Organic Low-Maintenance Lawn Care Guide

I had neighbors laughing at me when I went against the grain in the neighborhood and decided to go organic with my lawn. When drought came along, everybody else’s lawn went brown, except mine which were green, tall and strong from being deep rooted. Also, after a time when our neighborhood lawns weren’t mowed and were now starting to grow out, I saw that I didn’t have invasive lawn weeds hiding in my lawn while others were completely covered by them. They’re not laughing anymore. 🙂

I have to admit, I first looked into organic lawn care for not-so-noble reasons. I have a pool in my backyard, which means that using any nitrogen-rich fertilizer back there risks getting nitrates in the pool water, which is a big no-no for pool owners. I hoped that organic lawn care could provide me with a way to care for my backyard without endangering the pool water. That’s not to say that I didn’t care about the environment; it just wasn’t my first priority.

However, in reading this book, I’ve become downright enthusiastic about, not just helping the environment, but having a great yard *while* helping the environment. As other reviewers noted, the author does not ask us to settle for inferior lawns in order to help the environment. He is passionate about having a great lawn — and doing it the right way.

There are essentially two ways to get great looking lawns: treat it with chemicals, or follow the organic route described in this book. They can both produce great looking lawns, but there is a difference. I liken the comparison to making a person look better through either plastic surgery or exercise. Plastic surgery is fast and can have some incredible results, though it does nothing to improve the actual health of the person. Whereas exercising can probably get to the same end, though with a bit more effort, especially at the beginning. However, even though the results may look similar, underneath the person who has been exercising is stronger, fitter, and more able to cope with the physical stresses of life. Similarly, with a bit more effort (at least, at the beginning), an organically cared-for lawn can look great and be healthier and stronger than a chemically cared-for lawn.

I’m ditching the remainder of my Scott’s Four-step weed-and-feed lawn care process and embarking on *really* caring for my lawn. Thank you Paul Tukey for opening my eyes!

PS – as an added bonus, I *can* care for my lawn organically without endangering my pool water.

Great book! Came quickly.

I’m trying to get started on an organic lawn. I’ve been to lots of (sometimes contradictory) websites, talked to local contractors, and ordered another lawn book. This book is becoming my manual for an organic lawn. It has a lot of detail, great pictures that are truly illustrative, and offers a complete approach to creating a healthy organic lawn.

It should also be noted that the author is not a crunchy hippy who is happy with a weed-filled patch of land. He is/was a professional landscaper who understands the appeal of a beautiful green lawn. He also understands that it can be created, and created better, without the application of synthetic chemicals. I think this gives the book credibility, as the reader can start from the assumption that a beautiful, healthy yard is the goal…an organic lawn is not assumed or allowed to be a substandard lawn.

Informative. .and interesting of alternatives away from using chemicals for your lawn care.

I read other reviews before purchasing this book. I thought it was the perfect blend of technical information if you wanted it and practical explanation for the doing. It is well laid out so that once you’ve read through it, you can easily find the reference material you need. I think it’s the perfect start for going organic. You can get as crazy as you want or take it a step at a time.