In our continued efforts this spring to bring healthy, organic lawns to the masses, we most recently seeded bare spots and damaged areas of our client’s lawns with a spring seed that germinates quickly and crowds out weeds.

By maintaining an organic lawn, you are contributing to a living, breathing soil. As temperatures rise, soil respiration increases. The soil becomes an incredibly busy place. Organic fertilizers feed the soil microbes, roots grow deeper and earthworms start to move. All these soil dwellers take in oxygen and give off carbon dioxide. The flow of air through the soil is important to the health of the plants. For productive, fertile soil you need organic matter and plenty of pore spaces between the soil particles.

As Wallace H. Fuller noted, “A cloak of loose, soft material, held to the earth’s hard surface by gravity, is all that lies between life and lifelessness.” (Soils of the Desert Southwest, 1975)

Most people and contractors see soil as a commodity. It is just “stuff”. I see so much poor soil put down as loam. Native, undisturbed soils have clearly defined horizons of topsoil and subsoil. In compacted landscape soils the horizons are scrambled, organic matter is low and the movement of air and water is reduced.

Don’t treat your soil like dirt! Mow high and leave the clippings for deeper roots and more biological activity. Aerate, add compost and organic fertilizers. If you want grass, add seed and you will be rewarded. The seed will do best if kept moist. If you can water (10 minutes, 3 times a day), that’s great. Otherwise, the seed should do well on its own with a traditional wet spring. Check out more tips for a great organic lawn here.

As always, please call (781) 937-9992 or send us a note with any questions or concerns.