Fertilizers & Herbicides (some called organic) are Killing Your Lawn!

Spring is coming and most homeowners after months of snow look forward to seeing a soft green lawn. What they see more often is a collection of unwanted weeds. Don’t blame the weeds! They’re in your lawn because you have unhealthy soil. The kicker is your soil got this way from doing things you thought were helping your grass – using chemical fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides. And even if you’re using something labeled “Organic” make sure it’s OMRI (Organic Materials Review Institute) certified, otherwise it may still include traces of chemicals. In this article we’ll discuss real organic solutions to regenerate your yard

Here’s the science. Unhealthy soil is dominated by anaerobic bacteria caused by soil compaction. This is the result of a combination of factors, but is commonly caused by the synthetics we introduce to our yard thinking we’re making it healthier. Synthetic fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides decimate the beneficial soil microbes that create soil structure. This structure consists of pores, tunnels and channels that move water, oxygen and biology through the soil. Lawn chemicals kill off the organisms that create and maintain this soil structure. Without the organisms, this structure collapses, resulting in compaction.

Compacted soil drains poorly and grows anaerobic and acidic, spawning multitudes of bacteria. These conditions smother grass roots with bio slime and create the perfect conditions for weeds. You’re further degrading the biology that can solve the weed problem every time you apply one of these chemicals you think is helping.

Other factors to be aware of that cause soil compaction include:

over-sized lawns
construction equipment on yards
excessive irrigation

Luckily there are real organic solutions to regenerate your yard. A truly organic solution is not working on your grass, but is rebuilding your yard’s soil. Like anything in life, this is not a quick fix – the quick fix is what created your problem. Here is the process we use at at Organic Bob:

1 Fertilizer

We use only certified organic fertilizers and only 2 applications per year.

For DIY, use a “Top Dressing”. Because most lawns are depleted of organic matter, applying a thin layer of quality organic matter over existing grass provides food and habitat for beneficial soil microbes.

2 Over-seeding

We use a proprietary blend of low maintenance grass seed.

3 Aerated Compost Tea (ACT)

This is a concentrated solution of beneficial aerobic soil microorganisms. Regular applications of ACT keeps soil healthy, which in turn, suppresses diseases, improves soil water capacity, fertility, and air/oxygen capacity of soil. The benefits of ACT are:

Improved water availability and plant hydration.
Relieves compaction.
Increases nutrients in the soil.
Improves plants nutrient uptake.
Increases plant vigor and disease resistance.

DIY is an option, and we offer a free yard assessment so you know what you’re getting into. More information is available on the DIY Page of our website Of course, we’re happy to do the work for you if you prefer. Just go to our Get A Quote page and we’ll follow-up.