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.
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.