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Organic Lawn Management Lawn and Wish to Convert It to Be Organically Maintained

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Organic Lawn Management Lawn and Wish to Convert It to Be Organically Maintained So you have taken over a chemically managed Organic Lawn Management lawn and wish to convert it to be organically maintained. • Assumptions and observations (hypothetical) Nov 15th Green Gardening IPM Workshop The lawn is relatively free from weeds The lawn is the color of deep, not from nature green but has a deep thatch layer from too many high nitrogen apps. Due to the repeated use of pesticides, fungicides and herbicides the lawn has a reduced population of beneficials. Graham Haroldson Assumptions and observations (hypothetical) Client Contact continued Of utmost importance. The client may have many reasons for switching to organic. Identifying these reasons will reinforce the The lawn is maintained (mowed and watered) by the decision homeowner (or mowed by the homeowner and mowed/tidied by a neighborhood landscaping outfit). Client participation dictates success with every step The soil is compacted reach an understanding * no aerations reality check: coming from a chemically maintained landscape the * clippings being hauled away homeowner may have unreal expectations about what the lawn will look like The lawn is very short and a 2’ perimeter around the edges is extra short with moss taking over Make a timeline Watering is being done at 10min durations every other The lawn may go into shock from the lack of synthetics day of the week The lawn may take at minimum, one year to come around with the slower release fertilizers and getting microbial activities functioning Immediate timelines are needed to establish proper mowing and watering schedules. Soils and soil chemistry Cation Exchange • Nutrient cycling: Ions; positive and negative molecules are held within the soil micronutrients & macronutrients All plants cycle nutrients, using and returning nutrients to the soil Plant roots exchange molecules within the soil Soils with higher organic material content have more The turf uses elements from available ions to exchange the soil, air, clippings and water. All elements are exchanged for each other. Many different life forms are utilized here 1 pH Stands for potential hydrogen Soil Biology / Soil Food Web Directly impacts the availability of nutrients in the soil Can be adversely effected by applications • Nematodes •Bacteria • Soil Foodweb Inc. •Fungi Paul R. August, University of Minn. • Arthropods Soil Foodweb Inc. Foodweb Soil SSSA •Earthworms •Protozoa Wilhelm Foissner, University of Salzburg Beneficial Fungi Beneficial Microorganisms aka: mycorrhizae • Mushroom “roots” Greatly increase the plant’s root zone (100x). Able to exploit Bacteria and microbes Colonize root zones forming vastly more soil area and fit symbiotic relationships into smaller spaces roots can’t fit Some bacteria are stimulated by mycorrhizae Produces antibiotics for the host plant Major players in the breakdown and rere--mineralizationmineralization of organic matter Increased pathogen resistance Able to suppress soilsoil--borneborne Carries nutrients to the plant pathogens Creates usable nutrients through enzyme production Compost Tea Best Management Practices • Exponentially breeding soil microorganisms For Turf • Fighting the good fight • Helping to jump start biological •mowing activities in the soil • Adds humic acids Frequency- every 4-7 days Height 2.5-3” Keep mower clean/sharp Try to mow when it’s dry to prevent fungal issues 2 Change patterns Mower etiquette frequently to prevent ruts Line Trimmers Mow with the outside tire as and striping Fig. A- horizontal plane far as possible from the Never remove more than 1/3 should not be used. Fig. B- vertical plane O.K. turf’s edge the total grass blade Causes scalping/unnecessarily Used to create clean edges short areas of turf around the turf edge Promotes moss and weak turf Only possible reason, aesthetics B.M.P. cont. B.M.P. cont. • Watering The deeper the water penetrates • Mulch mowing the deeper the roots When done properly does not .One Inch of water per week add to thatch during summer months .Check your systems output The mower used must be able to adequately chop cut blades .Only one to two applications into small pieces needed per week Should only be done on a .Never apply at the 10 min disease free lawn Every day/other day intervals This is not adequate^ .Water in the a.m. just after dawn Aeration • Loosens soil • Seed selection compaction Improves air and water penetration Location/exposure Over seed Able to gradually improve soil • Timing Structure and rooting depth Spring or Fall • Aftercare Watering Top dress for success • De-thatching If necessary, Should be done prior to aeration and over seed Opens up soil surface to pull better plugs and for seed dispersal /root adhesion 3 Fertilizer Weeds and weed grasses • Slow release • Tolerance Cultural controls • Balanced Mowing/ prevents seeds from forming Proper turf height shades out weeds and moss • Contains water insoluble nitrogen Hand pulling Herbicides • 4 lbs of nitrogen per year per 1,000 sq ft Mode of action • N Applied 1lb per 1,000 sq ft per application Selective and Non-selective Cautions • Synthetics sometimes contain more nutrients than the NO WEED N’ FEED! • W.N.F. unnecessarily covers the entire lawn and is persistent in the plant can use, leaching the rest into the ecosystem environment much longer • Dangerous to kids, pets and wildlife Carbon!!! Moles and Crane fly • An often overlooked and major component of soils Over applications of synthetic nitrogen actually reduce soil’s • Moles: Give up! • Crane fly carbon and the soil’s ability to hold nitrogen • Top dressing with Use mounds as free top- A healthy lawn is able to dressing Withstand 25 larvae per compost Sq. ft. Adds vital carbon containing organic matter Ra ke hills in a ra dia l ou twar d Crane fly are typically a • Organic matter pattern like bicycle spokes symptom of an underlying problem Creates aggregates and Stomping down mole hills pores that hold and exchange If absolutely necessary!!!!! Only causes new ones nutrients, water and minerals As a last resort with the plant’s roots A synthetic pyrethrin may be used to reduce the population • Mulch mowing Leaving the holes alone, the moles may stop pushing new Helps return nutrients, carbon mounds up once they have and nitrogen to the soil their runs The Wrap Up It takes time to go organic and see results. Proper cultural practices reduce the need for inputs. Most soil organisms are good. Chemical regimens reduce beneficial populations and weaken the soil food web. Organic matter is vital for optimum nutrient availability. 4.
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