Organic Lawn Care - The True Scoop.
Nationally, organic
lawn care is a "hot" topic. As if it were
something new! It certainly is not. Organic lawn care was exclusively
practiced before WWII. After the war, the chemical procedures took
over.
There
are many misconceptions, myths and outright lies which
have made the subject of organic lawn care almost un-definable. Chemical
lawn care companies claim to offer an "organic" lawn care program,
yet often just eliminate pesticides. Chemical companies and universities
downplay the value of organic use, for pecuniary reasons. Professionals
think that using waste products, sewage sludge, manure's, feathers,
dried blood, compost, and machines to plug holes in the ground, constitutes
an organic lawn care program.
No wonder the public is confused.
People don't appreciate what a true organic-based, or organic approach
lawn care program is or what it can be. And, sadly there are only
a few professionals who understand natural systems well enough, and
have available the necessary products and procedures to bring organic
lawn care into the twenty-first century by cooperating with natural
systems that are immutable.
Organic lawn care is, first and foremost, a methodology,
a process, a way of thinking...not just the substitution of "organic-type"
products for standard fertilizer formulations, and the automatic elimination
of pesticide use because of some "magic."
Organic lawn care is based upon
solid science. One must find out what is needed. Then, according to
what is needed, specialized organic materials are chosen, applied
at the proper time and in the correct quantities. It takes thought.
The end result, however, is a minimization of chemical usage, and
in many cases even elimination. (At least, that is the goal of every
practitioner who is concerned about the environment and concerned
about the quality of the "product" he/she produces for their customers.)
Organic lawn care can be practiced by the average homeowner
using Nature's ProŽ products shipped from Utah or New York. Or, if
you want your lawn care professional to practice an organic lawn care
program for you, he/she can be educated and provided with proven programs
by Nature's ProŽ in Hempstead, New York, the necessary materials supplied
by the professional division of Nature's ProŽ.
What is the basis of an organic
approach lawn care program? The soil.
The
"challenge" then must be obvious. One homeowner has inherited
a deep, rich soil; another a measly coating of soil over hard-pan
clay, or a sandy soil that simply doesn't work.
Often, what should be done is
to add truckloads of well rotted compost to the surface and then rototill
everything, the grass included, down 6-8 inches, along with other
materials that an extensive soil analysis says is needed.
That's what organic farmers have to do.
They plow their fields yearly. But, what homeowner is ready
to invest thousands and thousands of dollars to improve the soil,
and then repeat the process every few years, so their lawn can be
under an organic approach system? Very few that I've met. So the challenge
remains, because: you absolutely cannot improve your soil from the
surface using waste products; because your grass will not tolerate
"layering;" and the quantities required would suffocate the hardiest
of lawns.
The solution lies in understanding how to "nurture" the
plant AND the soil at the same time.
The secret is oxygen. Oxygen is needed in the root zone
of all green plants. Roots cannot grow without oxygen. In addition,
oxygen is needed in the soil by a host of hard workers- earthworms,
microbes, insects, algae, protozoa, etc., etc. When, and only when,
oxygen can freely enter and sustain the LIFE within the soil, can
your lawn have the foundation to undertake an organic approach lawn
care program. And, no, you CANNOT cause this to happen by poking holes
into the soil with a machine or spikes on your shoes.
After
oxygen has been helped to enter the soil, then you have
to provide fuel energy for the many life forms within the soil so
they can flourish to make the soil truly healthy.
The fuel energy that your soil needs is provided by a product
that nature has made for our use. Humates, carbon-rich, mineral-rich,
enzyme-rich, with latent microbial life...and energy to "feed" the
small microbes which then "feed" the larger life within the soil.
These hardworking life forms orchestrate a
soil-health-sustainable-system which is the foundation for your turf's
health!
Now, you can begin to practice
an organic approach! Now, the soil is being "fixed" to better grow
grass than weeds. Now, the grass plant is healthy and tough and can
withstand diseases. Now, insect pest damage is probably within tolerable
limits. And, now, the quality of any soil is in the process of being
improved... meeting the basic challenge of having a productive, life-sustaining
soil.
Just as nature had intended... in order to have healthy
plants of all kinds.
-By Robert R. Riley
Pioneer since 1977
in the Organic Approach for Sustainable Turf & Ornamental Care
