Organic Yard and Garden Resources

Most local home and garden stores (Lowe's, Gemmen's, Home Depot, Flowerland) are now carrying natural, non-toxic lawn and garden care product lines.  Examples are "Safer", "Concern", and "Espoma." 

Sierra Club does not endorse specific brands, however, on this site we share products our members have found locally and are using, as well as links to help you in your search for resources. 

Local companies that provide organic lawn care services include:

Good Sweet Earth

Venman's Landscaping Service

E-Green Services

Want to find earth-friendly products online? Here are some links:

Southland Organics

Pollinator Friendly Seed Directory

Organic Fertilizers

Safe/Natural Pesticides

Garden's Alive

For "How to" & resources too: 

At the top click the tab "learn" and you will see educational articles on both organic lawn & garden!! 

Resources to learn more about natural lawn and garden care:

WEBSITES

www.beyondpesticides.org (organic lawn-landscape management and pollinator protection)
www.midwestgrowsgreen.org (natural lawn care information and pledge)
www.xerces.org (invertebrate conservation)
www.panna.org (pesticide action network and food safety)
www.osborneorganics.com (expert on organic turf management)
www.lawnreform.org (solutions to lawn pollution)
www.spikenardfarm.org (honeybee sanctuary)
www.ecobeneficial.com (ecological gardening and native plants)
www.pollinator.org (pollinator partnership protection)
www.midwestpermaculture.com (reinventing landscapes and permaculture design)
www.nativeplantguild.com (collective of local native plant providers and garden designers)
www.rivercitywildones.org (grand rapids chapter of wild ones, native plant resource information)
www.goodsweetearth.com (local provider of compost and compost teas for lawn and garden)
www.eartheasy.com (sustainable living choices, toxin free home and yard)
www.planetnatural.com (natural products for lawn and garden)
www.rodaleinstitute.org (regenerative and organic landscapes)
 
 
www.bluethumb.org  (plant for clean water, innovative yard ideas)
 
 
www.prairiemoonnursery.com   (great native plant seed resource)
 
www.stgabrielorganics.com  (products for organic lawn & garden)
 
 www.ptlawnseed.com  (grass seed and eco-lawns)
 
 
 

BOOKS

The Organic Lawn Care Manual - Paul Tukey
Bringing Nature Home - Douglass Talamy
American Green - Ted Steinberg
Garden Revolution - Larry Weaner
Organic Manual - J. Howard Garrett
Fire the Landscaper - Phil Williams
The American Meadow Green - Jon Greenlee
The Soil Will Save Us  - Kristen Ohlson
Growing a Revolution - David Montgomery
Chemical Free Lawn Care - Warren Schultz
The Midwestern Native Garden - C. Edelman, B.Schwartz
Landscaping with Native Plants of Michigan - Lynn Steiner
Whitewash - (the story of a weed killer, cancer and the 
corruption of science) - Carey Gillam
A Biodynamic Farm - Hugh Lovel
Secrets Of the Soil - Peter Tompkins, Christopher Bird
Any book by Rodale Press - Organic lawn, garden & farming.
Silent Spring- Rachel Carson