Choosing the right organic lawn care products will help you have a beautiful, green lawn that will last a long time. Chemical lawn care products have harmful side effects and can damage your grass’s health. If you want a healthy lawn, you need to choose natural products. This is why most homeowners prefer to use organic lawn care products.
Weeds Are Inevitable
Despite the use of chemicals, weeds are inevitable in organic lawn care. However, successful organic weed control begins with an ecological understanding of weeds. Knowing how weeds perform their ecosystem services will help you develop management strategies to minimize their impact on your crops. According to experts in organic lawn care Pittsburgh, PA, some weeds perform vital ecosystem services, such as providing habitat for beneficial organisms. They also contribute to the natural control of insect pests. Weeds can be harmful when they are allowed to smother desirable plants. They can also carry plant diseases. Insects can also carry the bacterial disease from weeds to desirable plants. Some invasive exotic weeds are a menace to agricultural ecosystems. They can tolerate repeated tillage, mowing, and grazing and even have a tolerance for rapid vegetative propagation.
They can also contribute to global warming. As a result, they often compete with crops for soil nutrients and light.
Chemical Lawn Care Is Bad For The Grass.
Despite the hype over lawn care, there are a lot of hazardous chemicals that can harm both the soil and the environment. The most dangerous lawn care chemicals include pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers.
Pesticides and herbicides target bugs, weeds, and other organisms. Some of these chemicals are endocrine disruptors. They may also interfere with beneficial microbes. They also affect the immune system, hormones, and thyroid. These chemicals can leach into public water supplies and private wells. They can also contaminate indoor air and surfaces. Children are particularly vulnerable to these chemicals.
The CDC warns against using lawn care chemicals and urges people to use only products labeled for safe use. They also warn that lawn chemicals aren’t just weed killers. They can harm animals, children, and other organisms. Lawn chemicals may release toxic vapors that can cause illness. In addition, many lawn chemicals remain active for months or years. They are often applied in combination with fertilizers. These chemicals can also harm groundwater and stormwater.
Natural Fertilizers Are Better For The Environment.
Choosing natural fertilizers over chemical ones is not only good for your yard and the environment, but it can save you money as well. It’s a good idea to test the soil before using any fertilizer to ensure it is nutrient-rich.
Organic fertilizers are typically made from animal or plant waste. They are processed to provide plant nutrients but add structure to the soil. The material is broken down and processed by bacteria in the soil. This process helps strengthen the turf and encourages drought tolerance. Chemical fertilizers are manufactured substances, typically made from petroleum or natural gas by-products. They are processed to contain plant nutrients and sometimes micronutrients. Plants easily absorb them, and they show results more quickly. However, they can be toxic and pollute local waterways. They also deplete oxygen for fish.
Overseeding Organic Lawns Can Be Effective For An Organically Green Lawn.
Whether you are a first-time lawn owner or an experienced homeowner, overseeding your lawn can be a key step to an organically green lawn. It helps to thicken and improve your grass stand, prevent thin lawns, and fill in bare spots. To oversee your lawn, choose a seed mixture that suits your climate. You can also use a starter fertilizer. If your soil pH is less than 6.0, you may need to top-dress your lawn with gypsum.
Before you start overseeding, you should check your soil. It should have a pH of between 6.0 and 6.8. It should also have good moisture levels. You can test your soil by taking a soil sample from several lawn areas. You should send it to a lab for analysis.