PROBLEMS:
Healthy, properly-maintained lawns have few disease and insect problems
and can out-compete most weeds. You may still encounter an occasional
problem, especially while you are making the switch to organic lawn
maintenance. Weeds-
Mowing your lawn at the recommended height will help reduce weeds.
Some will be squeezed out; others won't germinate in the shade of
the tall grass. Proper lawn care won't eliminate weeds, but it will
reduce their number considerably.
Organic
lawn managers don't resort to synthetic weed killers. They reseed
bare spots immediately so weeds won't get a foothold. Hand weeding
can be used to remove scattered weeds. (Look for a sturdy tool that
gets out the roots and can be used standing up.) You can also spot-treat
weeds with an organic soap-based herbicide, Just remember this type
of herbicide kills grass as well as weeds, so use it carefully.
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The
final tool is that of re-setting your sights. We have been taught
by the chemical companies that the only good lawn is one that has
just grass, and only one kind. Any ecologist will tell you that
having a large area of the same kind of plant is just asking for
insect and disease problems. Having an assortment of plants actually
makes your lawn tougher. So don't panic over a few weeds-just think
of them as healthy additions to your healthy lawn.
Diseases-
Strong, well-managed lawns rarely get diseases. Once you have managed
the thatch away, there is little place for disease to build up.
If you do encounter a disease problem-and that problem is actively
spreading-take a sample to a knowledgeable professional to get it
identified. Ask that person to recommend a non-chemical solution.
Often simple soap and water or a spray of natural seaweed fertilizer
will do the trick. And keep working on your lawn. The longer you
care for your lawn organically, the more disease-resistant it will
become.
Insects
and Other Pests-
Strong, well-managed lawns aren't very attractive to pests. You
may encounter some as you switch over to organic lawn management.
The
most common lawn pests you may encounter are grubs. Grubs are the
immature form of beetles-such as the ubiquitous Japanese beetle.
If you see dead areas of turf where you can lift off the dead part
in a sheet, you have grubs eating your grass roots. Your first clue
may be moles tunneling around your lawn, feeding on the grubs. Thank
them for pointing out your impending grub problem, then send them
packing. Mix 2 parts castor oil and 1 part liquid soap in a blender.
Add 1 tablespoon of this mix to a watering can, and water the tunneled
areas generously. Now deal with the grubs.
Grubs
can be controlled by drenching the area with a commercial preparation
containing parasitic nematodes.
Sod
webworms are another common lawn pest. If tufts of dead grass appear
in your lawn, birds congregate on your lawn, and lots of little
moths are flying about just above the grass, you may have unwanted
residents. Mix 3 tablespoons of liquid soap and 1 gallon of water
and soak a small section of your lawn with it. If caterpillars appear
on the grass in that section, you know you have sod web worms. You
can drench the lawn with the soap mixture and hand pick the pests
if you have a small lawn. For larger areas, spray the lawn with
Bacillus thuringiensis (BT), which will sicken and kill the caterpillars.
There
are many other insects that munch on lawns occasionally. Try drenching
the soil with a soap solution every 10 to 14 days, or apply a commercial
preparation of parasitic nematodes. And keep working on your lawn.
The longer you care for your lawn organically, the more pest-resistant
it will become.
