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Organic Lawn Care

Organic lawn care is becoming increasingly popular in this country, and especially in the Raleigh, Apex, and Cary area of North Carolina. Why should you consider using natural fertilizers and soil conditioners instead of chemical fertilizers and pesticides on your lawn?

The objective of organic lawn care is healthy soil. Plants grow well in healthy soil. The advanced turf species of today are very aggressive, and given healthy soil, will out compete weeds and resist drought, pests, and disease. Adding chemical fertilizers, fungicides, and pesticides create unhealthy soil. Let's see why.

Microbial activity is increased by the addition of natural ingredients to the soil. Nutrients needed for plant growth are fixed by soil microbes and are released slowly as the plants need them. Petrochemical fertilizers, often high in soluble salts, are detrimental to soil microbes and plants. They decrease nutrient uptake and microbial activity. Despite being high analysis N-P-K, their plant-use efficiency is very low. The nutrients in natural organic fertilizers such as fish emulsion and kelp are released slowly, minimizing environmental impact on streams and your well water.

Organic fertilizers such as fish emulsion and kelp supply nitrogen as part of a balance of nutrients, which develops deep root systems in turf. The natural lawn, because of it's balanced growth, resists disease, insects, and drought, unlike high-input lawns. Nutrients cycle efficiently in a naturally managed lawn, which prevents thatch buildup. Recycled thatch gives lawns an extra two pounds of nitrogen per thousand square feet each growing season. And naturally managed lawns require less mowing than high nitrogen lawns.

Conventional lawn care practices may cause micronutrient deficiencies and inefficient nitrogen usage. Plants take up nitrogen and micronutrients in a fixed proportion, so when nitrogen is highly abundant, micronutrients should be, too. Most commercial fertilizers don't supply micronutrients, so lawns may suffer micronutrient deficiencies and often fail to use all of the supplied nitrogen.

Natural lawns depend on fixation and release of nutrients by soil microbes to regulate soil fertility. Nutrients that are not directly taken up by the grass are stored and released slowly in proportions that promote healthy growth.

The natural soil conditioner that we at Carolina Organic Lawns use, contains kelp and fish, potent macro and micronutrient sources. Many of the nutrients are in chelated form which holds them in reserve until needed. Plants get the nutrients they need when they need them.

Conventional fertilizers supply nitrogen as a salt. Salts dissolve quickly in soil, releasing nitrogen which encourages weed growth. In fact, a late-season nitrogen spike specifically favors crabgrass.

Nitrogen spikes cause excessive top growth in lawn grasses instead of the storing of carbohydrates. Low carbohydrate reserves in lawns damage lawns during drought and stress.

Fertilizer that is released rapidly allows nitrogen to leach through the soil, which pollutes wells, surface and ground water. Nutrients supplied by natural fertilizer, soil conditioners and compost tea are organic compounds such as proteins and carbohydrates. These are water insoluble compounds which are held in the soil until they are digested by microbes and other organisms, "time-releasing" plant nutrients with no leaching and no pollution.

Chemical salt based fertilizers toxify the soil, reducing soil microbe and earthworm populations. Consequently nutrient cycling is reduces, decreasing soil organic matter content, increasing soil compaction and damaging soil structure. Natural soil conditioners and compost tea helps restore soil to it's natural nutrient balance, which encourages soil microbes and earthworms to repopulate the soil, increasing nutrient cycling and loosening soil structure.

Organic lawn care's goal is the development of healthy soil. Natural turf management stimulates growth of beneficial bacteria, nematodes, fungi, microbes and earthworms, creating a rich, healthy soil. Healthy soil grows healthy lawns!

Properly aerated and conditioned lawns develop deeper, stronger root systems. As a result, the turf will be more drought and heat resistant, and better able to pull oxygen and nutrients from the soil. Lateral growth is stimulated, creating a thicker lawn that is able to crowd out weeds and needs less frequent mowing and watering. High nitrogen, commercial fertilizers promote vertical blade growth and need to be mowed more often.

Harvard University has been testing Organic Lawn Care on Harvard Yard. Check out the results! Chemically maintained turf on left: shallow root system. Organically maintained turf on right: deep root system.

Photo by Harvard University

What's Wrong with Commercial Fertilizers?

Synthetic High Nitrogen Fertilizers boost the risk of insect and disease infestations, weed problems and cause immense stress on your plants or seedlings. It's clear, synthetic fertilizers induce a quick growing rush by making excess nutrients available for a short time. The plant absorbs the chemicals quickly and uses the excess energy for very rapid growth above the soil in lieu of storing carbohydrates. The excessive nitrogen also leaches through the soil or easily washes away (polluting ground and surface water) leaving the salt to toxify the soil which reduces the microbe and earthworm populations. This consequently reduces nutrient cycling, noticeably reduces organic matter (inhibits thatch composting), and the resulting soil compaction promotes weeds and further soil damage.

The Organic Solution

Natural fertilizer, soil conditioner, and compost tea immediately reverses this process. Many of its nutrients are in chelated form which holds them in reserve until they are needed.

Our organic solution contains a total supply of nutrients as organic compounds such as proteins and carbohydrates, which are held in the soil until the microbes and other organisms in our compost tea digest them. This starts and fuels the self sustaining process, which leads to increased nutrient cycling and naturally aerated soil structures.

There is no more potent combination of hydrolyzed fish extracts, kelp, sulfate of potash, microbiology and other proprietary ingredients than is in our lawn solution.

In conclusion, chemicals may give your lawn a quick burst of green, but you are subjecting your lawn to a cycle of addiction. As the soil becomes increasingly toxic and less able to support the microbial life that turf needs to be healthy and compete, you will need increasing amounts of chemical fertilizers, fungicides, and pesticides to keep it viable.

Conversely, adding organics to your soil creates the conditions that turf needs to grow vigorously and to out compete weeds, and fend off pests, disease, and drought. Your lawn will need less fertilizer input as the cycle supports itself, and your soil becomes healthier. Your turf will become thick, lush and green, naturally.

Article Source: GardenGap.com

About the Author

More information about Organic Lawn Care and Natural Fertilizers and Compost Tea is available at the Carolina Organic Lawns website. Carolina Organic Lawns provides organic lawn care to the Raleigh, Apex, and Cary areas of North Carolina.