Organic Lawn CareThere is an increasing movement towards organic lawn care. Organic lawn care can be accomplished by using organic lawn fertilizer and switching to natural pest control such as beneficial nematodes. For many homeowners this can be a dramatic switch away from what had become standard practices. Common But Toxic Practices Displaying an attractive lawn is an issue that most home-owners wrestle with on some level. For many, attractive means thick lush grass with no weeds. Many people think the only way to accomplish this is poison and chemical fertilizers. The two types of poisons are herbicides and pesticides which pollute the air and the ground water and thus, eventually, our lakes and rivers. Chemical fertilizers are often used; these also make their way to lakes and rivers where they disrupt the natural ecosystems. They can also burn plant roots and deplete the soil over time, requiring the use of more and more chemical fertilizers. For individuals who are sensitive to toxic chemicals the poisons used on lawns are at best inconvenient and at worst a real hazard. A number of Canadian cities and the provinces of Quebec and Ontario, have banned the consumer use of these products.
Organic Lawn Care Organic weed control for lawns-- There are some environmentally friendly solutions to lawn care. An herbicide such as Weedban uses a by-product of cornstarch to eliminate weeds. There are also tools to extract weeds, including their taproot. Vinegar can also be used for killing unwanted weeds. Healthy lawns are more resistant to weed growth and insect infestation. Some organic fertilizers that can be used are kelp, fish fertilizer and worm castings. An example of an alternative to pesticides is nematodes (or roundworms) to destroy grubs in the lawn. Grass cuttings, when left to break down, can provide nutrients for the lawn. Keeping the lawn-mower blade short is better for the grass. Cutting the lawn at about 5 centimetres (2 inches) early in the season helps to thicken the growth. During the hotter period keep it at about 7 and a half centimetres or (3 inches) helps to choke out weeds and is not so susceptible to drought. Then in the latter part of the season, cut it shorter again to prevent disease.
Unique Lawn An alternative to having a thick, lush, green lawn is to plant ground-cover. In some areas it can provide variety and require much less maintenance. This "environmentally" friendly option reduces the amount of exhaust from lawn-mowers and less water use during dry summers. See our
Helpful Hints
page for non-toxic alternatives to weed killers.
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