LANDSCAPING & LAWNCARE

Ideal growing conditions and attentive care are vital for organic lawn management. If your grass is flourishing, it should overcome weeds and be more resistant to drought, pests and diseases.

What is your lawn's pH?

Consider getting your lawn's pH tested by contacting your county extension office. Grass likes a pH around 6.5. A healthy population of dandelions will indicate a high pH. If the soil below the lawn is under a pH of 6, apply ground limestone. This avoids a build-up of thatch and encourages worms. Their burrowing is essential for good soil structure. If a soil test indicates that your soil is already high in magnesium, you will need to use either calcium limeston flour or aragonite instead of dolomitic limestone.

How often and high do I mow?

Mow grass at the highest setting, 3 or 4 inches. This allows your grass to photosynthesize, feeding its roots, while shading out weeds. Avoid scalping the grass because this weakens the grass. If your grass is overrun with weeds, mow more frequently at a high setting to stimulate grass growth while cutting the heads off of weeds. Only at the end of the season when you are making your last mower runs in the fall should you reduce the mower height.

When you cut the grass during the spring and summer, leave the clippings on the lawn. As they decompose, they recycle up to 30 per cent of the lawn's required nutrients. Encourage clover because it collects nitrogen from the air and releases it from root nodules to the growing grass.

Finally, if you are in the market for a lawn-mower choose self-mulching electric mower or a hand mower which is not as difficult to push at higher heights. Keeping your mower blades sharp will also give you a clean cut and fewer openings for disease and insect infestations.

How much water does my lawn need?

A healthy lawn does not necessarily need a lot of watering. Infrequent watering will force your grass roots to go deep into the soil. Weeds have shallow roots so constant watering simply stimulates their growth. If the top few inches of soil becomes bone dry, weeds and weed seedlings wither and die while grass is capable of tapping deeper sources. Shallow, frequent watering also encourages thatch which can leave a mat of weedy rhizome-runners choking off your grasses supply of water and air.

If you are going to water, you should water deeply to reach grass roots deeper in the soil. There are two good ways you can tell when it is time to water. The first is when you see your grass curl, just before it would start to turn brown. At this point, it's time to bring out the sprinkler and soak with an inch of water. Water half an inch, wait 90 minutes and then water another half an inch. You can also test your water levels by sticking a shovel six inches into the soil. Push the handle forward and look down to see if there is any moisture. If you can't even push your shovel down that far, you need more than water - you need more soil.

Learn to watch your lawn for signs of stress instead of simply watering on a schedule. If your lawn is dry and you receive a rainshower, consider topping off your lawn with additional watering to reach the one inch mark. Also, consider watering established lawns at least once a month and do it in shifts. Watering should also be undertaken in the early morning to avoid excessive evaporation.

What about seeding?

To thicken up a poor quality or worn lawn, rake up debris and overseed in the spring. Cool season grasses like fescues should be overseeded in the fall, ideally at the same time that you aerate. Cut the grass then rake hard to remove debris. Sow seed over the existing grass and rake gently. Apply an organic fertilizer and water in well. When the grass reaches three to four inches cut again.

Bare patches attract weeds, so also re-sow them in the spring. Fork the soil to break it up, then firm and level it before applying an appropriate grass seed.

Should I fertilize?

If necessary, feed the lawn in spring or summer with a slow-release organic fertilizer. If you have a lot of clover, this is a strong indicator that your soil is nitrogen poor. Avoid overfeeding as this causes lush growth that's prone to disease, and do not fertilize in the summer as this will mostly promote weed growth.

If your soil seems more like dirt, add one inch of compost in the fall to build your soil quality and depth. The deeper your soil and organic matter, the easier it will be to take care of your lawn in the future.

Should I aerate my lawn?

Aerate the soil in early spring or mid-fall when the soil is moist. Do this by making holes in the soil, either with a fork or spiked shoe attachments available at local lawn and garden shops. After scarifying and aerating, spread a thin top-dressing of bulky organic material over the lawn. This gradually improves soil structure. An alternative to top-dressing is to spread a thin layer of autumn leaves over the lawn and mow them well. You may need to make several passes over the leaves to adequately mulch them.

What do I do about weeds?

Following the above techniques should take care of much of your insidious weed problems. However, weeds are a fact of life and no matter what you do, there will always be weeds in the end. Take time to hand pull weeds before they take over your lawn. Gradually, you will be able to weaken your weeds' root system and hopefully spend less time weeding and more time relaxing on your toxic-free lawn.

There is also a natural preemergent made from corn gluten (Fertrell's product ' Weedban') that you can apply in the spring and the fall to help prevent weeds.  However, you don't want to apply it 60 days prior to overseeding.  This is a great product that also gives you 10% nitrogen.