"Soil needs to be as alive as we are," says Paul Tukey, author of "The Organic Law Care Manual: A Natural, Low Maintenance System for a Beautiful, Safe Lawn."
His nonprofit organization Safe Lawns is dedicated to promoting natural lawn care and grounds maintenance. He says that going organic is doing what Mother Nature already knows how to do. His website has "how-to" videos about getting organic lawns in balance and resistant to insects. His theory is that a healthy lawn is actually more resistant to bugs and we will, naturally, not need to use pesticides. Stores selling lawn care products now carry about ten percent organic products and the percentage will continue to grow as consumers request organic instead of poison.
He is growing a four acre organic plot of grass in Washington DC on the National Mall between 3rd Ave and 7th St near the Capitol as a demonstration.
I was relieved to hear that he also said to recycle the grass clippings right back onto the lawn. All this raking and bagging seems like quite a waste of energy and time. The compost can take small amounts of clippings, but isn't big enough to accommodate the entire lawn's weekly clippings.
Interestingly, Sarasota County Florida has banned chemical fertilizer use during the rainy season every year since September 2007, and many schools and day care centers are banned by local or school board ordinance from using pesticides on their lawns or plants.
You can also listen to the Safe Lawn podcast at this link.
4.12.2008
Green, Organic Lawns
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