Go Organic with your Lawn & Landscape
"The greatest domestic problem facing our country is saving our soil and water.
Our soil belongs also to unborn generations.”
Sam Rayburn (1881-1961)
E
veryone wants to have a beautiful
Now is the Time for Organics
ganic with your landscape, you are con-
looking lawn and landscape. But
With the going green movement now
tributing to your own well being, as well
not everyone is aware that how they
firmly embraced by the mainstream pub-
as the health of the planet.
care for their landscape also affects the
lic, the organic approach provides the
The Soil
local environment.
solution to getting lawns and landscapes
The organic approach to land care
If you are maintaining your lawn and
off the petro-chemical dependence. In-
takes the view that the soil and its inhab-
landscape with synthetic chemical fertil-
creasing rates of disease and cancer in
itants are the most important factor in
izers and pesticides, you are doing more
children and pets, are creating a demand
obtaining a natural healthy organic lawn
harm than good. In regards to the soil,
for non-toxic, organic, environmentally
and landscape. Of primary importance
synthetic chemicals disrupt soil structure
friendly products.
is the soil microbiology. In a spoonful of
and destroy soil biology. Repeated use
According to the Northeast Organic
healthy soil, there are billions of benefi-
of synthetics over time create an imbal-
Farming Association (NOFA) Organic
cial bacteria, fungi and other soil organ-
ance which leads to a dependence that
Land Care Standards, the organic ap-
isms that form a symbiotic relationship
requires more artificial inputs to treat
proach incorporates only natural materi-
with plant roots. And it is these soil mi-
an ever increasing amount of problems
als along with proper horticultural prac-
crobes that provide the nutrients for the
that develop, such as weeds, diseases
tices in a system that views the ecosystem
plants to grow. So in order for the soil
and insect infestations. In addition, it has
as a whole without the use of synthetic
microbiology to thrive they need to have
been found that at least 2/3 of chemicals
chemicals. And the primary principle for
food, water and air. Therefore the basic
applied do not stay put where they are
organic land care is “Do No Harm.”
rule for organics is “feed the soil and the
applied. They can leach through the top-
Although the transition to organ-
soil will feed the plant.” But it must be
soil after heavy rain or runoff into storm
ics can take some time, depending on
understood that an organic program is
drains, streams, rivers and lakes. This can
the condition of your soil, it is definitely
not a quick fix and will not produce re-
lead to damage to aquatic life and eutro-
worth the effort. Healthy lawns and land-
sults overnight. It will require patience for
phication.
scapes absorb rainwater, decrease runoff,
the soil microbiology to build up to levels
and prevent erosion. Trees and shrubs an-
that will sustain plant growth.
The Risk to Human Health
chor the soil and their canopy keeps the
Children playing on a chemical lawn
soil cool. With the attention given to cli-
Connecticut Bans Pesticides
can get the residues on their skin, clothing
mate change and greenhouse gas emis-
The Connecticut Legislature has en-
and toys. And if they put their fingers in
sions, carbon sequestration is a hot topic
acted a law that by July 1, 2009 all public
their mouth they absorb them internally.
because of excess carbon in the air in the
and private school grounds and athletic
Athletes playing on a chemically-treated
form of carbon dioxide, a gas attributed
fields from grades K-8 will not be allowed
field can get residues on their equipment
to global warming. A benefit of healthy
to use pesticides, including weed killers,
and uniforms and carry them into build-
lawns and landscapes is the fact that
insecticides and fungicides. This also ap-
ings and vehicles. If you have a pet roll-
grass, shrubs and trees utilize carbon di-
plies to Daycare Centers.
ing and playing on the lawn, residues can
oxide and release life sustaining oxygen.
So copy this article and show your local
be absorbed through their paws or get in
Thus a healthy yard is actually a carbon
community leaders you are concerned.
their mouth.
sink that deposits carbon into the soil in
the form of humus, a stable carbon-rich
John Tycz, owns Go Organic LLC, a
material, which lowers carbon dioxide
NOFA Accredited all Organic Lawn &
levels in the atmosphere. So by going or-
Land Care Business, based in Thomp-
son, CT, serving Connecticut, Massa-
chusetts and Rhode Island. Visit www.
GoOrganicLLc.com. You may contact
him at:
info@GoOrganicLLc.com or call
(860) 935-5235.
See ad on page 15.
April 2009 41
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