Are you passionate about the environment? Are you into organics? Is organic lawn care right for you? Are you interested in discussing the installation or care of an organic lawn? If so, contact the Naperville landscaping professionals of Ware Landscaping immediately to learn about our services and about the unexpected benefits to hiring lawn care professionals. For over 20 years, our team of professionals has helped business owners and homeowners maintain their properties and keep their lawns looking healthy and beautiful. We know the importance of an exterior space that’s inviting to guests. We can provide the lawn care you need that doesn’t exceed your budget or harm the environment. We also strive to reduce carbon emissions produced in landscaping.
When you hire Ware Landscaping, we can create a personalized plan that meets your specific needs. Environmentally-friendly lawn care doesn’t require pesticides. You’ll keep yourself and your family safe from unnecessary exposure to toxic chemicals. We understand the unique nature of the landscaping services necessary to ensure your property is in pristine condition all year long. Call us at (630) 885-6370 today for a free quote.
What Is Organic Lawn Care?
There are two parts to keeping your lawn genuinely organic: the techniques for maintaining the yard and the fertilizers used to control weeds and pests. Organic lawn care doesn’t include chemicals or synthetic substances. These are the herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides offered by most major lawn care companies and local garden centers.
Organic practices focus on using substances derived from animal parts and plants or residue to repel pests and weeds. Common examples include:
- Worm castings
- Seaweed
- Bone char
- Compost
- Manure
Naturally-occurring substances, such as potash and greensand are also safe for the environment while providing the micronutrients necessary for grass to grow and remain healthy.
Using organic options to care for your lawn can minimize the time you spend on maintenance, so you have more opportunities to enjoy your backyard oasis.
Is Organic a Better Option Than Synthetic or Conventional?
That depends on your specific needs. Synthetic fertilizers can improve the appearance of a lawn quickly because they feed the plants directly. However, many fertilizers never come in contact with the plant and run off into groundwater, streams, and lakes instead.
Organic fertilizer doesn’t feed the plants. Instead, it feeds the soil to encourage organism growth and keep it healthy. This results in pest-resistant, disease-free, and healthy grass.
Fungicides, pesticides, and herbicides can effectively kill insects and weeds much faster than organic treatments. However, they also pose a risk to the health of humans and pets.
Impact of Harmful Chemicals on Children and Pets
Since the primary purpose of pesticides, insecticides, and herbicides is to kill weeds and other unwanted living organisms in a person’s backyard, it seems apparent that they could also harm people and animals.
Many states, such as Connecticut, banned synthetic pesticides for commercial use. These states aren’t allowed to use them in public areas, such as playgrounds, parks, and schools. That’s because children frequent these places and don’t have strong enough immune systems to fight against the harmful effects of these pesticides.
Children spend a lot of time outdoors playing and spend more time on and near lawns than adults. Using organic substances instead of synthetic pesticides can give homeowners and business owners peace of mind knowing they’re not putting kids at risk of health problems.
Synthetic pesticides can also hurt pets. Dogs that have been around lawns treated with harsh chemicals showed an increase in developing cancer. One study found that dogs exposed to conventional pesticides had a 70% increase in the development of canine malignant lymphoma. Dogs are especially vulnerable to diseases and other adverse effects because they spend time outside running and rolling on the grass. Unless you wash your dog immediately after letting them out, the harmful chemicals will remain on their fur and paws.
What Are the Steps Involved in Beginning Organic Lawn Care Treatments?
Some companies promise their clients safe products that won’t harm their lawns or their families. Unfortunately, many don’t use 100% organic substances. At Ware Landscaping, our organic lawn care services are truly organic. If you want to avoid exposure to harsh chemicals, you can trust that the products we use are entirely safe.
Soil Test
Everyone’s lawn is unique. Different types of grass require different treatments. Before we begin a lawn care regimen, we need to perform a soil test to determine the organic fertilizer that will best meet your needs. Soil tests can identify the number of nutrients and pH levels. Testing can also look for sulfur, lime, and other elements. This is important because we need to know which nutrients are abundant, missing, or at low levels. Too many or too few could create issues for your lawn.
Time
Many people want to see immediate effects after beginning organic treatments on their properties. However, this process takes time before you’ll see the full benefits. Improvements won’t happen overnight or even after a few months, so patience is necessary. Any synthetic materials used on your lawn before will need to decompose or seep from the ground. It can take at least a year for all the toxic substances to disappear from your backyard.
The composition of your lawn might also change. Synthetic herbicides effectively kill all weeds, but organic treatments don’t. As the nutrients in the soil develop and spread out, you might see weeds grow in different areas of your lawn. We can use some preventative organic materials to control them but can’t stop all weeds from showing up on your property.
After a few years, you’ll notice the organic treatments take full effect. Your grass will look healthy, lush, and green. The toxic chemicals will also be gone completely. As long as you understand ahead of time that this process takes a long time, you’ll be pleased with the results.
How to Tell the Difference Between Organic and Synthetic
There are companies and products that claim to be organic when they’re not. Others do contain organic ingredients, but they’re mixed in with some synthetic substances. That’s because organic fertilizers don’t have the same levels of nitrogen as inorganic and synthetic fertilizers. More applications are necessary, which results in more significant labor and material costs.
Companies will mix synthetic and organic ingredients to keep these costs low. However, if you’re looking to keep yourself, your family, and the environment safe, you won’t accomplish that with blended fertilizers. If you hire someone who doesn’t need to apply their product frequently, there’s a good chance they’re using synthetic fertilizer. That’s because the chemicals are more effective and efficient than organic applications.
Another major difference is the recommended length of your grass, also called “mow height.” Organic companies will recommend keeping your lawn around three inches tall. The grass can retain moisture much better at this height and block weed sprouts from getting any sunlight to grow. When grass isn’t tall enough, weeds can take over, and the lawn won’t absorb as much moisture.
Benefits of Organic Lawn Care
If you’re considering organic treatment for your grass, you should understand what it can do for your yard, so you can make the decision that’s right for your specific needs. The most common benefits of organic fertilizer are:
- Thriving microbes – It’s easier for microbes to access the organic matter in this type of fertilizer, helping them thrive. Carbon is a vital element that feeds microbes to create nutrients plants need to grow and remain healthy.
- Soil structure – Organic fertilizer improves the structure of the soil, allowing it to absorb water and hold onto it for longer. This increases the amount of nutrients, so grass grows.
- Avoid damage – Synthetic fertilizers can cause root and leaf damage. Switching to organic means you’re less likely to destroy the plants in your yard.
- Gradual process – Soil needs to break down organic materials for the fertilizer to become effective. This is a slow process, allowing grass to feed on the nutrients when necessary. Since synthetic fertilizers work quickly, overfeeding can occur, killing the grass and plants.
- No harsh chemicals – Organic fertilizer doesn’t contain toxic substances that can make you, your family, and your pets sick. Many synthetic products runoff into lakes and streams, making their way into drinking water.
- Easy application – Many people equate organic with complicated. However, applying organic fertilizers is just as simple as using synthetic.
Whatever your reasoning for switching to organic, you’ll find that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. If you allow enough time, you’ll eventually see why many homeowners and business owners choose these natural, environmentally-friendly products.
Contact Us
The team of professionals at Ware Landscaping is available 24/7 to take your call at (630) 885-6370. We can discuss your lawn care needs and advise you about the best options to achieve your goals. We can create the right plan that stays within your budget and works for your schedule during our initial meeting.
We know you want your property looking its best all year long. With our dependable and affordable services, your lawn will look perfectly maintained in no time.
If you’re interested in discussing organic lawn care treatments with Ware Landscaping, call us at (630) 885-6370 right now. We offer free quotes, so you know what to expect and how to budget for this new project.
