In recent years, there have been many concerns over the way we interact with our immediate environment and people are shifting to the organic lawns. Doing the transition can seem to be hectic, but it helps to avoid exposing your family and pets to harmful chemicals that have severe effects in the long run. With the right approach, growing and maintaining a healthy and green organic lawn should be easy and you will be watching your family play on the grass without worrying about their exposure to harmful toxins.
Read on and find out how you can switch to an organic and healthy lawn in the right way;
Test The Soil
The first thing that you need to do is to check your soil and prepare it for the organic lawn. A soil test will give you a picture of the soil’s condition and show you the essential nutrients that may be missing. Going organic involves beefing up the soil with some essentials for instance gypsum for a lawn which lacks the right amount of calcium. When conducting this test, try and get samples from different areas of the yard so that the test results are not a reflection of one part of the yard only. You have two options to choose from when testing the soil and the first one involves buying a DIY kit and doing it yourself. The other option entails calling an expert and having them do the test for a fee.
Apply Compost Manure
After the test, you may want to apply some compost manure to your lawn. This is more like a blood transfusion where you rejuvenate the soil and boost its structure. Adding about half an inch of it will do the trick, and you may want to start a compost system at home as you will need it more once you switch to organic. There are various ways of setting up a good system, and you should select one that suits your case. This move is very beneficial for clay soils since it lightens it and helps to build humus in sand soils, things that are good for moisture and nutrient retention. You can buy compost manure but you can also make your own compost simply by following our composting guide.
Find A Local Grass Variety
You may come across grass varieties from different regions and buy them since they look attractive, but they will always give you a hard time when you try to maintain it. Instead, find a local type of grass that is adapted to the conditions and soil type in your area. You can find the perfect fit by talking to your local lawn expert and have them recommend the best one for your area. This way, you will be assured of a healthy lawn all the time.
Allow The Soil To Breathe
If your soil is compact, it may be necessary for you to aerate it and allow for the free circulation of air, water and nutrients. This is particularly important for clay soil which is compressed and has no spaces for your lawn to get the nutrients it needs freely. You can aerate your soil by hiring an aerator from your garden expert. Alternatively, you could call over the expert to do the aeration for you at a specified fee. This is a vital thing to do before applying any fertilizer or top dressing the lawn.
Water Strategically
Most people think that since water is good for the plants, one should water their lawn for as long as they can. Watering helps the grass to develop deep root systems which make them resistant to drought and keeps them green even when there is no water. However, ensure that you water deeply but not as often as you might think. Allow the lawn to dry up completely before watering it again. A natural and organic garden requires about one inch of water weekly and do it early in the morning so that less of it gets lost due to evaporation. When doing it, water the first half an inch and let it seep through before watering the other half an inch to allow it to go deep.
Overseed
This is the process of adding more seeds to an existing lawn which is useful in covering areas where there is no good grass cover. In places with all the four seasons, it is advisable to do it during spring and fall where the soil is in a perfect condition to support the growth of new grass. Keep in mind that you should prepare your lawn before seeding it, and all this should begin by mowing the existing grass. Mow very low and clear away all the grass clippings so that the seeds can get into contact with the soil and not remain hanging on the plant debris. If possible, you could aerate the soil and apply some compost manure before throwing in the seeds.
Mowing
You will be required to cut your grass time after time, and you should do it in the right way. Mowing should be done regularly and ensure that you do not cut the grass too short. Doing so exposes the surface roots, and the soil dries out quickly when you water it. A right way of determining the optimal height is cutting off less than one-third of the grass at any point.
When mowing, ensure that the blade is sharp enough. Dull blades do not cut grass but tear them leaving them bruised. These open spots are undesirable since they expose the plants to diseases and make them less healthy.
Fertilizer
While compost manure is good, you might need to boost your garden with an Organic Lawn Care Solution. When you have to do it, always go for the organic fertilizers that are produced locally. These amendments to your soil nutrient content are good, but you should not overdo it at all. Once you start seeing the benefits, you might be tempted to start adding a lot of it to your lawn, and this can be damaging. It can make the grass grow very fast, and this makes it vulnerable to bugs and diseases.
Some of the essential tips to follow when trying to grow and maintain an organic lawn have been highlighted above. Keep in mind that you should avoid using any pesticides or weed killers that will increase the toxin levels in your yard. If you have a good balance of grass and shrubs in your garden, your small ecosystem will balance out, and you might not require these poisons at all.
