Healthy soils make healthy grass…it’s as simple as that!
The concept of going organic is all about creating healthy soils that have the right nutrients and pH, which will encourage robust grass growth through long, strong roots.
Steps to Go Organic:
1. Go cold turkey – Don’t make a slow transition. Organic is about creating healthy soil to nurture plant growth -synthetic is about stimulating plant growth above ground. The two are not compatible.
2. Get your soil tested -This is imperative because you must know your soil’s deficiencies, including pH levels to
provide the right soil conditions for healthy root growth. The UMass Extension’s soil test is comprehensive and very inexpensive!
3. Add the soil amendments – that the test results suggest.
4. Top dress with compost- Put 1/2” of compost on your lawn. Compost provides organic matter, teeming with
microbes, that will make the soil more porous and nutrient-rich.
5. Overseed in the spring and the fall. Mowing does not let grasses form the seed heads necessary for them to self-sow, which is why overseeding is important. When overseeding, use a blend of fescues, which grow deep roots and are very drought tolerant.
6. Spray compost tea on your lawn once a month during the growing season. You can make your own or you can buy liquid or dehydrated compost tea at many nurseries.
The end result – a beautiful, healthy yard!
WaterSmart is a nonprofit partnership between the NSRWA and 12 towns on the South Shore: Cohasset, Duxbury, Hanover, Hingham, Hull, Kingston, Marshfield, Norwell, Pembroke, Rockland, Scituate and Weymouth. Our programs are based on the belief that education is key. Since its creation, WaterSmart has educated thousands of local school-age children, adults, and businesses on water conservation, stormwater pollution, where their water comes from, and how to care for it.