Did you know that even the careful use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides may cause illness in some people or their pets? By using organic methods of landscaping, you can reduce the health risk to you and your loved ones, save money and contribute to the well being of your local ecosystem/environment.

Here are five organic techniques you can use on your lawn and in your garden.

  1. Wherever possible, use native plants or plants from similar environmental conditions, to make organic gardening easier.  Natives frequently require less water, fertilizer, and care than non-native, exotic plants. Click here for more benefits while gardening with natives.
  2. To keep your lawn healthy and resistant to weeds, use organic methods to care for the soil and the grass. Organic fertilizers, compost materials, and worm castings may be more expensive to purchase than chemical fertilizers, but they do not need to be applied to lawns as frequently, making the actual costs even out over the long term. Using the appropriate amount of water by staggering your watering intervals, will also keep your lawn healthy and stimulate long root growth.
  3. Use aeration, a technique of punching small holes in the lawn, to allow air, water and nutrients to reach more deeply into the lawn’s root system. Not only will your lawn be more beautiful, a healthy lawn will be weed and pest free. You can also use a 50:50 mix of sand and organic compost spread in a thin layer over your lawn as top dressing to strengthen your lawn.
  4. Collect leaves, pine needles and weed-free plant clippings to create compost that you can use on your lawn and your other plantings. Leaves have an appropriate name because it’s ok to actually ‘leave’ them where they land in your yard.  For example, oak leaves make excellent mulch around the base.
  5. Hire a landscape maintenance company who also practices organic methods. Again, the initial expense may be higher than your typical mow-blow-and-go type service, but it’s not worth it to have you or your garden’s health compromised.

Practicing organic gardening techniques can save you money, reduce your exposure to harmful chemicals, and improve the planet.