Want to talk more about Organic Turf Care?
Come visit us at NE Grows February 1-3 at the Boston Convention Center – Booth #2452!
PJC is a manufacturer and distributor of organic fertilizers and soil amendments. We provide product, consulting and business tools to landscapers, schools, and municipalities that want to transition from a conventional approach to an all natural organic turf care program for the maintenance of their lawns and athletic fields.
It is fall; so like many you are probably going to apply lime – but do you know why?
The function of limestone is to reduce the acidity of the soil and change the pH (potential Hydrogen). Liming provides three potential benefits important to growing healthy turf; improves soil chemistry, encourages beneficial soil biology, and improves soil structure.
PJC had the pleasure of being a consulting partner to the Arboretum Elementary Healthy Lawn Project in Waunakee, WI along with Chip Osborne of Osborne Organics.
To learn more about the project, a collaboration between a volunteer group of parents and the Waunakee School District please check out their recently launched web site
They are now setting their sights on larger media outreach, with press releases and will also be brainstorming on potential spring collaborations with other local environmental groups, UW-Madison and Dr. Porter, that may include a public showing of A Chemical Reaction and panel discussion with Paul Tukey and others.
No, it’s not too late to seed. While temperatures are starting to drop there is still time to get new seed established. When selecting seed varieties focus on the fescues – tall & fine, and perrenial ryegrass.
Kentucky bluegrass takes up to 28 days to germinate; so if you get it started now there is a real possibility that we could encounter a frost in the Northeast before the plants can get established.
For more specifics on seed click to see an earlier post.
Please remember getting seed established now will just make for thicker, richer lawns next season.
Over the years compost top-dressing has become a part of many organic land care professionals approach to growing quality turf. While often very labor intensive due to the bulk of product required to spread ¼“ compost on the lawn, the benefits generally outweighed the negatives. Most landscapers would steer clear of sewage sludge for concerns over the potential of heavy metal contamination or fear of antimicrobial content like triclosan, an antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral synthetic chemical found in many household products such as soaps, toothpaste and dish detergent which find their way into the sewage system.
Due to our extreme winter weather and a wet cool spring, we’ve heard and seen more outbreaks of chickweed in turf than we have in probably six or seven years. Chickweed leaves are opposite, egg-shaped and pointed at the apex. It has a small star-shaped white flower. Chickweed will grow to a height of 3 – 7 inches. A couple of things to keep in mind with regards to common chickweed:
• First it is a winter annual. It will likely die off as warmer temperatures arrive especially from areas that are not moist and shaded.
• Grows in areas of poor turf density.
• Has a short fibrous root system.
Like most forms of weed control in an organic lawn improving turf density is critical to controlling common chickweed. Once the sunny warm weather appears common chickweed is going to die off leaving bare ground for the next weed to appear. At this time of the season the best recommendation would be to seed slice those areas where there is chickweed as soon as possible. Because of chickweed’s poorly developed root system the act of seed slicing should take care of the existing root system.
Also check those areas where you over-seeded early this season. Again, due to the cooler wetter spring we experienced this year the soil temperature may not have reached the ideal range 60⁰ + to get the cool season grasses to germinate as such it may warrant putting down additional seed to save yourself headaches later this season.
This week a new legislation was signed into law limiting lawn fertilizer use in an effort to protect the Chesapeake Bay from nutrient pollution. Lawn fertilizer may not be applied before March 1st or after November 15th. While one would think it common sense, restrictions were also placed on how close to water (10 – 15 feet) fertilizer could be applied.
Restrictions were not placed on “natural organic” fertilizer that contained phosphorous; though come 2013 such material containing phosphorous could not be applied uness warranted by soil test results.
Source: Baltimore Sun
The following are just a few tips to follow now that spring is finally here!
• Soil Test – to determine soil amendment needs (i.e. lime, organic matter, etc.) Apply as soon as practical; lime can take up to 6 months to have an effect. Soil test should provide information on pH, buffer pH, % organic matter, CEC, in addition to chemical analysis.
• Fertilize – with Renaissance All Natural Fertilizer once soil temperatures reach 50⁰. Doing so provides ready food source for the soil microbiology. For more information see The Value of Organic Fertilizers and How to Choose an Organic Fertilizer.
• Seeding – over-seed damaged bare and thin areas. Encouraging grass to grow in these areas rather than providing an opportunity for weeds to take hold.
• Mowing – make certain you start with sharp mower blades; the first cut of the season should be at 2 ½ inches, raising the height to 3 ½ inches over the next 1 – 2 cuts.
Sustainable Community Forum – April 8th & 9th
Practical solutions for health and the environment – The 29th National Pesticide Forum
The conference will be held at the Colorado School of Public Health in Denver and will cover topics such as pesticides and health, impacts of pesticides on pollinators, organic food and farming, healthy communities, organic land care, non-toxic bed bug control, policy change, and more.
Chip Osborne will be speaking on Organic Land Care – strategies for managing parks and open space without pesticides.
For more info
It is still a good time to be returning your clippings. Leaf fall is not that great yet that mulching leaves while mowing can add a valuable source of carbon to your lawn. Certainly in another week or two we likely will have too many fallen leaves that mulching them will not be acceptable from an aesthetic point of view. (more…)