from germinating the following year.
Organic lawn care isn't hard, and, as you can see, it's not expensive either. By paying attention and changing a few longstanding lawn care habits, a beautiful organic lawn is within every home owner's reach.
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