Making the transition to organic land care may seem intimidating or overwhelming to the average homeowner who maintains their own lawn and landscape. Many misconceptions exist about organic lawn and land care.
The information below is meant to give you an overview of different aspects of organic land care. Links to additional resources are given throughout the text for more in depth information on each topic. As you learn how to transition, make sure to start small. Pick one or two new practices to incorporate in the first transition year- for example have your soil tested and integrate more native plants into your landscape.
Organic land care involves treating your landscape as a whole living system where the soil, plants, and animals within that system are interdependent and should sustain each other. This type of thinking is based in ecology, which is the study of the relationships that living organisms have with each other and the nonliving environment. As the steward of your home landscape, in an organic system your goal should be to "do no harm"; that is, to protect the ecological cycles in place on your property, as well as ensure your property does not negatively affect surrounding land uses.
When transitioning to an organic home landscape, the goal should be to create a healthy lawn and garden that are self-sustaining with few material or product inputs.
- The Life of the Soil
- Fertilizers and Soil Amendements
- Compost and Compost Tea
- Lawn and Lawn Alternatives
- Protecting Water Resources
- Pest and Disease Management
- Weed Management and Native Plants
Want to learn more? Visit our Earth Day, Every Day website for webinars on sustainable landscaping, native plants, composting and more!