Organic Lawn Care to Boost Curb Appeal

With all the talk about falling house prices, sales, jobs, salaries, now's a good time to change gears and talk about something that will grow, grass! And now is the best time to start planning. Early fall is the best time to improve your lawn. If it's not fall when you're reading this, early spring is another good time. During the summer, there is too much heat to get good results. Getting a good lawn doesn't take a lot of work. Just a few things to keep in mind make a big difference. Doing it yourself is also very gratifying.

The lawn is a major contributor to the curb appeal of your home. Whether you are looking to sell a home or just want to enhance the appearance of your home, a good looking lawn will go a long way. Additionally, going organic will appeal to buyers that are worried about their kids and pets playing in the yard. Organics help promote good soil and soil organisms, the microherd, that will feed your lawn and help it thrive. Synthetic fertilizers feed the grass, not the soil. It is similar to taking vitamins rather than eating a healthy, well-balanced diet. Synthetic lawn care products also harm the organisms in your soil, leaving it devoid of the beneficial bacteria, fungi, earthworms and nematodes that help feed your lawn. Organic fertilizers also work slowly, virtually eliminating the risk of burning your lawn.

Depending on your time frame there are a number of different options to consider. I'm going to work on renovating an existing lawn by aerating, overseeding and using and organic lawn care program from Organic Lawns For America. As I go along, I'll post pictures to show the progress. I have a few nasty, weed filled photos that I'll use as the before photos. This type of revitalization is a great way to boost a lawn that isn't so bad. There are some bare spots, some thin spots, some brown spots and some weedy areas, but overall the lawn is doing OK.

If your lawn is in worse shape you may want to consider killing the existing lawn and either laying sod or planting new seed. Sod gives you isntant gratification while planting from seed is a lot cheaper and doesn't take too long if done properly and at the right time. Both involve a good amount of work and preparation. The Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Bergen County is a great resource for lawn and garden needs. They have publications on laying sod and growing from seed. I highly recommend reading those publications if you're choosing either of those two options.