How to Grow an Organic Lawn

Easy Steps To An Organic Lawn

Changing from a traditional lawn-care regimen to an organic one is easier than most people think. These simple methods will ensure a green, lush lawn:

Natural Fertilizers

Fertilizers for organic lawns are always slow-release, meaning that it is nearly impossible to burn out your lawn the way people often do by using synthetic fertilizers. The first, and easiest, type of organic fertilizer to use is grass clippings, which you leave on the lawn after you mow it. Using these clippings requires a mulching mower, one that will chop the grass blades up very small so that they can break down quickly. The grass clippings provide nitrogen to the soil, which helps it to stay green. They also serve as a mulch on the soil's surface, which prevents weed seeds from germinating and helps to retain water.

There are several seaweed-based organic fertilizers available in both liquid and granular forms. These are great for fall fertilizing, and, like all organic fertilizers, are slow release. The best time to fertilize any lawn, including an organic lawn, is in the fall. If you are unable to fertilize in the fall, a spring application is the next best thing.

Natural Weed Control

Most of the stress people face when considering whether to switch from traditional to organic lawn maintenance comes from their concerns over weed control. Organic lawns tend to have a few weeds in them. It is not possible to get every weed out of your lawn, and your lawn will actually be healthier if it has a few weeds. This is biodiversity: several different plants working together to make a healthier lawn. Weeds often attract beneficial insects, which in turn eat pests that could cause problems for your garden. Certain weeds, such as clover, actually contribute to turf health by fixing nitrogen from the atmosphere and releasing it through their roots, fertilizing the surrounding turf.

If you have stubborn weeds, such as crabgrass or dandelions, look for a product called corn gluten meal. Corn gluten should be applied in the spring. It is a pre-emergent herbicide that will prevent dormant weed seeds from germinating. As a bonus, it is ten percent nitrogen, so your lawn gets a little fertilizer boost at the same time.

The simplest organic weed control method is to get out and start pulling. Removing weeds before they bloom and release their seeds will save you a lot of work later on, when you could have hundreds of weeds to deal with.

Mowing and Watering

Even regular maintenance, such as mowing and watering, changes a bit when you grow an organic lawn. The first tenet of mowing an organic lawn is to mow high. You should never mow an organic lawn shorter than three inches. Mowing high helps the soil stay cool, retains moisture, and shades the soil surface, which hinders the germination of weed seeds.

Whether you grown an organic lawn or not, the general rule for lawns is that they need one inch of water each seven to ten days. If no rain is in the forecast, you'll need to drag out the hose. Watering deeply and infrequently encourages the lawn's roots to grow down deeper into the soil, and this helps to make your lawn more drought-tolerant. Grass roots that stay close to the soil because of shallow, frequent watering are very vulnerable to drought situations, and will actually need more watering than lawns that are watered deeply.