It’s hard to believe 2016 is already upon us. With all the hustle and bustle of the holidays, organic lawn care is probably not on your radar, but it should be. The start of a new year is a great time to establish a vision and plan for your Atlanta lawn. So, what are some resolutions to a healthy organic lawn in the coming year?
Organic Fertilizers: Healthy soil is imperative for healthy plants and grass. When you use organic fertilizers, it will help condition the soil. Nutrient rich soil will help organic lawns and gardens thrive while crowding out weeds, pests and diseases.
- Lawn: Apply organic fertilizers packed with nutrients like nitrogen and potassium. Depending on the type of turf you have, it may have different fertilizer needs. Make sure that the fertilizer you select is intended for your grass type and apply according to the instructions.
- Trees and Shrubs: Your trees and shrubs need nurturing too. Select organic fertilizers, dormant oils and compost to help your ornamentals grow and thrive.
Weed Control: Weeds can be a major frustration when trying to achieve the perfect lawn. There is no proven, effective organic solution for battling excessive weeds. You can hand pull weeds and some retailers even offer organic herbicides for spot treating them, but you risk killing the surrounding grass. Weeds will diminish as your soil’s health improves but that will take time. A few weeds doesn’t make your lawn a failure, it just means there are other areas in your lawn that need improvement to naturally fend off weeds by itself.
Disease Control: Atlanta lawns are infamous for fungal diseases like brown patch and dollar spot. While there are many chemical remedies for these diseases, there is no proven, effective answer for battling them organically. Remember with time and patience, diseases too will diminish as soil health increases.
Seasonal Maintenance Tasks: There are other additional tasks you can do to help your organic lawn reach its full potential in the coming year, such as:
- Aeration: Aerate, or schedule aeration in the spring to help reduce soil compaction and prepare your grass for a healthy growing season.
- Aeration and Overseeding: If you have Fescue, aerate and overseed this turf in the fall to help boost soil health and fill in bare spots.
- Mowing: Set your mowing height to about 3 inches. Mowing high helps reduce stress on grass roots while conserving water. Leaving grass clippings on the lawn also helps restore lost nutrients back into the soil.
- Watering: Water your lawn an inch per week during the growing season. Water smarter by using drip irrigation and watering in the early morning.
Take a moment to think about your organic lawn care regimen. What changes do you want to see in your turf in 2016? Give us a call and we would be happy to develop a plan for your organic lawn to thrive. Our lawn care program uses a proprietary blend of organic fertilizers tailored to Atlanta lawns and we even have a tree and shrub program to protect your ornamentals from pests and disease. Commit to a New Year’s resolution of a beautiful and healthy lawn that the entire family can enjoy the whole year round.