Sparky's Safe Lawn Tip - 5 Ways to Put Fall Leaves to Work

So, it's Fall. The weather's getting crisper, football is in the air...and your lawn is now covered with fallen leaves.  Normally, we'd just rake them up and get them out.  But, we found another great use for them - 5 in fact - from a great article from Mass Audubon. 

Check them out below - and share your tips!

TIP 1 - LEAVE THEM BE
Why: Leaves act as a home for many different types of beneficial insects (ground and rove beetles, spiders, caterpillars), as well as amphibians such as wood frogs. A layer of leaves also serves as a root protection for trees and shrubs by keeping in moisture and moderating the temperature of the soil. And if that’s not reason enough, you will also attract more birds, which rely on leaves for shelter, nesting material, and water.
How: Leave behind a thin layer of leaves in areas that people don’t walk on (you wouldn’t want anyone slipping). If you’re worried about your grass being smothered, chop the leaves with a lawn mower.
Good to know: Researchers from Michigan State University have found that chopped leaves left on lawns may actually help suppress dandelions.

TIP 2 - MAKE MULCH
Why: A less expensive and taxing option to raking, bagging, and disposing, leaf mulch mimics a natural forest ecosystem, making for excellent nutrient recycling. Plus, it’s more sustainable and you don’t have to buy mulch come planting season.
How: When the leaves begin to fall, mow your lawn as you normally would. This will shred the leaves, making them decompose faster and a bit easier to pack around the bases of plants. In vegetable and perennial gardens, you can keep the leaves whole, and then turn them over come spring. Or, if you like, you could rake them and put them in a shredder.
Good to know: Songbirds love leaf mulch since it harbors lots of nutritious bugs! 

TIP 3 - COMPOST THEM
Why: Any gardener can extol the merits of compost. Good compost requires a mix of high nitrogen (grass clippings, food waste) and high carbon components. The best bet for the latter? Fallen leaves.
How: Scoop them up whole and add them to your compost pile. Not only do they add bulk but leaves make for good aeration. Don’t have a compost pile yet? Leaves are a great way to get started. To speed up the decomposing process, you can shred them a little.
Good to know: Leaves that have been left on the ground for awhile bring useful decomposing microorganisms to the compost pile. A good excuse to put off the yard work!

TIP 4 - HAVE FUN WITH THEM
Why: There’s nothing more thrilling that jumping into a big pile of leaves (and that goes for both kids and adults). Note: Be aware of ticks. Wear light colored clothes and check yourself for ticks after playing outside.
How: In addition to a good old-fashioned leaf pile, you can make a scarecrow, add leaves to vases or window boxes, preserve brightly colored fallen leaves, or make leaf rubbings. For more ideas, visit our Ready Set Go Outside article on leaves.
Good to know: It’s good luck to catch a falling leaf before it touches the ground. Slap the lucky leaf against your forehead, turn around in three complete circles, and then make a wish!

TIP 5 - LEARN MORE ABOUT THEM
Why: Think a leaf is simply just a leaf? Think again. There are compound and simple leaves, broad leaves and needle leaves, leafstalks, leaf teeth, and leaf veins. By learning more about the leaves you see every day, you will gain more appreciation for the natural world around you.
How: Pick up one of the countless books written on the subject. A few of our favorites, which can be found at the Audubon Shop at Drumlin Farm in Lincoln, include: The Sibley Guide to Trees, Fall Color Finder, Why Do Leaves Change Color?, and The Tree Book for Kids and Their Grown Ups. .
Good to know: While we now know science is behind leaves changing color, countless legends have been linked to this fall phenomenon, including Native American lore that said when hunters killed the Great Bear in the sky, the bear’s blood fell on the forests, turning some of the leaves red.

GET READY FOR FALL!
Save 50% on power-seeding now at Natural Turf!  Keep your lawn looking it's best, all year round.  We look forward to hearing from you!

Sparky's Safe Lawn Tip - 3 Must-do Fall Lawn Maintenance Tasks

Hi folks!  Well, the cooler weather is coming.  But, that doesn't mean it time to put our lawn gear to the shed.  Nope!  Let's keep those wheels loose, hoes sharp and garden gloves worked in. 

Here's a great article, 3 Must-Do Fall Lawn Maintenance Tasks, we found from The Northwest Herald, out of McHenry County, IL.  It's a great article and definitely worth the read.  Do you have any great Fall lawn tips?  Be sure to share them with us - we can add to the list!

Here's the list:

1. Fertilize

 

This is the most important time of year to fertilize for cool-season grasses. This last application of slow-release organic fertilizer will provide the grass with the strength it needs to make it through winter. Lay down about 1-4 pounds per 1,000 square feet of grass that gets full sun (shaded areas of your lawn don’t need quite as much). Getting your soil tested first will help you determine any nutrient deficiencies you may then correct by adapting your dosage of fertilizer. (Warm-season grasses need fertilizer in the spring.)

2. Aerate and overseed

In order for cool-season grasses to establish new lawn and build up existing areas, now is the time to plant. The cooler weather helps eliminate the competition from germinating weed seeds, so the grass is able to gain a stronger foothold. Start by aerating your landscape to allow for freer nutrient and water circulation, and to help prevent thatching, then proceed with the overseeding.

3. Eliminate weeds

Take down those dandelions! As broadleaf perennial weeds like dandelion and clover prepare for winter, they pull nutrients (and herbicide applications) from the soil into their roots. Treat problem spots with an herbicide or try an organic alternative, such as a vinegar-based or other acidic product.
In addition to these three tasks, continue your regular lawn care routine. Yes, the weather has cooled and your grass is no longer suffering in the same way it did over the summer. But the landscape still needs a good drink weekly to keep it moist in the drier air of fall and winter. Keep mowing as well, but with a higher setting on your mower — about 2 inches — so you are cutting the blades a little shorter than usual. Do so until you’ve noticed growth has stopped and the lawn has reached dormancy. Finally, as the trees begin to release their leaves, keep your lawn as debris-free as possible by raking often

Good stuff, huh?

Save 50% on your Power-Seeding for Fall with Natural Turf!
We can help with your transition to Fall.  At Natural Turf, we're offering 50% off power-seeding until October 31, 2012.  Keep your lawn looking it's best.  Check it out - we'd love to hear from you!  

Sparky's Safe Lawn Tip - The Order of Fall Lawn Care Chores

Here's a great article from Mike McGrath, WTOP Garden Editor, out of Washington, DC about the Order of All Things Fall Lawn Care.  How are you handling Fall lawn care?

Carolyn in Clarksburg writes, "What do you recommend as the best order for fall lawn care tasks, specifically applying corn gluten and milky spore, aerating and over-seeding. Which should we do first?"
That's a very good list, Carolyn, and pretty much everything on that list should be done at this time of year if you have a cool season lawn. I'll give you the short answer and then go into more detail below.

• First, aerate the turf to relieve soil compaction.
• Then apply milky spore powder to wipe out grubs feeding on the roots of your grass.
• Then you pretty much have to make a choice. Either overseed to fill in bare spots or apply corn gluten meal to give your lawn a big fall feeding that will also prevent weeds like plantain, chickeed and henbit from germinating. Corn gluten prevents all seed germination, so it would also prevent the new grass from coming up.

Aeration often the cure for a problem lawn
For cool season lawns (fescue, bluegrass and rye) that have seen a lot of foot traffic and were originally installed on unimproved clay, you can't go wrong by starting off the fall lawn care season with some core aeration to relieve soil compaction.

To do it right, you need to rent a machine called a ‘core aerator.' These devices pull little plugs out of your turf, allowing the roots of your grass to have the extra breathing room that can turn a so-so lawn into a vibrant one. You can leave the little plugs on your lawn to rot, or rake them up and compost them. Just be sure to only return that compost to the lawn if you have your turf treated with herbicides.

But don't fall for gimmicks like the famous ‘lawn aerating sandals' that just poke holes in your turf, you must pull plugs out of the soil to make more breathing room for your roots.

Milky spore now can prevent grubs through 2040
Next up on the fall lawn care calendar, the spreading of milky spore powder to control lawn grubs. As we mention frequently, milky spore - which has been around for half a century - is a great, natural way to control lawn grubs. But the powder has to be ingested by live grubs in warm soil, making the timing critical.

Luckily, the ideal time is now. The soil temperature is perfect and this summer's baby grubs are chowing down heartily on the roots of your poor turf. Apply the milky spore now, the grubs will ingest the spores, join the Choir Invisible and become little milky spore factories, protecting your lawn from grubs for decades to come.

Overseed? Or corn gluten for fall feeding and weed control
The last two chores are over-seeding to fill in bare spots and using corn gluten meal to feed the lawn and prevent cool season weeds. But since corn gluten prevents the germination of all seeds, the only way to do both would be to sow the new seed, wait until it has been up and growing for at least two weeks and then spread the corn gluten meal. I'm not sure if gluten will prevent the germination of any late season weeds at that point, but it would provide an excellent fall feeding.

Still, it would be wiser to choose. If your lawn has bare spots, it would be better to sow some fresh seed and choose a different organic fertilizer. But if the lawn is in pretty good shape, a corn gluten feeding now could prevent some pesky weed problems next season.

Compost for fall lawn feeding? There's an app for that
Without a doubt the No. 1 chore for those of you with cool season lawns is a big fall feeding. Cool season lawns like fescue, rye and bluegrass need their biggest feeding of the season right now to help them recover from that brutal summer we all endured.

Long-time listeners know that I advocate spreading compost over the turf for this job, as compost feeds the grass, helps eliminate thatch and improves the very structure of your soil. The big question has always been 'exactly how do I do this?' There's a new answer in town thanks to loyal listener Matt in Laurel, who found a compost spreader at the Gempler's website.

It's a big steel drum with a long handle. You fill it with compost, roll it over your lawn and the black gold comes out the mesh openings. Feed your lawn with this barrel of fun.

Sparky's Safe Lawn Tip - 5 Things You Need to Know About Chemical Lawn Care

At Natural Turf, we're all about The Better Way to Organic and Organic-Based Lawn Care.  We're don't believe in chemicals, pesticides or anything else that's harmful to the environment, your health, your family and your pets.
 
Here's a great article from our friends at GreenerGreenGrass about why we do what we do. 

1. What is Chemical Lawn Care? You know the companies – they’re big and powerful and promise perfect green lawns.  And they can often deliver, but only temporarily.  These lawns are treated with fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides that are made from synthetic chemicals.  I’m not anti-chemical (I’m a chemist, after all), but there is no justifiable reason to be putting this stuff in our outdoor living spaces.
2. Why is Chemical Lawn Care Bad for People and Pets? The biggest culprit is chemical pesticide – this is the really scary stuff.  All chemical lawn pesticides have to be registered with the EPA, not because this qualifies them as safe, but because they are technically poisons.  Many of them contain carcinogens, have been linked to birth defects, reproductive effects, neurotoxicity, liver or kidney damage, and have been shown to be sensitizers and/or irritants.  Yeah, I want to keep off that grass.
3. Why is Chemical Lawn Care Bad for the Planet? We sometimes forget that whatever we apply to the lawn is not all soaked up by the grass.  In fact, when fertilizers are over-applied (as often encouraged by the big chemical lawn care companies) most of it runs off anyway (along with the money you invested).  By the way, this is true of all fertilizers, including natural and organic ones – over-application is unnecessary and not good for the watershed.  Lawn pesticides and herbicides add to the chemical burden of the environment – they can be a quick fix, but the long-term effects are worth considering.
4. Why is Chemical Lawn Care Bad for Your Lawn? While it is true that these products can have very quick, seemingly positive effects on your lawn, these results are short-term.  When a chemical pesticide is applied, it kills off some of the good bugs too, including some of the key bacteria and microorganisms in the soil.  If your soil is unhealthy, it won’t be able to sustain the health of the grass plants, so you’ll have to apply more fertilizer to provide nutrients to the lawn.  It’s a vicious cycle – Just Say No to Lawn Chemicals!
5. What Are the Alternatives to Chemical Lawn Care? Instead of chemical pesticides, there are a lot of DIY options like garlic spray, neem, chili peppers, chrysanthemum tea, castor bean, and mineral oil.  The best way to avoid chemical herbicides is to make your lawn healthy.  Weeds grow because they are stronger than the grass plant; the logical solution is to make your grass stronger.  This starts with healthy soil and the right combination of added nutrients.  Natural lawn fertilizers can be as simple as manure or compost, and you know we love the liquid products because they are more readily absorbed into the grass roots.

Great recap.  We'd love to hear some of your thoughts - what are your reasons for choosing natural-based lawn care?  

Sparky's Safe Lawn Tip - 5 Chemical-Free Fixes for Common Lawn Problems

From OrganicGardeningMagazine.com

Like many problems for which chemicals seem like a quick, easy fix, lawn problems can usually be corrected without nerve-damaging and ecohazardous chemicals like glyphosate (used in Roundup) and 2,4-D (used in products made by Scotts and Weed B Gone).

Here are some of the most common lawn and yard problems you’ll encounter, what they signify, and how to fix them:

1. Clover
Some weeds you can eat, some weeds are pretty, and other weeds are signs of a problem. If you want your lawn to be healthy, clover is a good weed to have in the landscape. It usually appears when your soil is low in nitrogen levels, but it helps fix the problem by bringing nitrogen to the soil. Solution: Leave it alone! When you mow, the clover clippings will add nitrogen to your lawn, helping to fix the problem without fertilizer.

2. Dandelions
Dandelions indicate that your grass isn’t developing healthy roots, or that there are nutrient problems in your soil. The turf may be either low in calcium, too high in potassium, or too acidic. Get a soil test to find out what’s out of whack, and use the results to strategize ways to balance out the nutrients. You can use a spray of undiluted white vinegar to kill the existing weeds (aim carefully so you don’t zap too much nearby grass), or dig out their deep root systems with a dandelion weeder.

3. Crabgrass
It only takes a little bit of sunlight breaking through your grass to allow crabgrass to grow, and usually it appears when you’ve mowed the lawn too short. Dig out the crabgrass, roots and all, and then set your mower’s blade higher. Corn gluten will help prevent crabgrass, too. But, again, it has to be applied in early spring, before the crabgrass has taken root.

4. Bare or ragged patches
Bare spots in your lawn may be a sign of nothing more than heavy traffic or too much dog stuff. If heavy traffic is the culprit, consider replacing grass with a gravel walkway, and make dog-poop cleanup part of your weekly lawn maintenance. However, bare spots may also be caused by armyworms, which you’ll probably be able to see crawling around in the soil. Rather than resort to fertilizers or additional grass seed, kill the armyworms off with beneficial nematodes, which you can buy from online retailers.

5. Brown grass
This is usually a sign of overmowing, which prevents the grass from getting enough water. Set your mower a little higher and mow less frequently. The higher you allow your grass to grow, the better it retains moisture, especially during hot, dry spells. Sometimes brown grass is a sign of nutrient depletion, in which case you may want to plant some clover to help affix nitrogen in the soil. A soil test will tell you if your soil needs added nutrients. Brown grass may also be caused by white grubs, a pest that can be eliminated with the same beneficial nematodes used to fix bare patches.

Do you have any special fixes?  We'd love to hear them!

Sparky's Safe Lawn Tip - 5 Benefits of a Properly Installed Irrigation System

Originally published by GreenerGreenGrass

Today we have a great guest post about irrigation systems – definitely some timely information for all you drought sufferers out there… And these folks really know what they’re talking about – check out this beautiful landscape they did.

Keeping a lush lawn and healthy landscape takes a lot of time and effort – often more than most families can fit into their busy schedules. Standing around with the hose in hand or running outside to move the sprinkler again is just too much hassle. Today’s homeowners want more efficient and effective watering solutions, and they’re increasingly discovering the benefits of professionally installed irrigation systems.

Whether your goal is a greener lawn or a healthier garden (or both), an irrigation system can help you achieve it. Here’s a look at the top five advantages of choosing the right irrigation method for your needs:

1. Save on your water bill.

A proper irrigation system installation is carefully designed to meet the needs of your landscape by delivering water right where it’s needed most. With a programmable controller, you can make sure your landscape receives the proper amount of moisture – and not a drop more. As water costs continue to rise, every drop saved translates into cash that stays in your bank account when the water bill arrives. Many homeowners will see water savings of up to 30 percent when they install a properly designed system using the latest technology.

2. Save time on landscape maintenance.

Modern irrigation systems are easily controlled with set-it-and-forget-it timers so you don’t even have to step outside to water your landscape. Just program the timer so the system waters your lawn and garden at the optimal time of day (or night). Not only can you skip out on the hassle of watering, but you’ll end up with healthier plants that require less attention in the long run.

3. Enjoy a greener landscape.

And we’re not just talking about the color. Up to 70 percent of a household’s water consumption goes to outdoor use. Fortunately, today’s professional irrigation systems are finely tuned to conserve water, resulting in a more eco-friendly yard. For example, by choosing a system with built-in soil moisture sensors, a rain shutoff device and a weather sensor, you can program your system to take into account local weather and moisture factors and adjust accordingly. That way, you know your lawn will be watered only when truly necessary.

4. Improve plant growth.

Both over-watering and under-watering can prove harmful to your plants. By choosing the right irrigation system for your needs, you can control the amount of water each area of your landscape receives. For example, using a drip irrigation system in your garden will help plants develop deeper, healthier root systems.

5. Spend less time weeding.

The precision of a properly installed irrigation system allows you to water only the areas of your landscape that need hydrating – without accidentally nourishing thirsty weeds in the process. Consequently, you’ll spend less time pulling weeds from obscure places, such as the concrete seams in a driveway.

For help choosing and customizing the right irrigation system for your needs, consult a landscaping or irrigation specialist. Then sit back and enjoy the benefits of a lush, healthy landscape without all of the work.

Article provided by Landscape East & West, an award winning full-service landscaping and irrigation systems installation and repair company based in Portland, OR.

Sparky's Safe Lawn Tip - A Guide to Animal Pest Control

Mother Earth News has a great, comprehensive post about controlling those furry critters from devouring your hard-earned lawn.

Worth the read, right!?

They've got great tips for:

• Moles and gophers
• Deer
• Raccoons and skunks
• Dogs and cats
• Rabbits

Check out the full guide to animal pest control here.

Sparky's Safe Lawn Tip - Why it makes a difference what kind of lawn seed you plant

Here's a great article from our friends at LawnCareService.net:

Now is the time of year when lawn bare spots tend to appear, especially if you live in one of the many areas that hasn’t had much rainfall this year.  If you’re thinking of buying grass seed to help fill in those spots, or if you’re planning a new lawn for next year, read this article from LawnCareService.net to make the right choice.  There are some great tips, and a couple of them I wouldn’t not have thought of, so even if you think you know what grass seed to purchase, take a look at this list before you buy.

Whether you’re filling in a small patch in your lawn or seeding a whole new landscape, the grass seed you choose for your project will make a difference in the results. That’s why it is important to understand the different factors that should influence your choice of a grass seed for your project.

• Climate. Grass seed companies create their seed mixtures based on what grows best in different regions of the country. Grasses are first distinguished as being Northern or Southern grass. In addition to these geographical divisions, the grass is further classified by climate, such as: humid, tropical, semi-arid and transitional. If you are buying your grass seed locally, you should not need to be concerned with this, as the seed companies will only be shipping the type of seed into your area that fits the region. Should you choose to order seed from outside your area, you will want to make sure that you select the correct seed for your region and climate.

• Sunlight. All grass types need several hours of sun or partial sun each day, but there are some types that can survive better in partial shade than others. If you have areas that are full sun and others that only receive partial sun, you will want to take this into consideration when choosing your grass seed. If you have some areas that are always heavily shaded by trees, you may want to increase the sunlight by removing some of the lower tree branches. Or you may also consider planting another type of ground cover that will thrive better in the shade.

• Patching. There are a couple of considerations in this area. If you are patching, what is planted in the area around the patch? It would be preferable to use a similar mixture. If you are unsure of what was used for the lawn, select your seed based on the amount of sun and the amount of traffic expected for that area.

• Lawn wear. Is the area of the lawn that you are seeding going to experience heavy foot traffic, or will it be more of an untouched carpet? Some types of grass, such as Kentucky Bluegrass, will not hold up as well under traffic, but are great for low traffic area, like a front lawn. It would not be the best choice for a play area or near the edge of a patio.

• Lawn care. Some seed handles drought conditions better than others. If you have a large lawn and your lawn does not have an irrigation system, this can be an important consideration for you. Will you be able to provide the moisture needed for the lawn if the summer months get especially dry?

• Choices. Most grass seed will come labeled as a ‘mixture’ or a ‘blend’. The two terms both indicate that there is more than one type of grass seed included, but there is a difference. A Kentucky Bluegrass mixture will have mostly Kentucky Bluegrass seed, along with a variety of other types of grass seed. Kentucky Bluegrass blend will have only Kentucky Bluegrass, but contain a blend of different Bluegrass varieties. If you are looking for the highest consistency in the look of your lawn, the blend will provide that. The mixture is generally considered to be the stronger choice because of the variety of types.

• Cost. Grass seed is often on sale, but as shown in this article, price should not be your only consideration. Look for the proper mixture and a high quality seed. The highest quality grass seeds will be labeled as such by the Lawn Institute.

Following these basic guidelines will help you choose a grass seed that will provide you good coverage, when planted in good soil.

Sparky's Safe Lawn Tip - You Might Be a Lawn Geek If..

Well, we can't take total credit for this one.  Checkout this humorous post from our friends at GreenerGreenGrass:

Are you a lawn geek?  

In my line of work I am fortunate to interact with a lot of lawn geeks.  Seriously, you wouldn’t believe some of the detailed questions I get.  I like it because I get to be helpful, but I also often end up learning something at the same time.  So, please consider this a tribute to all the lawn geeks out there. 

• You have ever started a sentence with ^%#&ing bindweed / crabgrass / chokeweed / [insert evil weed nemesis here]
• You have spent hours looking for funny lawn pictures (that one might just be me..)
• You follow GreenerGreenGrass on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+  (You know you want to…)
• You have your own worm bin to collect castings
• You brew compost tea, not English Breakfast
• You use a home-made device (AKA a tuna can) to measure rainfall and/or how much your sprinkler emits
• The word “Bermuda” does not make you think of a sunny island getaway or the Triangle of certain doom
• You get excited by the smell of manure being spread on your luscious green lawn
• You have ever trimmed a single grass blade with a pair of scissors (I’ve seen it happen…)
• You count the days until your soil test results arrive in the mail

Any of these ring a bell?  What are some of your "unique" lawn behaviors? 

Sparky's Safe Lawn Tip - Lazy Compost Recipe

From our friends at Compost Junkie. 

Easy composting is a lazy gardener's dream come true. That's right, I said it..."L-A-Z-Y gardener". I never thought those two words would come out of my mouth in the same sentence, but something changed recently...

In the last week or so, I've had several conversations with the folks in our Compost Tribe and they each said the same thing...

"Dave, if you want to motivate more people to compost, you have to start tailoring your message and material to the 'Average Joe'". That is, the person who has little to no experience in gardening, and perhaps a deficiency of time, but still wants to do his part to be GREEN.

For instance, maybe Average Joe won't turn his compost, but he will save his kitchen scraps and dump them into a backyard compost pile. Maybe Average Joe doesn't have the time to shred his compost ingredients, but he will throw everything into a compost tumbler and flip it every couple days.

So Average Joe, let's make a deal...

Every couple pages that I write from now on will be catered directly to you! I'll do my absolute best to simplify, refine, and condense everything I know into a set of what we'll call the easy steps to composting.

To get started let's review what I consider to be the the ultimate recipe for easy composting...

Easy Composting 101

Step 1
Pick an area in your yard where you will build your compost pile.

Step 2
This step is optional but highly recommended.
Grab some old wire fencing, or welded wire (12.5 gauge is preferable) and wrap it into a circle. Make sure it's at least 3' across from one side of the circle to the other and approx. 4' high. Secure the ends of the fence together with zip-ties, shoe strings, concrete ties, etc.

Step 3
Start filling your new compost bin.
When doing this try to remember the following - For every 6" of brown material (e.g. dried leaves, newspaper) you add to your pile, you also want to add 2" of green material (e.g. fresh grass clippings, kitchen scraps).  Continue layering until your bin is full.

Step 4
Sit back and wait.

Depending on your climate and season, the majority of this pile will breakdown into usable compost within 6-12 months. If you want the compost more quickly, you can always turn it, but that wouldn't be very easy now, would it?

By the way Average Joe, I was only kidding when I said "sit back and wait". This is actually the perfect time to revisit Step 2 and build a second compost bin. If you time it properly and build your piles right, you can rotate between these two (or three) bins and always have a ready supply of compost to feed your garden.

Now that's my idea of easy composting! Don't you agree Average Joe?

As I bring this article to a close, I need you to lean in so I can tell you a little secret...
Pssssst...the truth is, we all have an Average Joe inside us, so why not slow down, take a deep breath and take a lesson from the easy composting steps above. Remember - Life's too short to try and garden quickly.

Would love to hear some of your other lazy - but green! - composting tips!

Sparky's Safe Lawn Tip - Winter Worm Composting

Checkout this great article from Mother Earth News about Winter worm composting:



Even in the heat of summer, it's not to early to consider ways to keep our garden friends, our composting worms, fully employed over the winter months. For now, use that vermicompost for some worm "compost teas" to help your gardens with the stress of this summer’s heat. When cold weather comes, gather your materials and try overwintering your worms outside.  

Cold weather (remember that?) will definitely slow the activity of a worm colony. Although my experience is that worms can be incredibly hardy, there’s no reason to miss a beat over the winter. The two key factors are shelter and heat.

Last winter I chose had to replace my compost bins cause they were rotten. They were oak pallets and they had lasted about seven years. I took the old pallets out, but wanted to level the site, so I started digging. What I found was a very rich layer of vermicompost between and under the pallets. Remember, I’ve been filling my bins with worms and managing for their happiness for the whole seven years.

I ended up with a level site and nine wheelbarrows full of vermicompost! As I shoveled the black gold aside, I tried to put the material with the most worms farthest from the compost bin pad. I spread the vermicompost on my garden and mulched it for the winter.

What was left over was perhaps three wheelbarrows of finished vermicompost and most of my worms. I covered the pile with some clear plastic greenhouse glazing. I never stopped putting my household food scraps on the south side of the pile. I simply came outside, lifted the plastic and a layer of straw and threw the scraps into the pile. What happened was that I started an active composting pile. There was enough food coming in, getting mixed in and covered to get hot and keep the whole area well above freezing. The winter sun helped warm the pile through the clear plastic. On cold nights there was condensed moisture on the inside of the plastic but the pile was plenty warm enough to keep going.  

The worms were hanging out at the edges of the pile, staying warm and well fed. Although last winter was mild, this strategy will work well as far north as Minnesota, as I found out on a tour of compost education programs to St. Cloud in 1993. I visited Compost Guru, Jim McNelly (founding board member of the U.S. Composting Council) as he brought me in to educate in the schools there. He had a busy worm colony in a small black plastic compost unit outside his house in a tough winter.

Cool article, huh?  What are your experiences with our friendly creepy crawler?  


Top photo: On the left is the windrow full of vermicompost that I harvested from the dark flat area on the right. Notice the clear plastic covering the pile, the pallets that will become the next bin and the stored bags of leaves. 
Lower photo: The worms are hard at work under the clear plastic and the straw layer. The 2 x 4's are not a part of the system, just left overs from the compost bin being built in the background.

Sparky's Safe Lawn Tip - Drought Tips for a Greener Lawn

Seems like the last week's news has been filled with unfortunate stories of HEAT, HEAT, HEAT for a good part of our country.  So what does that mean for keeping your lawn healthy?  Well, an Illinois-based paper, The Journal-News has some great tips for protecting your lawn in the extreme summer heat. Though they're not described as purely organic methods, these do qualify.

The main tips they highlight include:

• Mow high – Longer grass blades mean longer roots, which can access deeper water sources.
• Water deeply – When you water frequently and not deeply, grass roots will come toward the surface of the soil, which means the plants will be more susceptible drought.
• Leave clippings on the lawn – Grass clippings are a natural source of nitrogen. Leaving them on the lawn allows you to use less fertilizer. When you do use a fertilizer, make sure it is a summer fertilizer so your lawn won’t burn.
• Use smart landscaping – Some areas of your property may not be suitable for grass. In these cases, put in plants that are suitable and save on both water and time. You can also use mulch around plants to help keep moisture in the soil.

Check out the full article for more great summer lawn tips:

Lawns are another matter. Whether climate change is rearing its ugly head or maybe Old Ma Nature’s just on another rampage, there’s a simple way to lessen lawn damage without watering. Just let it grow a little longer! Grass roots tend to be approximately the same depth as the above-ground blades so are more able to absorb deeper moisture.

Following are hints for a healthier lawn from Susan Littlefield, horticultural editor for the National Gardening Association, who writes:”…you won’t have that putting green look, but the grass stays healthier, and shades out germinating weeds.”

I mow my lawn at four inches, and have friends who keep theirs at five inches. Yes, it takes a little getting used to, but it’s worth it.Will you mow less? No, because you should never take more than a third of the grass blades each time you mow. It will take a bit to get used to longer grass, and it may not have that manicured look many homeowners prize, but it will be much healthier.

And unless you water deeply, don’t water at all. Surface moisture lures tender grass roots toward the surface, making them more susceptible to drought damage.

Got any good tips during this heat wave?   Love to hear 'em!

Sparky's Safe Lawn Tip - 9 Tips to Make Your Business Greener

Courtesy of GreenerGreenGrass from July 2:

Today we have a guest post that is an excellent follow up to my last post about being “green”.  Guest post writer Maire Hunter shares her thoughts on how to make businesses greener.  Thanks for the great tips Maire!  Remember, all of these ideas can also be applied to your home.

Making business greener

An awareness of how people use energy, and what they do to be eco-conscious in their homes, is also entering the business world as companies of all sizes become more aware of the impact of behaviors on the environment. Things like paper consumption, energy use (including the way a building is heated or cooled), the type of lighting, and outdoor landscaping are all factors that determine how green a business is.

Request an Energy Audit

Inc.com magazine suggests that an easy way to make a business greener is by starting with an energy audit, designed to help the company and its executives see what activities are using the most energy and what energy use can be curtailed or stopped entirely. Once the audit is completed, concrete work can begin to make the company greener and more energy efficient.
Many of the changes that have to be made will require a bit of money in the beginning, but will save money in the long run. When a company decides to do an energy audit, they should keep this in mind to avoid having a surplus of great ideas with no room in the budget to implement them. Ideas like using solar energy panels to provide for some or all of a company’s energy needs will save costs, but require quite a bit of money to begin with. Saving room in the budget will let your company implement ideas while everyone is still excited about the changes and willing to endure some headaches to get it done.

Encourage Alternatives to Commuting

Employees who live close to their workplace can benefit from biking or walking to work instead of driving. Providing bike racks on the premises gives people a place to store their bikes, while also subtly encouraging them to engage in healthier and environmentally friendly behaviors. Offer incentives to employees who carpool to work by awarding them premium parking spots. Encourage employees to take public transportation, and consider subsidizing transit passes for employees.

Telecommuting

Allow employees the option of telecommuting instead of working in the office, even if it’s only a few days per week. Telecommuting can reduce stress for parents if their children catch the latest bug while saving them time and money that would otherwise be spent traveling to work. Non-parents will enjoy saving the commute and being in their own home.

Limit Paper Use

Instead of sending memos out to every employee to announce company news or policy changes, send out a bulk email. The same goes for clients. Instead of sending them information through snail mail, send the information by email and provide a link from which they can download specific information that pertains to them. When paper is absolutely necessary, or when the company receives information in paper form, shred the paper as soon as it is no longer necessary. Shredded paper makes excellent filler for packing boxes and is easily recycled.

Switch to CFL Light Bulbs

Since incandescent light bulbs are no longer sold, businesses and individuals have no choice but to switch to alternative lighting methods, such as Compact Fluorescent Lights. Though generally more expensive up-front, CFLs are much more efficient, generating the same amount of light while using less electricity. They use what are known as ballasts to increase the efficiency of the bulb and eliminate the strobing you’ve probably noticed in failing fluorescent lights. Depending on the type of ballast used, the lamp could have up to 9 percent higher efficiency when compared to another CFL.

Purchase Energy Star Appliances

Whenever it’s necessary to replace an old, obsolete or broken appliance, be sure that the replacement meets Energy Star specifications. Although the appliance purchase may cost more, a company may be eligible for rebates on certain types of Energy Star appliances and the energy savings over the life of the appliance can more than make up for the increased expense.

Install Gray and Rainwater Catchment Basins

If the company is very large, there may be a considerable amount of outside space that could be used to improve both the efficiency of the building and change the aesthetics of the area. Instead of planting grass and flowers that consume large amounts of water, consider planting drought tolerant or water saving plants such as succulents. If there is grass around the workplace, save the clippings to use as mulch, since this will cut down on weed growth and help the soil hold moisture longer. 

Choose Eco-Friendly Landscaping and Plants

In areas where the weather tends to get especially hot, the use of trees will add an attractive element while also shading areas of the building, potentially reducing utility costs inside the building. Instead of installing an in-ground irrigation system, install soaker hoses that direct water to the plant roots instead of allowing inefficient sprinklers to spray water everywhere.
Avoid the use of chemical fertilizers and insecticides. Instead, surround plants with mulch to suppress weed growth naturally. The use of companion plants is effective for providing nutrients to nearby plants, replacing the need for synthetic fertilizers. Replacing grass with native plants will result in less need for maintenance and water.

 

Chicago’s Green Rooftop

Chicago’s former Mayor Richard M. Daley took advantage of the flat roof on the city hall building by allowing gardening experts to create a spectacular outdoor garden. The garden used rain barrels to collect rainwater for the plants. Chicago’s dedication to creating a more environmentally friendly city even earned it an article in National Geographic Traveler in Sept. 2010 titled “Chicago: America’s Green City“.

When it comes to going green, there are as many options for businesses as there are for families. By taking the time to weigh all of your options and investing in these solutions, your business can create a reputation for environmental conservation and garner the trust and respect of your community.
Author bio: Maire loves it when she can make something green. She also loves her Scottish Terrier, Pete, and baking delicious treats.

Sparky's Safe Lawn Tip - Tips for Cheap Garden Containers!

Safe lawn?  Check.
Safe family and pets?  Check.

Place to showcase all your beautiful flowers, plants and veggies?  Hmm....

Not to worry!  Checkout this great article from our friends at Mother Earth News on cheap gardening containers!  There's tons of great tips on how to find and use them to make your entire lawn looking its best. 

We'd love to see your pics! 

Sparky's Safe Lawn Tip - Juice Up Your Compost!

From our friends at GreenerGreenGrass:


We survived the move with nothing broken (not even my spirit, miraculously)!  I have treated my body so badly during the past few weeks – not exercising enough, eating crappy food because we’ve been going out so much, not getting enough sleep, perhaps drinking a little too much wine… The list goes on and on.

So, in an effort to be nicer to myself (for a few days anyway), I’m doing a 3-day juice fast.  I’m normally kind of skeptical of these types of fads, but the stars have aligned in such a way that I believe that this is a good thing for me to do.  For now, anyway.

Yes, I watched the movie Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead and I will say that it had an impact on me.  I have a passion for health and wellness and I love to see success stories like the ones profiled in the movie.  A friend of ours was inspired by the movie and has become a success story herself – she has lost 30 pounds so far and she’s still going strong!  She’s got a nice blog about juicing if you need some inspiration yourself.

On top of all this, another friend is opening a juice bar right here in Portland and I am so pumped about it!  Roost House of Juice is going to be fabulous!  They source from local farmers (including New Beat Farm, where I used to be a CSA member – they uses horses to plow their fields and farmer Adrienne is great, and not just because we share the same name).  Roost  will also give back to the community by donating a portion of the proceeds from their Give a Hoot Juice to local organizations.  They’re in the midst of a Kickstarter campaign to raise some funds.  I’ll be making a donation later because I can’t wait for them to open!  There is definitely a positive side to being a mainlander again…

Anyway, all of this just to say that I have made a lot of juice today, which has resulted in a lot of leftover pulp.  As I was shoveling it into the garbage disposal, I couldn’t help but think how awesome it would be for my long, lost compost pile on Peaks.  Sigh… I do have some nifty plans for the citrus peels though!  I’m going to make an all-natural citrus peel vinegar cleaner that I can use instead of stinky chemicals.

I do think that if this little juicing trial results in a long-term habit, I’ll definitely have to find an outlet for all this pulp.  I just hate to see it go to waste when it could be turning into nutrient-rich compost.  Any juicers out there have suggestions for leftover pulp?

Sparky's Safe Lawn Tip - The Ultimate Compost Tea Recipe!

June is out of the gates - so you've got to keep that grass looking it's best.  A great way to do that is with the magical mix called     compost tea.

There's a lot of recipes floating out there - and I'm sure you've even got your own.  Who doesn't?

But, if you've got a little time, checkout this one from CompostJunkie.com.

We'd love to hear about your experience with compost tea!

Sparky's Safe Lawn Tip - How to talk to your neighbors about pesticides

From our friends at SafeLawns.org.

Those other signs are ubiquitous these days. “Caution.” “Warning.” “Danger.” “Keep off the Grass.” Usually in yellow, but sometimes in green, gray, red or black, the flags are nearly as plentiful as lawns themselves.

They are actually legal documents designed to warn pedestrians and homeowners about the very real dangers posed by EPA-registered products known as pesticides — the weed and insect killers and fungicides that are engineered, mostly in laboratories, to keep our lawns lush and green according to the larger society’s aesthetic standards. Depending on where you live, the warning signs are suppose to remain in place until the product is “dry,” or 24, 48 or 72 hours after the application. It’s all determined by the arbitrary whims of local lawmakers.

Of the many questions we receive here at SafeLawns, perhaps the ones that bring the most inherent angst are those concerning how to talk to neighbors who stubbornly refuse to cease applications of these toxic products. These are the people we need to live next to, the folks whose living rooms our children visit and, often, the friends we entrust with having our backs in times of need.

And when these folks apply pesticides themselves, without hiring a licensed lawn care company, they don’t even need to post. They almost assuredly don’t watch the wind speed or pattern, or concern themselves about whether or not it will rain later that day. They just apply the stuff they just bought at Wal-Mart — unaware that the stuff is banned in Canada because it’s so dangerous.

How to hold that most awkward of conversations is a study in nuance. There is no one right way to proclaim to another human being that he or she is doing something that is, at the least, offensive and, at the worst, life threatening.

Here are a few ideas we have found that can help:

BE CALM — Begin by offering to share your knowledge about pesticides with neighbors in non-threatening, friendly terms. Angry approaches rarely work, but chatty banter can get people’s attention: “Say, Joan, did you hear about a report from Cornell University about those products we put on lawns?” Joan shrugs, but she’s not yet on the defensive. “Yeah, I just read a study by Dr. David Pimentel at Cornell University found that as little as one-tenth of one percent of the weed killers we apply ever reach their target weed. That means most of the product is winding up in the wrong destination, maybe inside your house, or on your skin or in your lungs. And it’s costing a lot of money, most of which is wasted.” Really? says Joan. Maybe she shrugs again, but at least you might have her thinking.

THE SCHOOLTEACHER APPROACH — Collect web sites and magazine articles that can be photocopied and disseminated among friends. Some of the best on-line sources are www.BeyondPesticides.org, www.panna.org, www.ehhi.org and (of course) www.safelawns.org.

THE POLITICAL CAMPAIGN — Right before an election, those “VOTE-FOR-ME” signs pop up everywhere. Our SafeLawns “Safe to Play” signs, above, are a non-confrontational way to let everyone in our new neighborhood know exactly where we stand on the issue of weed killers — while avoiding the awkward conversation that my wife doesn’t want me to have with people she might need to help her someday when I’m out of town. Everyone on our cul-de-sac either walks or drives by daily and the sign helps explain why ours is the only lawn in the area with dandelions and clover growing freely.

A NIGHT OUT — Organize a local seminar and recruit an expert to speak (I’m asked to present at dozens of these events each year). Invite local garden clubs, watershed alliances, civic organizations and church groups to attend. Offer to buy your neighbor dinner on the way.

THE GIFT — Give your neighbor a book about the dangers of pesticides. One of the best new releases on the market is Dr. Sandra Steingraber’s Raising Elijah, about the challenges of developing a healthy child in an era of environmental crisis. We have begun to give our book, Tag, Toss & Run: 40 Classic Lawn Games as gifts around our neighborhood; the book is 99 percent about games, but it includes a page about the SafeLawns campaign to reduce pesticides. When parents see their children out rolling around in the grass playing all the games, maybe they’ll think twice about coating that grass with poisons.

LEAD BY EXAMPLE — If you grow a beautiful lawn and landscape without using chemicals, your neighbor will willingly follow your example. When we moved into this home last year, the lawn out front was thin, bare and ugly. A year later, we still have a few of what most people would call weeds — and my 5-year-old daughter calls flowers — but we also have one of the most green lawns in the neighborhood thanks to an organic approach that has focused on the soil health.

FIND COMMON GROUND — If your neighbor has children, then you can focus your conversation on the risks associated with pesticides around children. If your neighbor has a dog or a cat, show them studies that associate the health risks of pets around pesticides. Pesticides also affect fishermen, hunters, bird watchers, or the water supply.

The bottom line is that — if you get to know your neighbor — you can usually find a way to bring the conversation back to pesticides. It may not be easy to get them to change, just like it wasn’t easy to get rid of second-hand smoke in restaurants and other public places. But second-hand pesticides are just as bad; we can stop that, too, if we try.

Sparky's Safe Lawn Tip - Worm Your Way to a Great Lawn

There's many ways to keep your emerald lawn flush, aerated and healthy.  And Mother Nature's provided a friendly little helper for us - the earthworm! 

These friendly little critters provide many benefits, including:

• Dethatching your lawn
• Provide organic fertilizer
• Distribute water to your lawn
• Prevent lawn disease

Our friends at Ecological Lawn Care (via GreenerGreenGrass) posted this spiffy infographic about the earthworm and your lawn:

Have you had any experience with earthworms?  We'd love to hear about 'em!  

Sparky's Safe Lawn Tip - 5 Dishes on Dandelions

The weather's getting nicer, your lawn is looking just terrific, you've got that big weekend lawn party planned, you step out onto your grass...and there's a pesky new inhabitant: dandelions. 

As a kid (and even as adults), we love watching the little helicopter-like blooms float and dance into the air.  But, with your lawn it's a whole different story. 

Our friends at GreenerGreenGrass Organic Lawn Care Blog wrote a great article called "Five Things You Need To Know About Dandelions" - here's the gist:

1. What are dandelions? - There's two types of dandelions in the Taraxacum genus of flowering plants.  The name "dandelion" comes from the French phrase dent-de-lion, which means lion's tooth and describes the plant's ragged leaves. 
2. How do dandelions grow? - After the plant flowers, the head of the flower dries, petals fall off and those pesky seed-bearing parachutes get caught by the wind...and go everywhere. 
3. Why are dandelions considered "bad"? - Actually, this is a bit of a misnomer.  Dandelions are rich in nutrients (yup, you can eat them).  And, they're a beneficial weed, from helping vegetable plants grow and protecting your lawn from certain pests.  Oh yeah, but don't tend to them...and they can take over your lawn.  Not good.  
4. How can you get rid of dandelions organically? - A very time-tested and trusted method: by grabbing hold and pulling 'em out with your hands.  But, be sure to pull it all out - any little bit left can cause it to regenerate!
5. How can you prevent dandelions from growing? - That's easy!  Just be sure your spiffy, emerald-green lawn has a large, deep root network.  This crowds the soil, preventing other plants (and weeds) from growing.

These are good tips.  Do you have any other tips with the lion of the lawn?      

Sparky's Safe Lawn Tip - See insects as messengers

As we near the summer months (we're sure), your lawn is just looking fantastic.  Flush with emerald green, lush grassy roots...and the pitter-patter of 4/6/8-legged friends? 


If you've used synthetic pesticides, chances are you're going to see an influx of predatory insects.  Such visitors, however, are rarely an issue in natural and organic-treated lawns. 

They're just part of the overall balance of your lawn's ecosystem.



Typical predatory insects
Most often, you'll see:

• Rove beetles
• Spiders
• Ants
• Wasps

Plant nutrients
As stated earlier, these beneficial insects and soil microorganisms are essential to the natural breakdown of organic matter into plant available nutrients.  Just a big circle of life. 

The Better Way to Organic- and Organic-Based Lawn Care
At Natural Turf, we understand this precious ecosystem.  Ask us about our natural Pest Control Program - and help you and your lawn realize their natural beauty.  We look forward to hearing from you!