Natural Lawn Care
By Bruce Lee Deuley - 11/16/03

Getting back to basics is the best and most natural way to care for your lawn and garden areas. This program is designed to revitalize your soil biology and provide a foundation for healthy lawn and plant growth.

Healthy soil has to have a good population of beneficial microbes. Over the past millions of years, plants and soil microorganisms have developed a symbiotic relationship. When a plant photosynthesizes, it releases carbon into the soil. This carbon exude is used as a food source for the microorganisms. These organisms then surround the roots of the plant to feed on the carbon and in return serve to protect the plant roots. They also recycle nutrients, mineralize other soil elements, improve nutrient absorption, hold the nutrients in place and improve soil structure. A true symbiotic relationship!

Because of the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers in the recent past, today many soils are out of balance and virtually devoid of microbial life. This natural Lawn program is designed to reestablish beneficial microbes and provide the soil with necessary components needed to promote healthy controlled plant growth.

The program begins with the use of a good organic fertilizer such as Texas Tee or one of Gardnerville’s organic fertilizers. Definitely not one of the synthetic, fertilizers that uses water-soluble nitrogen as a major component. About 20 pounds per 1,000 square feet. In addition, use one of the seaweed-based solutions and water the area. Some of these products come with a hose-end spray top, others have to be mixed and sprayed with a separate spray unit. If your lawn has been taken care of with the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, it would be best get one of the products that contain live microbes such as Microsoil or Earthworms Co. live microbe lawn sprayer. They are necessary to get your soil microbes back in gear. The soil would eventually come back on its own, if properly treated but the addition of live microbes will certainly spend things along.

If brown spot or other problems come along, the use of whole ground yellow corn meal at about 20 pounds per 1,000 square feet will cure the problem.

The last beneficial product to add to your lawn area is a thin layer of good organic compost. It will retain soil moisture and break down to become a great source of carbon for your microbes.

This program should be practiced a couple of times a year until your lawn is looking the way you want it. You can then cut back to once a year and maintain your lawn with very little maintenance thereafter

Good gardening