
Today we are talking about how you can have a lush, green, healthy, weed free organic lawn without the use of chemicals for the health and safety of you and your dog! And we'll be sharing some resources, as well.
If you are going organic from a chemical lawn, or to check your organic lawn for the right mix of nutrients in your soil for better grass growth, you can have your soil tested for it's pH level. Here are some great links to State University Cooperative Extension Soil Testing Services in your area. There are also tests you can purchase online; not as comprehensive but may be a good start.
Several safe and healthy amendments can be added to your lawn depending upon the results and pH of your lawn. Grasses enjoy a pH of between 6.2 to 6.9, but if your lawn is too acidic or too alkali you may actually be encouraging weed growth and poor grass growth and not even know it. To raise the pH level you can add lime, to reduce it you can add sulfer. This site has a great overview to learn more about altering the pH of your soil.
So lets get on with creating that healthy lawn!
Step 1:
After a big rain is the very best time to get out there and pull some weeds. After a good rain the ground is soft and it's much easier to pull and make sure you get the root of the weed. There are a few products on the market that can make weed pulling very easy and we've included them below, or you can get down on your knees the old fashioned way, while enjoying a little time outside with your dog!
Step 2:
Step 3:
Now it's time to work to thicken up your lawn by planting a good quality, uncoated grass seed. (We recommend un-coated because it doesn't add any chemical laden residue or growth hormones to your lawn and is safer and healthier for your dog).
Be generous in reseeding bare patches and thin areas of your lawn (best times are in September in the North and October in the South), and remember, the more grass you have the less weeds you will have. Once you've removed the weeds throw down your grass seed in thin areas; and be sure to prep the bare spots with a little raking of the soil first.
If frequent rain weather isn't cooperating, give your new seeded areas a good sprinkle when it gets dry for about 4-6 weeks to provide a good start in life before colder weather sets in.
Step 4:
About 4-6 weeks after reseeding, or in September/October/November (depending upon if you live in the South or the North) if you aren't reseeding, we recommend putting down a good quality organic fertilizer to help give your lawn the nutrients it needs to prepare for and weather the Winter well.
We like several types of organic fertilizers, from worm poo and fish emulsions (which are sprays) to pellet based fertilizers made from feather meal, bone meal, and/or soybean meal.
Step 5:
We hope these ideas will help you have a great, green, healthy, safe and eco-friendly lawn! And if you have any trouble finding some of the products we've provided some resources below.
And be sure to watch for our Spring lawn care post for more great organic lawn care tips, including how to prevent weeds! Happy gardening!
We don't use fertilizer on our lawn; but we also live in the Pacific Northwest so nature takes care of itself where we are. In fact, our grass just started turning brown in areas a few weeks ago and now it's fall.
ReplyDeleteThanks for these tips. It's nice to know that there are product we can use when we start gardening next year.
Kimberly
A local company claims the chemicals they use are safer then those used for lice etc...my problem is you aren't exposed to lice treatments daily as we are when neighbors get the squirt and fert treatment
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