Organic lawn care is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the lawn care industry. More and more homeowners are discovering the benefits of taking an environmentally friendly approach to lawn fertilization. Whether you’ve always wanted to try an organic fertilizer or are considering it for the first time this season, there are many benefits to doing so.
Pros Of Using Organic Lawn Fertilization
Organic Fertilizer Is Eco-Friendly
Even if you know nothing else about organic lawn care, you probably know that organic lawn care options are far less taxing on the environment. Traditional fertilizer relies on chemicals to keep weeds, pests, and other diseases away. Synthetic chemicals can affect the health of the local environment and children or pets who come into contact with the chemicals before they’ve had a chance to dry. In addition, it can reach the water table beneath the surface of the soil and contaminate it. This can lead to things like harmful algal blooms on bodies of water like ponds, rivers, lakes, and streams. Organic fertilizer does not have this issue since the materials and components are all-natural.
Organic Fertilizer Improve Soil All Around
Organic-based lawn care is easier on the digestion of the lawn. However, synthetic chemicals require extra water so your grass can break them down properly. In addition, plants can only use nutrients in specific ionic forms. For example, nitrogen can only be absorbed by grass as nitrate (NO3-) or ammonium (NH4+) ions, and potassium is only taken up as the potassium ion (K+). Synthetic fertilizer provides nutrients in ionic form, so the moment they touch the earth, they are in a form that the grass can use. However, your grass can only absorb so much of each nutrient. So any excess nutrients will quickly get lost from the soil. That means you might have to reapply more often during the growing season, and that, of course, means more money out of your pocket.
On the other hand, organic fertilizers have to be broken down by the microorganisms in your lawn before they can reach the ionic form. This makes organic fertilizers a naturally slow-release method, which is ideal for your lawn. The nutrients will be released slowly over time, so you won’t have to worry about them getting diluted and flushed out as you would with synthetic options. In addition, they improve soil structure, increase the amount of water your soil can hold, and promote the activity of important soil microorganisms. All this contributes to a healthier soil environment for your turfgrass.
Organic Fertilizer Creates Stronger Roots
No matter what type of grass varietal you have in your lawn, all plants need three macronutrients to thrive: nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium. Nitrogen gives grass that rich green color, phosphorous helps grassroots get stronger, and potassium helps buffer grass against stressors like drought, heat, foot traffic, etc. Organic fertilizers have the macronutrients in spades. And since organic fertilizers contain carbon, you’ll enjoy added protection against water-borne pollutants in your soil. Carbon-rich fertilizer helps keep your grass aerated as well. Good soil should be loose and crumble easily. Poor soil conditions result in compacted soil that is hard to penetrate with gardening tools. Organic fertilizers can help minimize the rate of soil compaction and help keep the pH level even.
Organic Fertilizer Doesn’t Impact Health
There’s a reason that traditional lawn care methods require you to keep children, pets, and yourself away from the grass until the product is dry. If exposed to these chemicals when they aren’t set, your family could suffer long-term health effects. This is especially true if you have pets like dogs who may romp in the grass or even eat it. With organic lawn care, you won’t have to worry about exposing your family to harsh chemicals because organic fertilizers are made with natural materials.
Organic Lawn Care Looks At The Big Picture
The absolute best way to prevent lawn disease, weeds, and pests is to keep your lawn in good health. A healthy lawn will stand a better chance of defending itself from problems. Organic-based lawn care focuses on maintaining the health of your lawn holistically and only uses pesticides when necessary. Or you can even skip them altogether if you prefer. Traditional lawn care programs often take a “fix it even if it’s not broken” approach. For example, they might include a preventative pesticide application, even if you haven’t had a pest problem. With organic lawn care, you have the option to take a wait-and-see approach. If there doesn’t seem to be a need for pesticides this year, why apply chemicals if you don’t have to? Another example: only treating for weeds if and when they appear. If you maintain the correct mowing height and keep your lawn healthy, you may not need an herbicide every year. Or you might only have to spot treat a weed or two that made it past the defenses. In short, the organic approach to things follows a “less is more” mantra.
Find Lawn Care Services Near Commerce Township
If you’re ready to make the transition to organic-based lawn care, trust the professionals at Top Lawn. Our organic lawn fertilization program relies on natural-based products to nourish your lawn and only uses pesticides sparingly. If you wish, we can keep your lawn pesticide-free entirely! To learn more or speak to an expert, give us a call at (248) 956-6022, or you can reach us via our online contact us form. You can also connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, or check out our blog page, where we post monthly articles on other lawn care-related topics!
