Protecting Your Lawn the Organic Way
By Jack Greenwood
Many lawn owners like to use chemical pesticides and herbicides to control
the pest and weed growth in their lawn. However, these chemicals are harmful
to the environment if they are not used in the proper way. They may also kill
insects that are actually helpful to the lawn. Runoff from these chemicals may
find their way into the nearby water supply.
The two main categories of lawn issues that you need to deal with on a regular
basis are weeds and pests. Before you can properly implement any form of control,
you need to identify the type of weeds and pests that your lawn has. Once you
identify them correctly, you can look for an organic solution to control these
weeds and pests.
Weeds are broadly categorized as broadleaf or narrowleaf. They are further
divided into perennial weeds and annual weeds. The perennial weeds are harder
to control as they live from year to year and produce seeds that help the weeds
spread. The annual weeds grow for one season, produce seeds and then die off.
This cycle repeat again the following year.
If you are unsure of what weeds you have in your lawn, you can take some samples
to your county extension or nursery and they will help you identify them.
Once you have them identified, you can formulate a plan to bring them under
control without the use of chemical herbicides. The simplest method is to use
your hands and pull out the weeds together with their roots.
However, the best way to control weeds is to focus on building a healthier
lawn. Check that you are mowing at the right height and ensure that your lawn
is getting the right amount of nutrients and water. Too much or too little nutrients
and water will weaken your lawn and allow the weeds to prosper.
Pest is another problem that you will face constantly and you can also control
them using organic methods. Some of the common pests you will face include armyworms,
cutworms, billbugs and Japanese beetles.
You can control these pests the natural way. Many organic pest control products
use natural ingredients such as citrus oils, garlic and hot peppers. Some product
use lemon as its base and they are quite effective in killing various pests
without harming your lawn.
You can try to use a spray that use sesame oil, clove oil and thyme oil as
base for repelling insects like grasshoppers and ants. Another type of spray
use black peppers and garlic for its base and can be safely used on lawns and
gardens. This type of spray will help control mosquitoes, gnats, fleas, and
ticks.
You can also use insecticidal soaps to kill most of the soft-bodied pests like
chinch bugs and sod webworms. This type of insecticidal soap work fast, breakdown
quickly and are harmless to humans. You have to mix the insecticidal soap with
water and apply them to your lawn.
By the way, if you discover a particular type of insect is constantly giving
you problems, you may want to consider planting another type of grass that is
resistant to that type of insect.
Regardless of what type of pesticides or herbicides you are using, you must
use it safely. Pesticides that are non-toxic to your lawn may be harmful to
human beings. Always read the product labels when using such products. You should
always opt for those products with natural ingredients as its base if you have
the choice.
A healthy vigorous lawn has fewer problems and it should be your primary focus
for all your maintenance efforts. Proper aeration, watering, fertilizing and
mowing will help your lawn grow healthily and make it non-conducive for weeds
and pest to thrive.
About the Author Jack Greenwood is the webmaster of GreenLawnCareTips.com which provide information on lawn care and simple weed control tips. Sign up for your free 7-part Green Lawn Care mini course at http://greenlawncaretips.com today.
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