The Complete Guide to Organic Lawn Care: Everything You Need to Know Explained Simply Book

Introduction: The Time Is Right for Organic Lawn Care 13

About This Book 14

How to Use This Book 15

Chapter 1 What Is Organic Lawn Care? 17

Brief History of Organic Lawn Care 19

Problems with Traditional Lawn Care 20

Benefits of Organic Lawn Care 24

Getting Started 27

Chapter 2 Healthy Soil 31

What Is Soil Made of? 32

Why is Healthy Soil Important? 34

Testing to Determine Soil Health 36

Compost 40

Do-It-Yourself Compost 44

Compost Tea 54

Vermicomposting 57

Case Study Liz Johnston 62

Chapter 3 The Right Grass 65

Types of Grass 66

Case Study Jeff Swano 77

Chapter 4 Organic Fertilizers 81

Basic Nutrients Required for Healthy Soil and Grass 82

Nonmineral Macronutrients 83

Primary Mineral Macronutrients 84

Secondary Mineral Macronutrients 85

Micronutrients 86

Types of Organic Fertilizers 87

Plant-based Fertilizers 88

Mineral-based Fertilizers 94

Animal-based Fertilizers 98

Inoculants 100

Chapter 5 Easy Organic Lawn Care 103

Equipment and Supplies Needed 104

Six Steps to Easy Lawn Care 111

Can Xeriscaping Work for You? 117

Chapter 6 Starting an Organic Lawn from Scratch 125

The Right Time 126

Prepping the Soil 127

Grading the Soil 129

Permanent Edging 133

Selecting Organic Grass 134

Watering After Installation 138

Tips for Lawn Installation Methods 141

Case Study Darin Brockelbank 147

Chapter 7 Rehabilitating a Lawn 149

Evaluating the Situation 150

Preparing the Soil 150

Improving Soil Quality 152

Replacement Grasses 154

Planting Grass 156

Tips for Successfully Patching the Lawn 157

Rehabbing Your Lawn 161

Case Study Jason Cook 161

Chapter 8 Transitioning a Lawn to Organic 165

Preparing for the First Year 168

The First Year Plan 170

Initial Evaluation: Springtime 171

Maintaining Your Lawn During Summer 177

Fall Maintenance and Care 179

Preparing and Maintaining During Winter 182

The Second Year of Transition 186

After the Second Year 189

You Can Bridge the Lawn, But Beware 191

Case Study Mark Borst 193

Chapter 9 Water and the Natural Lawn 195

Various Factors Affect Watering Needs 197

The Quality of Your Water 206

Should You Invest in A Filter System? 211

Other Water Options and Concerns 212

About Watering 219

Case Study Adrienne Stauffer 220

Chapter 10 Getting Control of Weeds and Pests 223

Understanding Weeds and Reacting to Them 224

Saying Goodbye to Weeds 228

Pests in the Lawn 233

Fighting Pests by Species 237

Fungal Infestations 241

Those Bigger Pests 243

Chapter 11 Mowing Your Lawn The Right Way 245

Mowing Tips 247

Edging Your Lawn Properly 252

Removing Thatch 253

Chapter 12 Going for Less Lawn 257

Types of Additions to Your Lawn 258

More Options to Consider 261

Conclusion 263

Is it Worth the Work? 263

Appendix A Commercial Organic Herbicides 265

Appendix B Reference Guide for Organic Lawn Care Throughout the Year 267

Appendix C Homemade Organic Pesticides 269

Soapy Spray 269

Garlic Spray 270

Buttermilk and Flour Spray 270

Hot and Sweet Pepper Spray 270

Appendix D Homemade Organic Herbicides 273

Citrus Vinegar Solution 273

Glossary 275

Bibliography 279

Author Biography 283

Index 285