Organics vs. Jones’

I run into people/clients all the time who have been made to believe that the best way to “green up” their lawn and make it weed and pest free is by applying the latest chemical product. Since they are obtaining this information from T.V. commercials, uninformed garden center clerks and hardware store workers, it is easy to see why so many buy into this way of thinking.

I find this approach to be reactive as opposed to proactive. In my experience, getting back to the basics is the best approach. The healthier and thicker a lawn is, the less chance of weeds. In turn, the grass will be greener and pests are less likely to cause harm. Therefore, no need for a chemical interference.

Simply Put: to have a healthy lawn you need to have healthy soil. By taking the time to test the soil for nutrients, PH levels and organic matter you will be closer to identifying what you need to do to create healthy soil. This will in turn produce a healthy lawn.

I do not buy into the theory that consecutively applying a chemical fertilizer every 5-6 weeks is the best way to have a healthy , green lawn. If you are looking for answers about how to treat your lawn then you need to start by asking the soil. Tests can be done by a Certified Landscape Professional (http://www.certifiedtreeandlawn.org/) or a local university’s extension program. (http://www.umass.edu/plsoils/soiltest/ )

Our next post will address your concerns that consecutively applying a chemical fertilizer and pesticides will keep your lawn green and pest free like the Jones’, but may also be harming our environment.

If you have a question or comment please send me an email at Jason@redtrucks.net or call me @ 508.695.8579.