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 - Suppress weed germination with corn gluten

April's here, so now we need to get into it. Early Spring is when early root activity begins on your lawn, so we need to think about suppressing weeds. Great thing about natural lawn care is that Mother Nature has a great way to take care of that: corn gluten.

Kelly Burke, a regular columnist on Lawn Care at About.com did a great profile on this yellow wonder. You can checkout his entire article here, but here's some highlights:

What is corn gluten?
It's a powdery byproduct of the corn milling process. It was accidentally discovered as having similar properties to preemergent herbicides. Thus, making it a perfect, natural alternative to chemical herbicides.

How does corn gluten work?
Corn gluten inhibits root formation of germinating seeds. Application timing is critical - right around this time is great, and before weed seed germination begins.

How much corn gluten should I use on my lawn?
Application rates vary depending on whether the gluten is powderized, pelletized or granulated. But, a good rule of thumb is 20 lbs/1,000 sq. ft.

There's much more to checkout on Kelly's article - check it out. Are you considering corn gluten this season?

A Great Foundation: 10 Essential Tips to a Natural Lawn

Lawn season is right around the corner! And, if you're thinking of going organic or organic-based for your lawn, there's definitely a lot to think about. Where do you start? Like any worthwhile project, getting the right foundation is key.

Here's a great foundation from our friends at SafeLawns.org:

THE 10 ESSENTIAL TIPS FOR A NATURAL LAWN
1. Obtain a soil test - Never spend money on any fertilizer or soil amendment without first consulting the results of a soil test first.
2. Grow the right grass - The most common lawn grasses in North America, Kentucky Bluegrass and Bremudagrass, also need the most water and fertilizer to grow well. Other species such as perennial ryegrass, fescue, seashore paspalum and centipede grass may be better for your region of the country.
3. Water well - Morning watering is always recommended so that the surface of the lawn dries off during the day. Water deeply and infrequently so the roots of the grass learn to grow down into the soil to get the water they need.
4. Think of your soil as alive - "Dirt" is what you track into your house. The material that grows on your lawn, the soil, is alive with organisms large and small. Nurturing that life through proper use of natural materials will lead to a successful natural lawn.
5. Mow properly - Recycling your grass clippings by leaving them on the lawn will provide approximately half your lawn's fertilizer needs for the season. Keep your mower blades sharp. Depending on the species, lawns should be mowed no lower than 2.5 inches, even higher in the summer.
6. Avoid synthetic materials - Fertilizers manufactured in a laboratory often burn lawn grasses and soils. Fertilizers and soil amendments should come from materials that were once living plants or animals, or mined materials such as lime or sulfur.
7. Add compost - Nature's most magical soil additive, compost, contains all sorts of beneficial microorganisms that add life to the soil. These organisms will interact with the organic fertilizers to provide the green lawn many of us covet.
8. See weeds as messengers - Weeds usually appear on lawns only when something is wrong with the soil. Even if we kill the weeds, they'll come back unless we fix the underlying problem with the soil.
9. See insects as messengers - A rush of new grass growth caused my synthetic fertilizers will often attract insects. Predatory insects are rarely a problem in a natural system that's in balance.
10. Overseed regularly - In nature, all plants produce seed to reproduce themselves. In a lawn system, where we mow regularly, grass is not allowed to reproduce and even the healthiest plants get tired. By overseeding in spring and fall, you're introducing robust young plants that will fill in bare areas and compete aggressively against weeds.

At Natural Turf, we exclusively use natural and organic lawncare products that strengthen your lawn to handle summer stress while helping to reduce your water consumption. Call our natural lawn care specialists today for a consultation, or to learn more about our seasonal and year-round lawn care programs.