Organic Lawncare

Increasing numbers of property owners are learning to take care of their lawns without using synthetic chemical fertilizers that are bad for the environment. These chemicals leave a toxic legacy by seeping into groundwater and polluting our drinking water.

Here are some suggestions for keeping your lawn without using toxic chemicals.

1. Set your mower blades higher. Allowing your grass to grow to a height of 3” or more makes it difficult for weeds to survive.
2. Use organic fertilizers. These fertilizers, widely available at garden supply stores, fertilize your lawn without adding toxins to the environment.
3. Aerate and Thatch. Lawns grow better if the earth is well aerated and if dead, accumulated thatch is removed from around the base of grass stems. Raking your lawn periodically helps with this.
4. Plant native shrubs. These shrubs often attract birds, which can reduce the numbers of pests attacking your lawn.

For further information, see the brochure on Lawn Care without Pesticides at http://cleanwateraction.org/pdf/nj_lawns.pdf.

Experience has shown that it is difficult to achieve a classic, deep-green lawn without the use of synthetic chemicals. The steps recommended above will help, but GreenFaith encourages you to find new ways of creating beauty on the land surrounding your home or house of worship. Plant native species or alternatives to grass such as pachysandra. Take pride in knowing that by replacing or modifying your lawn, you are helping build a new, sustainable relationship between people and the land.

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Upcoming Events:
 
Meeting the Sacred in Creation Retreats Offered in Hudson Valley, Pacific Northwest, Southeast in April, May, October 2007.
 
New Brunswick Environmental Health and Justice Tour, April 18, 2007.
 
Prof. Larry Rasmussen to Keynote April 23, 2007 Interfaith Environmental Conference with Drew Theological School.