It is possible to have a healthy, beautiful lawn, without the use of toxic pesticides, and many in the Grand Rapids area are already succesfully doing this! If you're one of them, we invite you to send us a picture and we'll feature it on this page, along with your tips for success! Sierra Club does not endorse specific lawn care brands, but below are examples of products our members are using, along with where to find them.
FIVE STEPS TO A NATURAL, HEALTHY LAWN
1. Switch to organic fertilizer. Many stores are now carrying natural, non toxic product lines for lawns and gardens, such as "Ringer", "Safer", "Espoma", and "Concern"- which we have found at Meijer, Gemmens, Lowe's, Home Depot, and Flowerland. To help guide which fertilizer formula to buy, consider doing a quick and easy soil test– kits are sold where lawn supplies are sold.
2. Mowing : Keep your lawn at least 3 inches high. This will increase the strength of the root system and naturally shade out some weeds. Use a mulching mower if possible.
3. Water deeply and infrequently. Ideally, one inch of water once a week. Pest fungus can thrive in damp grass, so give your lawn a chance to dry before nightfall. Water in early morning to minimize evaporation and safeguard against fungus.
4. Weed control. To prevent dandelions, use corn gluten products instead of weed and feed. Corn gluten is a natural pre -emergent weed control. Apply it in spring when the daffodils are blooming. Places like Flowerland, Gemmen’s and Lowe’s carry corn gluten products, such as “Concern Weed Prevention Plus.” “Gardens Alive” is a catalog which carries a great corn gluten product called “Wow”, as well as many other nontoxic lawn products. To kill broadleaf weeds, apply "Iron-X " from Garden's Alive catalog.
Other ways to control weeds: Spot kill weeds with a weed killing torch, or a tool that easily removes the weed and shoots it out. We’ve found these methods fun and kind of addicting! Both can be ordered from Gardener’s Supply catalog as well as many other places. Local Home and Garden stores are also now carrying natural, non-toxic weed killer sprays. The presence of weeds is often an indication of nutrient imbalance in the soil, so making sure your soil is healthy and the grass is well fed will help keep the weeds crowded out.
5. Reseed the lawn annually in the fall. This will help fill in any bare spots that could be taken over by weeds.
Once a healthy, organic lawn is established, it is actually less costly and and less work to maintain, as it needs less water and fertilizer.
Want to know more? Check out these resources:
Here are some pictures of one of our members, Natalie, who is adopting natural practices on her lawn:
She started by testing the soil. Instead of chemical control of weeds, she torched them. She then applied what her soil needed to the lawn, and overseeded, and the picture on the right shows the left side of her lawn, untreated, and the right side filling in nicely! This is only the first season of natural lawn care for this home, and after a few seasons, the lawn should not need much intervention at all, due to the right balance of nutrients! Thanks Natalie for sharing!