By Jonathan Cawley
People all around the USA, and especially in the Raleigh, Cary, and Apex area of North Carolina are turning to organic lawn care. Why should you consider using natural fertilizers and soil conditioners instead of chemicals on your lawn?
Healthy soil is the objective of organic lawn care. Healthy soil grows healthy plants. Turf is an aggressive plant, and will out compete weeds and resist pests and disease if the soil is healthy. The best way to create healthy soil is to add organic fertilizers and soil conditioners, whereas chemical fertilizers, fungicides, and pesticides hurt the soil. Let's examine why.
The addition of natural ingredients increases microbial activity. Microbes in the soil fix the nutrients that plants need for growth and are released slowly and as needed by the plants. Petrochemical fertilizers, however, are often high in soluble salts, which are detrimental to plants and soil microbes, thus decreasing microbial activity and plant nutrient uptake. Even high-analysis N-P-K chemical fertilizers have very low plant-use efficiency. Organic fertilizer nutrients such as fish emulsion and kelp release slowly, which minimizes the environmental impact on local streams and wells.
Natural soil fertilizers and conditioners like Fish and Kelp help lawns develop deep root systems with proportional top growth by supplying nitrogen as part of a balance of nutrients. Due to its balanced growth, the natural lawn resists disease, insects and drought much more successfully than high-input lawns do. Naturally-managed lawns cycle nutrients efficiently, preventing thatch buildup. In fact, recycling thatch actually gives the lawn an extra two pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet over the growing season - a nice little boost. Finally, natural lawns require less mowing than high-nitrogen lawns.
Conventional lawn care practices may cause micronutrient deficiencies and inefficient nitrogen usage. Plants take up nitrogen and micronutrients in a fixed proportion, so when nitrogen is highly abundant, micronutrients should be, too. Most commercial fertilizers don't supply micronutrients, so lawns may suffer micronutrient deficiencies and often fail to use all of the supplied nitrogen.
Natural lawns depend on fixation and release of nutrients by soil microbes to regulate soil fertility. Nutrients that are not directly taken up by the grass are stored and released slowly in proportions that promote healthy growth.[]
Carolina Organic Lawns uses natural kelp and fish emulsion, potent macro and micro nutrient sources, many of them in chelated form, which holds them in reserve until needed. Your lawn gets the nutrients it needs when it needs them.
Chemical fertilizers supply nitrogen as a salt, which dissolve quickly in the soil, encouraging weed growth. Late season nitrogen spikes specifically favor crabgrass.
Turf produces excessive top growth after a nitrogen spike instead of storing carbohydrates. Lawns need carbohydrate reserves to survive drought and stress.
Rapid fertilizer release also allows nitrogen to leach through the soil which pollutes ground and surface waters, including wells. Natural soil conditioner and compost tea supplies many of its nutrients as organic compounds, such as carbohydrates and proteins. These water insoluble compounds are held in the soil until microbes and other organisms digest them, "time-releasing" plant nutrients, with no leaching, no pollution.
Salt-based fertilizers toxify the soil which reduces soil microbe and earthworm populations, and consequently reduces nutrient cycling, decreases soil organic matter content, increases soil compaction and damages soil structure. Our soil conditioner and compost tea helps restore soils to their natural nutrient balance, encouraging soil microbes and earthworms to repopulate the soil which increases nutrient cycling and loosens soil structure.
Organic Lawn Care concentrates on developing healthy soil. Our organic method stimulates growth of beneficial bacteria, fungi, nematodes, microbes and earthworms, creating a rich, healthy soil. Healthy soil grows healthy lawns!
Your lawn will develop a stronger, deeper root system when properly aerated and conditioned. Your turf will be more heat and drought resistant and better able to take up nutrients and oxygen from the soil. This stimulates lateral growth, creating a thicker lawn, better able to crowd out weeds and needing less frequent mowing. Chemical fertilizers promote vertical blade growth, so that more frequent mowing is needed.
Check out the results of Harvard University's organic lawn care testing. Chemically maintained grass on left; shallow root system. Organically maintained grass on right; deep root system. Photo: Harvard University
What's Wrong with Synthetic Fertilizers?
Synthetic High Nitrogen Fertilizers boost the risk of insect and disease infestations, weed problems and cause immense stress on your plants or seedlings. It's clear, synthetic fertilizers induce a quick growing rush by making excess nutrients available for a short time. The plant absorbs the chemicals quickly and uses the excess energy for very rapid growth above the soil in lieu of storing carbohydrates. The excessive nitrogen also leaches through the soil or easily washes away (polluting ground and surface water) leaving the salt to toxify the soil which reduces the microbe and earthworm populations. This consequently reduces nutrient cycling, noticeably reduces organic matter (inhibits thatch composting), and the resulting soil compaction promotes weeds and further soil damage.
The Organic Solution
Natural fertilizer, soil conditioner, and compost tea immediately reverses this process. Many of its nutrients are in chelated form which holds them in reserve until they are needed.
Carolina Organic Lawns Organic Solution holds a total supply of nutrients as organic compounds such as carbohydrates and proteins until digested by the microbes and other organisms in our Compost Tea. This initiates and drives the self sustaining process, leading to increased nutrient cycling and naturally aerating soil structures.
There is no more potent combination of hydrolyzed fish extracts, kelp, sulfate of potash, microbiology and other proprietary ingredients than is in our lawn solution.
In conclusion, synthetic fertilizers may give your lawn a quick burst of green, but your lawn becomes addicted to the cycle of chemical fertilizer, fungicide, and pesticide applications. As the toxins make the soil less able to support the microbial life that turf needs to thrive and compete, increasing amounts of chemicals are needed to produce a green lawn.
Conversely, organics added to your soil create the conditions that your lawn needs to grow vigorously and out compete weeds and fend off disease, pests and drought. Your turf will need less input in the form of fertilizers over time as the soil gets healthier and the turf becomes thick, lush and green, naturally.
Healthy soil is the objective of organic lawn care. Healthy soil grows healthy plants. Turf is an aggressive plant, and will out compete weeds and resist pests and disease if the soil is healthy. The best way to create healthy soil is to add organic fertilizers and soil conditioners, whereas chemical fertilizers, fungicides, and pesticides hurt the soil. Let's examine why.
The addition of natural ingredients increases microbial activity. Microbes in the soil fix the nutrients that plants need for growth and are released slowly and as needed by the plants. Petrochemical fertilizers, however, are often high in soluble salts, which are detrimental to plants and soil microbes, thus decreasing microbial activity and plant nutrient uptake. Even high-analysis N-P-K chemical fertilizers have very low plant-use efficiency. Organic fertilizer nutrients such as fish emulsion and kelp release slowly, which minimizes the environmental impact on local streams and wells.
Natural soil fertilizers and conditioners like Fish and Kelp help lawns develop deep root systems with proportional top growth by supplying nitrogen as part of a balance of nutrients. Due to its balanced growth, the natural lawn resists disease, insects and drought much more successfully than high-input lawns do. Naturally-managed lawns cycle nutrients efficiently, preventing thatch buildup. In fact, recycling thatch actually gives the lawn an extra two pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet over the growing season - a nice little boost. Finally, natural lawns require less mowing than high-nitrogen lawns.
Conventional lawn care practices may cause micronutrient deficiencies and inefficient nitrogen usage. Plants take up nitrogen and micronutrients in a fixed proportion, so when nitrogen is highly abundant, micronutrients should be, too. Most commercial fertilizers don't supply micronutrients, so lawns may suffer micronutrient deficiencies and often fail to use all of the supplied nitrogen.
Natural lawns depend on fixation and release of nutrients by soil microbes to regulate soil fertility. Nutrients that are not directly taken up by the grass are stored and released slowly in proportions that promote healthy growth.[]
Carolina Organic Lawns uses natural kelp and fish emulsion, potent macro and micro nutrient sources, many of them in chelated form, which holds them in reserve until needed. Your lawn gets the nutrients it needs when it needs them.
Chemical fertilizers supply nitrogen as a salt, which dissolve quickly in the soil, encouraging weed growth. Late season nitrogen spikes specifically favor crabgrass.
Turf produces excessive top growth after a nitrogen spike instead of storing carbohydrates. Lawns need carbohydrate reserves to survive drought and stress.
Rapid fertilizer release also allows nitrogen to leach through the soil which pollutes ground and surface waters, including wells. Natural soil conditioner and compost tea supplies many of its nutrients as organic compounds, such as carbohydrates and proteins. These water insoluble compounds are held in the soil until microbes and other organisms digest them, "time-releasing" plant nutrients, with no leaching, no pollution.
Salt-based fertilizers toxify the soil which reduces soil microbe and earthworm populations, and consequently reduces nutrient cycling, decreases soil organic matter content, increases soil compaction and damages soil structure. Our soil conditioner and compost tea helps restore soils to their natural nutrient balance, encouraging soil microbes and earthworms to repopulate the soil which increases nutrient cycling and loosens soil structure.
Organic Lawn Care concentrates on developing healthy soil. Our organic method stimulates growth of beneficial bacteria, fungi, nematodes, microbes and earthworms, creating a rich, healthy soil. Healthy soil grows healthy lawns!
Your lawn will develop a stronger, deeper root system when properly aerated and conditioned. Your turf will be more heat and drought resistant and better able to take up nutrients and oxygen from the soil. This stimulates lateral growth, creating a thicker lawn, better able to crowd out weeds and needing less frequent mowing. Chemical fertilizers promote vertical blade growth, so that more frequent mowing is needed.
Check out the results of Harvard University's organic lawn care testing. Chemically maintained grass on left; shallow root system. Organically maintained grass on right; deep root system. Photo: Harvard University
What's Wrong with Synthetic Fertilizers?
Synthetic High Nitrogen Fertilizers boost the risk of insect and disease infestations, weed problems and cause immense stress on your plants or seedlings. It's clear, synthetic fertilizers induce a quick growing rush by making excess nutrients available for a short time. The plant absorbs the chemicals quickly and uses the excess energy for very rapid growth above the soil in lieu of storing carbohydrates. The excessive nitrogen also leaches through the soil or easily washes away (polluting ground and surface water) leaving the salt to toxify the soil which reduces the microbe and earthworm populations. This consequently reduces nutrient cycling, noticeably reduces organic matter (inhibits thatch composting), and the resulting soil compaction promotes weeds and further soil damage.
The Organic Solution
Natural fertilizer, soil conditioner, and compost tea immediately reverses this process. Many of its nutrients are in chelated form which holds them in reserve until they are needed.
Carolina Organic Lawns Organic Solution holds a total supply of nutrients as organic compounds such as carbohydrates and proteins until digested by the microbes and other organisms in our Compost Tea. This initiates and drives the self sustaining process, leading to increased nutrient cycling and naturally aerating soil structures.
There is no more potent combination of hydrolyzed fish extracts, kelp, sulfate of potash, microbiology and other proprietary ingredients than is in our lawn solution.
In conclusion, synthetic fertilizers may give your lawn a quick burst of green, but your lawn becomes addicted to the cycle of chemical fertilizer, fungicide, and pesticide applications. As the toxins make the soil less able to support the microbial life that turf needs to thrive and compete, increasing amounts of chemicals are needed to produce a green lawn.
Conversely, organics added to your soil create the conditions that your lawn needs to grow vigorously and out compete weeds and fend off disease, pests and drought. Your turf will need less input in the form of fertilizers over time as the soil gets healthier and the turf becomes thick, lush and green, naturally.
About the Author:
If you are considering organic lawn care for your lawn, read all the great information at http://carolinaorganiclawns.
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