It’s spring! The snow is nearly gone and the grass is lying there in a brown mat. It’s hard to believe that in a few weeks you will be mowing, watering, fertilizing and trying to decide what to do about all those weeds! It can be overwhelming..

You may be saying to yourself:

What should I do for my yard, and when should I do it? If only there were someone who could tell me what to do or, better yet, just do it for me!

Or maybe you are thinking:

There are so many lawn care companies who claim to do organic. How do I pick one? How do I know they are really organic?

Well, let’s start by looking at companies who say they are organic but aren’t:

Most companies that say they do organic, only do so as a sideline to their chemical lawn care services. They substitute an “organic-based” fertilizer for the synthetic, dump it on too many times a year and treat the weeds with their usual toxic chemical herbicide.

There is nothing organic about this approach. The “organic-based” fertilizer is often bio solids from human waste, that is blended with synthetic fertilizer.

So, what’s different with REAL organic lawn care?

A REAL organic lawn care company is focused on building healthy soil which produces a healthy lawn with fewer weeds. This is done by amending the soil with certified organic products like fertilizer, compost or aerobic compost tea, which work in tandem to create a healthy soil food web of microbes and fungus who have a symbiotic relationship with the grass. Weed control is achieved by having a healthy lawn that crowds out the weeds.

Another difference is that many companies that claim to be organic use more toxic chemical herbicides that kill the plants very effectively but also decimate the microbial environment. It is important to know that there are very low toxicity iron-based herbicides available that can be very effective and many times less toxic than what are now “traditional” herbicides; the are not certified organic but are very safe to use in terms of helping sustain the microbes as well as for your family pets to play on within a few hours.

The final difference to look for might not be one you’d expect. Look for what the company recommends for mow-height. A REAL Organic lawn company will typically recommend a mow height of about 3”. This is because if the grass is long, it will crowd out any weed sprouts to prevent them from growing, and will also help the grass retain the moisture from all the careful watering you do.

Conversely, if the mow height is too low, the grass can get stressed out (especially in summer) from lower moisture levels and will, simultaneously, be trying to fight the weeds off (who now have ample sunlight from the low mow height to help them get growing). This leaves your yard vulnerable to an influx of weeds.

 

When you look for an organic lawn care service, look for these indicators:

  1. Compost/compost tea are applied to make soil healthier.
  2. Products (except iron-based herbicide and grass seed) are certified organic.
  3. They recommend a mowing height of 3” or more. This conserves moisture and suppresses weeds.

 

Another good indicator is that some (not all) REAL Organic companies offer their products for people who want to do the work themselves. They will offer coaching, videos and other resources.

 

There are ethical companies out there. You just need to do your homework.