Organic Lawn Care Overview
Our organic lawn care programs are for those who are conscientious about their impact on our earth and are looking to reduce their footprint while still maintaining a healthy- and good-looking lawn. We offer two different tiers of fully organic lawn care, the first is our Restore Program which, using fertilizer and multiple soil amendments will help get an otherwise unhealthy lawn on the right track. The second tier is our Sustain Program which is for those who are happy with the look of their lawn and are just looking to maintain its health without the use of chemicals. These programs consist of only organic fertilizers derived from soy beans, crab, and kelp. It is important to note that these programs do not offer any weed control services through the use of chemicals. A full and healthy lawn will naturally push out weeds and crabgrass, therefore seeding is the only form of weed control that is included. We do want to be as up front as possible, with an organic program you will have some weeds and crabgrass, a monoculture lawn (a lawn with only one type of grass) is an unrealistic expectation. The products we use comply with the USDA National Organic Program standards, and are approved by NOFA, Bay State, and MOSA organic certifiers.
Organic Restore Lawn Care Program
Our Tier 1 lawn care program is a 100% organic program that offers you maximum peace of mind for your lawn. This Restorative program is perfect for lawns with soil conditionals that are less than ideal as it not only included fertilization services but also four soil amendments based on the specific needs of your lawn. We begin the season by conducting a soil test to tell us which amendments will best suit your lawn, these four amendments can be any combination of Lime, Gypsum, Humic+, or Charge-S3. Soil tests will then be conducted at an interval of every three years. This is because soil does not drastically change from year to year. The program consists of three soy bean based granular fertilizer applications that work by feeding the soil microbes which then go on to feed the grass plant. There is also a kelp and crab based liquid turf refresher to help your lawn recover during times of summer stress. In the late summer we will also monitor for grubs which, if discovered, we will control with an organic cedar oil application. Another part of the program is slice seeding in the early spring, which will fill in bare areas in the lawn and help to thicken the lawn up and prevent weeds. We will finish out the season with an aeration and overseeding application which will be done in the late summer/early fall. This service will help loosen any compaction in the soil as well as fill in bare areas.
Included in the Tier 1 Restore Program
- Soil test (every three years)
- Three organic granular fertilizer applications
- Spring slice seeding
- Liquid organic turf refresher
- Soil amendments (maximum of four)
- Organic grub control
- Fall aeration and overseeding
Organic Sustain Lawn Care Program
Our Tier 2 lawn care program is another 100% organic service that is perfect for those looking to sustain their already healthy turf. This program does not offer as many soil amendments as our Restore program as its nature is more to maintain rather than transform. This is not to say that the applications in this program will not benefit your lawn greatly. We start off the season with a soil test to determine what the two soil amendments you receive will be, these can be any combination of Lime, Gypsum, Humic+, or Charge-S3. The Sustain program still includes three soy bean based granular fertilizer applications that work by feeding the soil microbes which then go on to feed the grass plant. An organic kelp and crab based liquid turf refresher will also be applied in the summer time to help protect your lawn during times of stress. Just like in the Restore program we will monitor your lawn for grubs in the late summer when they are active, if discovered, a cedar oil will be used to control them. We will finish out the season with an aeration and overseeding application which will be done in the late summer/early fall. This service will help loosen any compaction in the soil as well as fill in bare areas. Slice seeding is an optional add on in this program and is not included, this is because the Sustain program aims to maintain lawns that are already full and healthy.
Included in the Tier 2 Sustain Program
- Soil test (every three years)
- Three organic granular fertilizer applications
- Liquid organic turf refresher
- Soil amendments (maximum of two)
- Organic grub control
- Fall aeration and overseeding
Amendments in Our Lawn Care Programs
Lime
Lime offers various benefits to the soil of your lawn, but the three important ones are improving the soil chemistry, encourages beneficial biology in the soil, and improves the overall structure of the soil. An important aspect of Lime is the managing of your soil’s pH level, this falls under the soil structure. Grass grows best at a pH level of 6.5-6.8 and lawns in Massachusetts are a little acidic by nature (having a low pH level) so the lime will help balance that out and make conditions better suited for growing.
Gypsum
Gypsum is used to help reduce soil compaction, improve the calcium-to-magnesium ratio, and reduce sodium levels in the soil. Reduced soil compaction and a better calcium-to-magnesium ratio will enhance root growth and improve water and airflow to the turf root zone. Gypsum will also remove sodium from the soil profile by pushing it down below the root zone of the grass, where it can no longer do any damage. East Coast lawns suffer from salt damage yearly because of our winters and the salt applied to the roads to melt snow and ice. This salt ends up on our lawns and will then leach into the soil, making spring grass recovery difficult.
Humic+ Plus
Humic+Plus is a Humate that improves the cation exchange capacity (CEC) which is the soils ability to attract, retain, and exchange beneficial cations such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium. This is important because it will aid in the stimulation of soil biology and improves the overall soil structure.
Charge-S3
Charge-S3 is a three in one soil conditioner, bio-stimulant, and natural nutrient that is made from biochar, molasses, kelp, animal and plant proteins. Charge S3 can be applied multiple times throughout the season based on the results of the soil test and will aid in water and nutrient retention and absorption of inhibitory compounds.