Grow a lush green lawn the eco-friendly way

An organic lawn is safer for the environment. That’s because lawn and other chemicals ultimately find their way to – and contaminate - the fresh water supply.

An organic lawn is also safer for humans and pets. Lawns that are fertilized with chemicals leach chemicals onto the skin and clothing of humans, and can cause allergies and illnesses in dogs.  

A healthy lawn is a lush lawn and one that does not create a favourable environment for weeds to grow and flourish. 

Choosing the right products for an organic lawn

Grass Seed

Select a grass variety that is native to or most suited to your region and climate. This helps the grass grow naturally with less effort and intervention from you. If you already have a lawn variety that’s not thriving, there’s no need to rip it up and start from scratch. You can rather over-seed, which involves sowing new seed over an existing lawn. Over time, the new variety will take over.

Organic Fertilizer

Lawns have a reputation for being heavy feeders, especially of nitrogen which gives that rich green colour.  But nitrogen as well as other nutrients comes from many sources.  Look for long lasting natural options such as compost, blood meal, aged manures and other organic sources that not only feed your grass but the soil as well. An organic fertilizer is like good food; it nourishes the lawn as it grows.

Avoid any products that contain “urea” which is a chemical fertilizer. A chemical fertilizer is a bit like steroids in that you will see results fast – your lawn will become green quickly, but the colour and lushness is not sustainable.

Weed control without chemicals

Get the jump on spring weeds by applying corn gluten, a natural pre-emergent herbicide, in late winter. This will help suppress the growth of weeds.  You’ll also get the benefit of additional fertilizer because corn gluten contains about 10% nitrogen. 

 The key to success is proper application rates.  It takes 20 pounds (9kg) per thousand square feet (93 square metres) to do the job

Corn gluten is a by-product of corn processing that has been found to keep seeds from germinating. DO NOT use this product after you seed your lawn, otherwise the grass seeds won’t grow.

Trimming Your Lawn

Let your grass grow to the upper range of the variety’s preferred height and maintain it at this level. Raise the blade on your lawn mower to a height of 3 inches. This is an easy trick to make your lawn look lush because the blades of grass are longer. It’s also important to use a sharp blade. Sharp blades cut clean, thus reducing the chance for lawn diseases and pests.

The long blades of grass help to shade out the weeds that thrive in the sun and also help retain moisture in the soil.

Consistent, regular mowing reduces the chances of weeds going to seed and being disbursed naturally in your garden.

Fertilize by “grass cycling”

When you mow, allow the clippings to fall to the ground where they rapidly decompose.  They are rich in nitrogen and will reduce the need for it by about 30% each year.

As we’ve mentioned you should only cut one third of the grass blade off at a time. This helps to speed up decomposition, but may mean cutting the grass a bit more often, especially during peak growing times.

Water deeply but less frequently

Water your lawn less often but for longer periods. This saves water as it cuts down on evaporation. It also promotes good root development.

 Stop fighting the shade

It’s an ongoing battle to try to grow grass in the shade.  It can look good for a while but requires constant upkeep.  Instead, consider replacing the grass with shade-loving groundcover.  It will save you a lot of hard work.

Info courtesy of www.joegardener.com