Organic Lawn Care A Growing Trend?
The interest in organic lawn care is part of the growing movement across the United States to be gentler on the environment and “go green.”
In fact, the organic trend goes beyond lawn care, as there is a burgeoning demand for organic landscape management in general.
Many younger homeowners, embracing the green movement are much more likely to be interested in following organic landscaping and lawn/turfgrass management practices. It’s a rapidly growing segment with a dramatic change of attitudes toward organic products.
This increased focus is on an organic approach of establishing and maintaining their yards, reducing the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides, plus improving soil health while promoting healthy plant growth.
Converting To Organic Lawn Care
The conversion to lawn care maintenance using an organic approach and organic products does not happen over night.
The conversion can be a challenge, often taking 2-3 years for a lawn to gradually transition from a traditional chemical, synthetic based maintenance practices, to an organic maintenance program. During this period there is a reduction in chemical inputs while increasing the use of organic materials and practices.
An organic lawn begins with an initial soil testing, followed by a fertility program based on nutrient levels of the soil test, along with a homeowners budget and expectations.
One of the biggest hurdles homeowners must overcome, comes during the first year of transition, when a slight decrease in the overall lawn quality usually occurs. Way too often the perception of instant results are expected.
The fluctuation of oil, a component of traditional chemical fertilizers, has made the cost of more and more organic lawn care products very comparable with traditional synthetic chemicals.
However, initially the transition during the first year to organic cost more, for required soil amendments, fertilizers and organic weed/disease/insect control materials.
After the second year, with a biologically active and healthy soil, significant savings starts with lower fertilizer requirements needed for growing and maintaining high-quality turf.
An organic lawn care program does come with multiple benefits besides the gentler environmental footprint.
This includes:
- Reducing negative environmental impacts
- Reducing or eliminating chemicals
- Increasing soil health
- Increased soil biological activity
- Reduced water usage from greater soil water-holding capacities
- Overall increase in root systems
- Greater soil nutrient-holding capacities
- Allows for more efficient fertilizer usage
- Reduced fertilizer and water inputs
- Longer-lasting more positive results
- Significant economic savings
Overall, the lawn and landscape ecologically requires less maintenance.
Legal Regulations and Politics Call For More Organics
In many parts of the country, switching to organic lawn care may be the only way to comply with new environmental legislation.
Local laws and politics may restrict the use of some chemical-based products which can vary depending upon the area and municipality.
Generally, there is widespread pressure toward the use of organics on public facilities and grounds, especially near coastal areas and near water sources.
For example, an area with a lake may restrict chemical use for fear of contamination to the lake due to run-off. This is true in Canada, where they started over 10 years ago being proactive, implementing severe restrictions on chemical use.
Taking it a step further, day care centers in some municipalities are prohibited from using certain products.
One of the biggest problems facing local enforcement is the unsupervised homeowner, who can use and even abuse, traditional chemical products purchased at the garden center. This coupled with the fact that better, newer and cheaper organic options are slow in coming to market.
In order for organics work a change in the perception of a healthy lawn must occur.
Organic lawn care is just beginning and the business of organic turf is not just a passing craze.
