10 Steps to a Safer, Healthy Lawn

Hesitant about changing your lawn care habits? Do you think using natural products doesn’t matter? Before you fall back into your old pesticide-using habits, consider these 10 Steps to a Safer, Healthier Lawn:

1. Test Your Soil

Testing your soil can help you achieve the right balance of nutrients where microbes thrive and grass does, too. The right balance will help your lawn be healthier by reducing weeds and diseases.

2. Pick the right grass

Use a hearty tall fescue seed. It can help make you lawn resistant to insects and easier to maintain. Seed bare spots regularly to prevent weeds.  If starting over, plant Turf Type Tall Fescue.

3. Cut your grass a little higher

Mow your lawn a little higher to discourage weeds from sprouting. Taller grass shades the soil to keep weeds from getting the sunlight they need to grow. and fosters deeper grass roots.

4. Water properly

Proper watering encourages deeper roots. One inch of water per week--see how long it takes to fill a tuna can and that’s how long it takes to give 1 inch of water. Water in the morning one-two times per week and avoid evening watering.

5. Know your weeds

Don't spray weeds that are going to die on their own, such as name purslane, crabgrass, hairy bittercress and black medic. Visit www. http://www.whygoodnature.com/common-lawn-problems for help identifying these types of weeds.

6. Pull perennial weeds

Perennial weeds are the ones that will return each year and need to be pulled by hand or treated with an organic weed killer like ADIOS. Check out http://www.whygoodnature.com/common-lawn-problems  for help identifying them.

7. Use Natural Weed Controls

Natural substances like Corn Gluten Meal and Adios Ambros discourage weeds and feed the grass. Corn Gluten meal is a natural slow release fertilizer that contains natural materials that help prevent weeds from sprouting.  Adios weakens existing weeds.

8. Embrace Natural Pest Deterrents

Natural products like garlic juice and beneficial nematodes—worms such as roundworms and threadworms--can deter insects that can damage your lawn.

9. Compost, compost, compost

Compost goes a long way to feed the soil microbes. A healthy microbial population means fewer diseases and a healthier lawn.

10. Fertilize organically

Use only organic fertilizers They feed the soil, are friendly to the environment and don’t burn the lawn.

For more information on organic lawn care, go to www.whygoodnature.com or Ohio State University’s Extension at http://extension.osu.edu/