Organic Lawn Care Tips To Keep Your Yard Healthy
Lawn care is a serious task in New Jersey, with homeowners taking great pride in creating beautiful, emerald green lawns that impress. While it is common to mow, fertilize, and treat lawns with chemicals, it is not the only way to create a memorable landscape. As many individuals focus on eating organic foods to live a better lifestyle and have less of an impact on the environment – organic lawn care is also an option. Implementing organic lawn care requires less effort, costs less, and creates a backyard that is safe for the entire family, including children and pets.
Steps for Organic Lawn Care
If you are ready to brush aside your existing lawn care habits and try organic lawn care, here are a few tips to help.
1. Take a soil test.
A soil test provides better insight into the makeup of the ground and where it needs help. It shows a breakdown of the nutrient contents as well as the pH levels. If pH levels are in a healthy range, there is usually no need to add anything to grass. If levels are too high, grassroots have a difficult time surviving which leads to dull and dead areas in the lawn.
2. Grass height is essential.
Plenty of individuals have the habit of mowing a lawn weekly because it is what they have always done. With organic lawn care, one of the best things a homeowner can do is not mow as often. The taller the grass is, the healthier it is. Healthy grass has stronger roots giving it more access to nutrients and water deep in the soil. Even better is that higher grass prevents weeds from sprouting and taking over the lawn.
3. Let clippings in their place.
Grass clippings contain vital nutrients that a lawn needs to survive and are great organic fertilizer. When left in the yard after mowing, clippings break down and the nutrients and nitrogen back into the soil.
4. Make sure the blade is sharp.
A sharp mower blade is essential as dull blades tear grass blades instead of cutting them. When this occurs, the lawn is more likely to be taken over by a disease or fungus.
5. Aerate often.
Lawn aeration is the process of creating small holes in the soil to prevent impaction and allow nutrients and water to find their way to grassroots. Aeration should be done often to keep grass looking lush and thriving throughout the year.
6. Seed twice a year.
Instead of treating bare spots with fertilizer or weed control, seeding can help add life back into the grass. Spread seeds twice a year to keep grassy areas looking full and robust.
7. Use organic fertilizer and weed control.
If you find yourself needing to buy fertilizer or weed control, look for ones that are considered organic. Organic materials breakdown more easily into the soil without acidifying like conventional fertilizers. Other organic weed control options include corn gluten meal or a homemade mixture of boiling water and vinegar.
8. Apply compost.
Compost should be added to the top of yards undergoing organic lawn care every year. If you don’t make your own, compost can be found at local garden centers as well.
If you need help bringing life back to your lawn this spring, contact Perennial Lawn Care today to schedule a soil test!
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