Healthy Lawn Tips & Resources

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WATCH THIS FIRST! 

How to maintain a pesticide-free lawn by Chip Osborne

Chip Osborne, President of Osborne Organics, LLC, has over 10 years experience in creating safe, sustainable and healthy athletic fields and landscapes through natural turf management. He has 35 years experience as a horticulturist and serves the New England and national markets.

Grass Seed suggestions: Use good quality pure grass seed with “no noxious weeds” written on the label (or less than 1% weeds in general). The best grass seed for the Northeast is a combination of Kentucky bluegrass, fine fescues, and perennial ryegrass.  Many people are now adding 2-5% microclover (or regular white clover) which “feeds” nitrogen to the grass. One Maine grass mixture is “Yardscaping Mix”, developed by the State of Maine, available from Allen, Sterling & Lothrup Nursery in Falmouth, ME.  For partial shade, try “CR Lawn Mix” from fedcoseeds.com. “No-mow” grass is available from Prairie Nursery and “Eco-lawn” is available from Wildflower Farm (catalogs).  

Video: “Repair Lawn Bare Spots” Cornell School of Integrative Plant Science: Patch Weak or Bare  Spots   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-A4tYKU8M5M  “At the first sign of thinning or bare spots in the lawn, loosen the soil…and apply perennial ryegrass at a rate of about 7 seeds per square inch, with nitrogen fertilizer at one-third the labeled rate. Ryegrass will germinate quickly (7–10 days) before the weeds get a chance to invade. Do this every few weeks in early spring and late summer. Overseeding is also an inexpensive method for replacing high-maintenance grass varieties with lower ones.” Note that you may prefer to use a grass seed mix rather than ryegrass alone. If desired, sprinkle with light layer of compost (1/4”) and a light layer of seed-free straw (weed-free). Water thoroughly with gentle spray. 

A great way to prevent weeds in the spring is to overseed any areas that do not have thick grass growth.

Got Grubs?

How to do a SIMPLE SOIL TEST: How to Perform a Soil Test. You can order a soil test kit from the University of Maine Cooperative Extension office in Augusta, 207-633-7546 (The kit is free, but when you send in your soil you must pay $18 for the analysis itself.)  University of Maine Cooperative Extension Kennebec Co

Got Grubs? unty Office 125 State Street, 3rd Floor Augusta, ME 04330-5692 Phone: 207.622.7546  (8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)  extension.kennebec@maine.edu        

Myths about Organic Land Management http://www.nontoxiccommunities.com/uploads/7/0/8/2/7082006/mythsaboutorganic.pdf  

Click here for a Cost Comparison of organic vs chemical land management (pdf)

Consider shrinking your lawn and planting native Maine plants: What plants to use and what plants to avoid, https://extension.umaine.edu/publications/2500e/