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Introduction to Organic Lawns and Yards Plus a Checklist for an Eco-Friendly Property

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Introduction to Organic Lawns and Yards Plus a Checklist for an Eco-Friendly Property Introduction to Organic Lawns and Yards Plus a Checklist for an Eco-Friendly Property By Sarah Little, Ph. D. NOFA Organic Land Care Program - Naturally Beautiful Introduction to Organic Lawns and Yards Plus a Checklist for an Eco-Friendly Property By Sarah Little, Ph. D. Northeast Organic Farming Association Organic Land Care Program (NOFA OLC) CT NOFA www.organiclandcare.net [email protected] 203-308-2584 June 2016 Introduction to Organic Lawns and Yards Plus a Checklist for an Eco-Friendly Property © Sarah Little, Ph.D. NOFA Organic Land Care Program Northeast Organic Farming Association of Connecticut, Inc. (CT NOFA) www.organiclandcare.net [email protected] 203-308-2584 This 2nd edition includes minor updates, improvements and corrections. The original work, published in 2011, was supported, in part, with funding from the Northeastern Integrated Pest Management Center (NortheastIPM.org) and the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The Northeastern IPM Center fosters the development and adoption of IPM, a science-based approach to managing pests in ways that generate economic, environmental, and human health benefits. The Center works in partnership with stakeholders from agricultural, urban, and rural settings to identify and address regional priorities for research, education, and outreach. Material in this booklet is built, in part, upon the NOFA Organic Land Care Standards, 5th edition, 2011, contributors: Kimberly Stoner, Donald Bishop, Dwight Brooks, Christian Curless, Sharon Douglas, Bill Duesing, Don Franczyk, Lori Gibson, Todd Harrington, Marion Larson, Sarah Little, Michael Nadeau, Cynthia Rabinowitz, Amy Vickers, and Scott Williams. The author gratefully acknowledges the generous and helpful input from the following people: Timothy Abbey, Bill Duesing, Brian Caldwell, Christian Curless, Daniel Gilrein, Douglas Hersh, Ashley Kremser, Mary Owen, Ann McGovern, Jenna Messier, and Kimberly Stoner. Layout by Melissa Gabso. Thank you to the Leo S. Walsh Foundation for funding the printing of the Second Edition. Permission to use text is granted under a Creative Commons Attribute/Share-Alike license (all photos excluded). All photos are used with permission. The recommendations in this publication are not a substitute for pesticide labeling. The label is the law; read it and follow the instructions before applying any pesticide. No product discrimination is intended by the authors or their institutions. No endorsement of any products mentioned or criticism of unnamed products is implied. June 2016 A Northeastern ANIC L ND CA RG RE United States National Institute O Department of of Food and N AT FUL Center Agriculture Agriculture URALLY BEAUTI Table of Contents Introduction 4 Compost, Fertilizers, Common Weeds 35 Mulches & other Soil Weed Removal Methods 36 Purpose 4 Amendments 18 Poison Ivy 37 Organization 5 Invasive Insects 38 What You Will Learn 5 First, Test the Soil 18 Asian Longhorned Beetle 38 NOFA Organic Land Care 5 Fertilize Less 19 Wooly Adelgid 39 Compost, Making and Using It! 21 Winter Moths 39 Working with Ecosytems 6 Nitrogen, Phosphorus, White Grubs 40 What Is an Ecosystem? 6 Potassium (NPK) 22 Grub Control Checklist 42 Biodiversity 7 pH Adjusters 23 Ticks 43 Native Plants 8 Fertilizers, Etc. Checklist 23 Tick Checklist 43 Invasive Plants and Animals 8 Micronutrients and Mosquitoes 44 Ecosytems Checklist 9 Microorganisms 24 Mosquito Checklist 45 Mulches 24 Precious Water 10 Planting Tips 25 Learn More 46 Soil Carbon Sequestration 25 Natural Water Cycles 10 Finding Resources 46 Minimizing Water Use 11 Lawns 26 Organic Landscaping 47 Improving Water Quality 12 Working with Ecosystems 47 Water Checklist 13 Lawn Alternatives 26 Water 47 A Shout for White Clover 27 Energy Conservation 47 Energy Conservation 14 Your Organic Lawn 28 Secrets in the Soil 47 Renovating an Existing Lawn 29 Soil Testing Labs 47 Energy Use, Pollution, and Climate New Lawns From Scratch 30 Compost, Fertilizers, Mulches Change 14 Lawn Checklist 31 and other Soil Amendments 48 Energy Checklist 15 Lawns 48 Pest Control 32 Pest Control 49 Secrets in the Soil 16 Is it a Pest? 32 Soil Is Alive 16 Organic IPM 33 Checklist for an Eco-Friendly Soil and Planting Principles 17 Pesticides 33 Property 50 Soil Life Checklist 17 Invasive Plants 34 Cover Photo: Meadow designed by Richard Bergmann, AIA, ASLA Copyright © Karen Bussolini Introduction Purpose Whether we know it or not, In a beautiful landscape the balance of colors, of shade and sun, of whether we wish it or not, the open space and foliage, of high and low ground, gives us an immediate landscape of the world, amidst “which we live and move and work overall sense of peace and wordless connection to the world outside of and play, continually affects the ourselves. Nature randomly creates such spaces, a rocky ledge overlook state of our nerves and our state on a favorite hike, an open sunny meadow, a stretch of beach alongside of mind — in short, affects our shapely dunes. Nature’s beautiful spots are all organic. There is no rea- happiness — by its beauty or its son why yours can’t be also. ugliness, by its infinite varieties of character.” This book will introduce you to the concepts and practices of organic, — Frederick Law Olmsted ecological landscaping for your property. As a “Quick Start” guide, it Photo: Copyright © Rick Darke provides basic and practical information on how to manage your plants and soil without the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. Those who 6 are new to organic landscaping and those who want to landscaping works well, saves money, and has benefits implement ecological practices will find this booklet use- that extend well beyond your property. Your yard is ful. It is geared towards the climate and soil conditions in physically, not just metaphorically, connected to you and the Northeast U.S., but the principles apply more broad- billions of other living creatures. What you do with your ly. The information it contains has been collected from property matters. peer-reviewed scientific studies, state agricultural exten- sion services and organic landscaping professionals. NOFA Organic Land Care Organization The terms sustainable, ecological, and organic as ap- plied to landscaping are closely related but not syn- Each section presents an overview of a topic and how it onymous. The word “sustainable” is a general term that relates to organic landscaping principles. This is followed means meeting the needs of the present without compro- by specific actions and practices, and a check-list. Or- mising the ability of future generations to meet their own ganic land care is a big topic and a lot of good refer- needs. Ecological landscaping refers to landscaping with ence material exists “out there,” so further resources are a respect for natural ecosystems. Organic landscaping provided at the end of the book. For difficult problems, encompasses both these concepts and, in addition, it the services of a professional organic landscaper may is guided by a specific set of ecological principles and be necessary. practices, including the avoidance of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, as laid out in the NOFA Organic Land What You Will Learn Care Standards: You will learn basic organic landscaping techniques that • landscaping for beauty, function, and nature; will enable you to maintain your property in good condi- • using only natural materials; tion with a minimum of fuss. You will also come away with • designing to conserve energy, water and an idea of how your property fits into the bigger ecologi- materials; cal picture and how your choices for landscaping can • increasing biodiversity; impact the health of yourself, and your local, regional, • removing invasive plants and encouraging and global environment. You will begin to pay attention native plants; to the plants and animals on your property, as well as its • enhancing ecosystem functions; and physical conditions, such as drainage, sunlight, wind pat- • fostering healthy relationships between terns, foot traffic, etc. You will see how useful and easy it people and their natural environments. is to do a soil test and apply proper amounts of organic There are plenty of examples of beautiful organic prop- fertilizer. You will learn how aeration, mowing tech- erties throughout the northeastern United States. The niques and other practices reduce weeds and support NOFA Organic Land Care Program has trained over healthy turf and plants. These methods take a little more 2000 organic landscapers from over twenty states and time and patience but the results are beautiful and long maintains an online listing of accredited professionals. lasting. This kind of whole-picture, ecologically minded 7 Working with Ecosystems What Is an Ecosystem? I think having land and not An ecosystem is a biological community and its non-living physical envi- ruining it is the most beautiful art ronment. In other words, it is all of the living organisms (plants, animals, that anybody could ever want to fungi, bacteria, etc.) in a given area linked together through nutrient “own.” and energy cycles with their physical environment (soil, air, water, sun, — Andy Warhol rain, etc.). Ecosystems come in all sizes: from a single oasis in a desert to hundreds of square miles of rainforest, and from your own backyard to Photo: Goldfinch on thistle the planet as a whole. Ecosystems can be stable, where the particular Copyright © Sarah Little assortment of living organisms remains relatively constant over long pe- riods of time, or unstable, where new species come and go rapidly. Eco- systems can be resilient, where changes in the physical environment or biological communities are self-repaired and the system tends to revert 8 back to its original composition. Or they can be fragile, where small changes to species composition or physi- Like human communities, small cal characteristics cause existing species to die or move ecosystems are connected to away permanently. Ecosystems are a useful concept be- each other and can exist inside cause if you want to protect a particular species, like the larger ones and share plants, spotted owl, you need to understand and conserve all animals, and resources with them.
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