Maintaining a healthy organic lawn can take time and effort. With a few tips, you can have a lush lawn that makes your neighbors green with envy. Check out the information below to get started on making your lawn the best on the block.
Watch For Dogs
Brown spots on your lawn? If you have a dog – or live near dogs – chances are it’s nitrogen burn from dog urine. Female dogs are more likely to cause areas of nitrogen burn since they tend to do all their business in one area. One quick solution for doggy-induced nitrogen burn is to thoroughly soak that area of your lawn lawn after your dog goes outside. Watering your lawn right after can dilute the nitrogen in the grass and save it from burning.
Water Early
Your lawn needs water to survive, but you might be surprised to hear there’s a right and wrong way to water the grass. Watering at night can leave your lawn susceptible to fungus and mildew. Watering during the hottest part of the day can scorch your lawn. The best times to water? Between 6 and 10 a.m. or from 4-7 p.m.
Water Deeply
Watering frequently but in small amounts makes your lawn produce shallow roots. If you water infrequently but deeply, your lawn forms deeper and healthier roots. If using a sprinkler, you want to let it run for at least 15 minutes and possibly longer, depending on how much water your sprinkler puts out at a time. Instead of watering every day, water your lawn deeply two to three days a week and see how your lawn does on that schedule.
Save Clippings
Just mowed your lawn and have a bunch of grass clippings around? Great! Use them to mulch your lawn and reap the benefits. Laying out a layer of mulch will allow it to break down and feed your lawn. The nutrients from the decaying grass will help your lawn grow stronger and a layer of mulch can protect the root system from overheating.
Sharpen Your Mower Blade
Dull mower blades can rip at grass and leave it with jagged cuts. These cuts can make your lawn susceptible to disease and drought. If you notice brown tips on blades of grass, that can be a sign that it’s time to sharpen your mower blades.
Test Your Soil
A soil test can tell you a lot about the health of your lawn. The pH balance can let you know what you need to add to keep your lawn healthy. For a more in-depth look at any trouble with your soil, you can take a sample and have it tested. This is especially important for urban gardeners, since the soil may be contaminated with lead or other heavy metals.
Be Diligent With Weeds
Getting rid of dandelions can seem like a never-ending battle. The more consistent you are with your weed removal, the higher your chance of success is. Be sure to cut the heads off of weeds to prevent seed from spreading, and try to remove the roots if possible. You don’t just have to throw away the leaves from dandelions, though – dandelion greens are extremely nutritious and contain 535 percent of the daily value of vitamin K.
Organic lawn care can take some time, but the end result is worth it. An organic lawn is healthier and safer for our environment and our families.
James White is a kombucha tea-sipping blogger who focuses on green building and sustainable living via his family blog Homey Improvements. He also enjoys sharing his recent discoveries with DIY projects, home tips and organic gardening. James is “Alaska Grown” but now resides in PA. Connect with him on Twitter at @DIYfolks or Facebook.
