It’s really not hard at all to grow and maintain an organic lawn.

Over the past few decades, it’s become so normal to use a lot of man-made fertilizers, insecticides and herbicides that everyone seems to have forgotten that you don’t need all these chemicals to achieve a beautiful, green lawn.

As long as you keep the grass healthy it will stand up to weeds and insects. It’s only the most persistent of weeds that can infiltrate a luxuriant, sturdy lawn with deep roots.

Here are five steps to getting the gorgeous, lush organic lawn you’ve been dreaming of:

1. Have your soil tested

Lawns require exactly the right pH level and nutritional mix if they’re to look their best. For an accurate reading on the status of the soil, you’ll need to get it tested at a professional facility such as your local country cooperative extension service. The lab results will tell you the pH and chemical makeup of the soil, and give you instructions for improving its condition. The lawn will do best when the pH value is between six and seven. To fix a pH imbalance, you should feed the lawn with either sulfur or lime, depending on the test result. Make sure you pay attention to the nutritional advice you receive too. If you add too much of any particular nutrient it will promote weed growth, to the detriment of the turf.

Don’t be tempted to throw your money away on additives and supplements before you’ve had the soil tested: you can actually do more harm than good if you use the wrong products.

2. Spring and fall: use compost as a topdressing

All lawns should be top dressed with compost every six months or so, no matter what the soil test reveals. Compost gives the soil vital trace minerals and nutrients, and supplies microbes that work to make the soil healthier and better able to retain water. Compost also attracts earthworms, which burrow through the soil to reach it. This improves the soil by aerating it, making it more productive and increasing worm colonies.

Spread a roughly quarter-inch layer of compost over the lawn and rake it out evenly. This will do the job without suffocating the turf. How will you know how much compost to buy? Reckon on one cubic foot (0.05 cubic yards) per 100 square feet of grass. Take your total lawn area (length x width) in square feet, and divide by 100 to get the number of cubic feet you need. For cubic yards, you need to multiply that number by 0.037 (or divide by 27).

3. Mow the lawn high

This means leaving the grass 2.5 to 3 inches in length. The first advantage to mowing high is that tall grass blades provide shade for the soil and make it harder for weeds to sprout. Secondly, the shade prevents the sun from heating and drying the soil too much, and cuts the water requirements. Thirdly, the taller the grass is, the larger it’s capacity to photosynthesize. Each blade of grass absorbs energy from the sun in accordance with its surface area, and then turns it into food.

You can also feed your lawn by using a mulching mower, which chews up the grass clippings and deposits them back onto the grass as you go along. As the clippings break down, they will supply a steady, modest amount of nitrogen to the lawn while simultaneously protecting the soil from heat and moisture loss.

4. Water generously but not too often

Did you know that the largest center of water wastage in a typical household is the lawn? Your lawn needs about an inch of water a week during the growing season, whether from rainfall or a sprinkler. It’s important to let your lawn dry out after each watering. There are two reasons for this. First of all, if the lawn is watered so often that it remains wet most of the time the roots will only grow in the top inch or two of soil. Then, if there’s a drought, the lawn can’t cope. Secondly, in contrast to healthy grass, weeds almost invariably have shallow roots. Therefore if you keep your lawn too wet, you’re providing a great environment for weeds.

You can stick a rain gauge in the ground to measure the quantity of water the grass is getting. Alternatively you could just place a can or cup on the lawn while you run the sprinklers, and wait until the water in it is an inch in depth. Note that the best time to water is in the early morning. The water is best absorbed at this time of day, and it also allows the lawn to dry properly before the end of the day. If the grass remains damp overnight, fungus can start growing, and that can be difficult to remove.

5. Don’t worry too much about weeds

The odd weed here or there is not going to hurt your lawn, and might even do it some good. While a yard full of dandelions might not look so good, clover, for instance, funnels nitrogen from the air down to the roots and into the soil. It also attracts honeybees and other useful insect species.

If the weeds do start encroaching on your lawn there are many effective, organic ways to keep them under control. Of course you can just pull or dig them out whenever they appear. This applies particularly to fast-growing species such as dandelions, which can rapidly take over a lawn.

Another method is to spread a thin layer of corn gluten meal over the turf in the springtime when the forsythias are blooming. Corn gluten meal is an organic pre-emergent herbicide that helps to curb the growth of weeds like crabgrass and dandelions. You might have to use it for a couple of years before you see the full effect, though.

A third suggestion for organic weed control is to let the autumn leaves remain on the grass, and then go over them with the mower a couple of times to reduce them to mulch. Michigan State University recently released a study that found that by letting chopped up leaves (particularly maple) decompose on the lawn in the fall, you help prevent dandelions from germinating the next year.

So you can see that there’s nothing very difficult or expensive about caring for your lawn the organic way without using any chemicals or other artificial additives. You simply need to be observant, and swap some of your old lawn care routines for a more environmentally-friendly approach, and you’ll be able to enjoy a wonderful organic lawn before you know it.

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The term “thatch” refers to a buildup of dead and living grass stems, roots and shoots that sits directly on top of the soil, right below the grass.

In warm, humid conditions thatch will decompose quickly and serve as a useful source of nourishment for the soil. However, if it’s not breaking down as quickly as it’s forming, the thatch will accumulate and start to cause problems.

If the thatch is less than 1/2“ thick, you should leave it to work its magic. If you notice that the sheet of organic matter is getting thicker over time, you’ll need to take some action to prevent it from weakening your lawn and providing a haven for pests and diseases.

When you have a thick layer of thatch that prevents moisture and fertilizers from filtering down to the roots, you can find yourself adding too much water and fertilizer, both of which can damage the lawn. In severe cases, the grass roots can start to grow in the thatch instead of in the soil.

Thatch forms easily when:

• The soil is wet and heavy; when it’s alkaline (pH is high); or when it’s compacted
• You’ve applied so much pesticide that earthworms and microorganisms can’t do their jobs
• The lawn has received too much fertilizer, and is growing faster than the waste matter it generates is able to decompose
• It’s warm and you have creeping grass species such as Bluegrass, Bentgrass, Bermuda or Zoysia

It’s important to note that you don’t get more thatch buildup when you mulch your lawn clippings. Since grass clippings are 85% water, they decompose quickly, and actually add nitrogen to the soil when you leave them on the lawn. This reduces the need to use fertilizers.

Keeping thatch under control: So, if you have more than ½” of thatch, how do you get rid of it and/or improve the condition of your lawn so that it won’t reappear?

Dethatching: maybe you’ll get away with just raking the turf energetically, or you might have to resort to using specialist power tools. You can either engage a lawn care service to do the job, or rent a machine at a tool rental store or garden center. A vertical mowing dethatcher has spinning vertical blades that pull the thatch up to the surface and cut it. A power rake dethatcher rips up the thatch with the help of sturdy, spring loaded metal wires. Whichever method you pick, your lawn will be a mess, so you’ll need to clear away the loosened vegetation and use it for compost. After you’ve removed the thatch, your turf will be weak. You can shorten the recovery time by giving it some fertilizer, overseeding if required, and then watering.

Topdressing: to promote increased microbe activity in the soil and the breakdown of thatch, try topdressing with humus that has a high organic content. You can also water with an organic “tea”. This is not a quick fix, though, and won’t be sufficient to restore your lawn if the thatch situation has already got out of hand.

Core aeration: use a special tool with hollow tines to punch holes in the lawn so that water and air reach the soil more easily. The organic matter removed disintegrates and serves as a topdressing, which helps get rid of thatch.

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You might be wondering why you would need to learn how to water the lawn. Surely it’s just a matter of turning on the hosepipe, walking around and getting the grass a bit wet, or just leaving the sprinklers running for a while.

No, there’s actually a bit more to it than that, especially in these times of water shortages. Now that communities around the world are facing water use restrictions, it’s more important than ever to observe good conservation and lawn management practices.

Here are 5 tips on how to water your lawn:

1. Water requirements: The amount of water your lawn needs will depend on a range of factors. These include the type of grass, the climate and season, the soil, and how green you want it to be as well as how well you maintain it. In the growing season, you’ll need to give the turf around an inch of water per week to sustain growth and keep it green. You can get away with a good deal less than an inch if you choose a drought resistant variety of cool season grass. Some warm season grasses are less thirsty too. In general, though, watering more will encourage the roots to grow deep where there’s more moisture, resulting in a lusher, healthier lawn.
2. Water supply: Most of your water should ideally come from rainfall. You’ll probably have to use sprinklers or an underground irrigation system as well, however. If your water comes from the city it will cost you money to water your lawn, while a well on your property means it will be free. A lot of municipalities have now instituted curbs or even bans on watering during a drought, so some of us have to let our lawns go brown until the rainy season starts again. In these cases, we have to accept that the grass can’t be as green as we would like all year round. However, using a sensible lawn care program will help ensure that the lawn survives a temporary drought.
3. Sprinklers and irrigation systems: Sprinklers can be moved around, while an irrigation system sits permanently under the turf. Whichever setup you have, you must ensure that you get adequate coverage by overlapping the spray areas. You can buy cheap, movable sprinklers, or invest in an automatic system with a computerized timer that you can set to suit your needs. As long as you use it wisely, an automatic sprinkler system is the most efficient way to get an evenly watered lawn when it’s not raining.
4. How often should you water?: It’s better to give the grass a good, long drink once or twice a week than to provide a little bit of moisture every day. In this way, you mimic normal rainfall and allow the grass to grow deep, strong roots that help it survive a dry spell. If you water little and often, you’ll end up with grass that has shallow roots and is generally weak.
5. Best time to water the lawn: If you have a system with an automatic timer, program it to run sometime between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. If not, try to water as early in the morning as possible, before the sun gets hot. A lot of people water the garden in the early evening, but you should only do this if you have no other option since it can make the lawn prone to disease. Don’t be tempted to saturate the lawn during the hottest part of the day to cool it down, as most of the water will simply evaporate.

Don’t waste water: - Use drought resistant grass varieties, which require relatively little watering, as do native species.

• Avoid mowing too low, to preserve moisture in roots and leaves
• Remove thatch regularly to optimize conditions for water penetration
• Whenever possible, apply pesticides and fertilizers before it rains
• Invest in a rain gauge to help you see how much to water

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A beautiful, healthy lawn is a joy to behold, but can be difficult and expensive to achieve.

To keep your lawn looking green and fresh, and your costs down, we’ve put together a list of ten common mistakes to steer clear of:

1. Mowing your lawn too short: This is something that a lot of people do, without realizing that it damages the grass. It’s best to cut no more than one third of the blade when mowing, to prevent the grass from becoming stressed. If your lawn gets stressed, its ability to photosynthesize becomes impaired, which delays re-growth. In addition, you could find yourself with a scalped lawn, which becomes a haven for weeds and generally contributes to a poor lawn environment.
2. Excessive watering: If you have a sprinkler system, make sure you use it wisely and don’t just leave it on all day. It’s best to water in the late afternoon when the heat of the day has died down. And remember that you don’t need to switch it on when it’s raining!
3. Applying fertilizers the wrong way: If you’re using synthetic fertilizers, read the instructions and be aware that they tend to be “hot”, which means they can burn your lawn. It’s important that your spreader is in good shape and set correctly, to avoid uneven application that will discolor or burn the grass.
4. Not following the instructions on pesticide use: READ THE LABEL – pesticides are dangerous chemicals that can do a lot of damage if you don’t stick religiously to the directions. You can harm other plants, the soil and yourself if you try to guess how to use these highly toxic substances. The same goes for handling and storage, so READ THE LABEL, as each pesticide is different. Pesticides should never be seen as an instant solution, rather as a part of an ongoing integrated pest management (IPM) program.
5. Ignoring soil conditions: If you don’t check the soil under the grass, and fix any problems that might be lurking there, no amount of fancy products, money or hard work will give you the lawn you’ve been dreaming of. The soil is home to a whole world of worms, bacteria and other organisms that work in harmony to convert the minerals and organic substances below the surface into food for the grass roots. Kick off your new lawn care regime by having the soil tested to see if it needs any additional nutrition.
6. Not timing lawn care jobs correctly: Make sure you carry out lawn maintenance tasks like aerating, applying fertilizers and pesticides, and weed control in the right sequence as well as under the appropriate weather and seasonal conditions.
7. Planting the wrong kind of grass: There are different types of grass to suit different climates, soils and sunlight conditions. It’s possible that you’ll require more than one variety if your garden has some areas that are very sunny and others that are in permanent shade.
8. Neglecting to get rid of thatch: If your lawn is covered with thatch, the roots won’t get enough water or nutrition. The roots won’t grow deep and the grass will be plagued by weeds and diseases. To prevent trouble and keep your lawn healthy, aerate the soil and remove thatch once a year.
9. Expecting too much: If you spend too much time and energy fussing over your lawn, you won’t be able to enjoy it. As long as you keep the soil healthy, you won’t have too much of a weed problem. Anyway, a few weeds are charming and add character – particularly clover. Anyway, you really don’t need an absolutely perfect lawn to have a picnic, or to play croquet or a ball game.
10. Overdoing it: There comes a point when it simply doesn’t make sense to spend more time, money or effort on your lawn, or to use any additional water, fertilizer, pesticides or other products on it. You should accept that just as you can buy the clothes but you’ll never look like the model in the magazine, you might not be able to achieve that picture-perfect golf course look. It’s OK, though, you can have a pretty nice-looking piece of grass, and you should enjoy it all the more because of the hard work you’ve put into it.

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A common mistake that many people make in lawn maintenance is to do a great job at mowing and then slack when it comes to sweeping up. In some ways, clearing up grass clippings is just as important as mowing the lawn.

One of the reasons of mowing the lawn is to trim the top of the grass so that sunlight can get to the new shoots which are trying to grow underneath.

If you don’t sweep up properly after mowing, the residual grass clippings will sit on top of your lawn and act as a blanket to prevent light from reaching the healthy grass beneath. Over time, the loose grass clippings will turn into a grass matting which thickens to starve the grass below from much needed sunlight.

In the long run, although you’re mowing regularly, you’ll notice that your lawn isn’t getting any greener since its covered by a layer of dead grass.

So what can you do if there’s already a grass matting that’s stifling parts of your lawn?

Remove it. There’s a couple of ways you can do this:

• Peel it off: Try digging under the matting and if its dry and hardened enough, you’ll notice that you can peel it off carefully
• Scrape it off: If the matting is wet and a little looser, scrape it gently with a fork or garden broom. Don’t worry if you churn up some of your lawn in the process. It won’t look so good initially but after a while, you’ll have much healthier grass.

Or try a combination of both.

Related Posts

1. Help – My Lawn Has Thatch!
2. Grow Your Lawn the Organic Way: 5 Easy Steps
3. How to Water Your Lawn