Lawn Care
By Bruce Lee Deuley - 9/17/03

Last week we discussed the use of organic fertilizer and compost to get your lawn in shape for the upcoming cool weather. In addition, for those of you who wanting to really get your grass in tip-top shape there are other organic products which when used properly will give you the prettiest lawn on the block.

If you are having weed problems, it is time to add corn-gluten meal to your lawn and garden areas at 20 lbs per 1,000 square feet of area. Corn-gluten inhibits the ability of sprouting seeds from continuing to grow and at the same time fertilizes your lawn with a good shot of nitrogen. It is an organic 9-0-1 fertilizer and may be used in place of your normal organic fertilizer if weeds are a problem.

Another good addition to your soil is the rock powders, green sand and lava sand. Green sand is an excellent source of iron and trace minerals. It is much less expensive and a lot higher in natural iron than products like Ironite. Apply at 40 to 80 pounds per 1,000 square feet. It may be watered in or allowed to sit until the next rainfall. It you have had yellowing areas in your lawn, green sand is the answer.

Lava sand should be distributed at the same rate and has trace minerals but its real strength is its ability to help the soil retain moisture and aids in holding the major and minor minerals, making them available to your grass and other plants.

There is a combined rock product, Gardnerville’s’ Vulcanite that is a mixture of several rock powders and can be used in place of having to distribute green sand and lava sand separately. In addition, it contains basalt and other minerals healthy for your soil.

Rock powder products are very slow to break down. Green sand should be applied about once a year but lava sand will last several years before needing to be replenished.

Another product needing mention is whole-ground yellow cornmeal. If you have had brown patch problems in your lawn, an application of 20 lbs of cornmeal to 1,000 square feet of lawn area will help prevent the problem. If the brown patch is already apparent, cornmeal cannot resurrect the dead grass but the new growth will not have the problem.

It we happen to have an extremely dry winter, your lawn should be watered occasionally it you want it at its best next spring.

Good gardening.