It's springtime! At least here in the Northern Hemisphere. And here's the first thing you should do before you venture out into your yard. Everybody wants to feel that soft green grass under their bare feet. But before you run out and buy that bag of fertilizer, you gotta understand that synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides are not good for you, your kids, or your pets.
Buy organic fertilizers. They're made from natural substances like bone meal, natural potash, humic acid, and minerals. They release slowly and nourish the organisms in the soil, which then nourish the grass. But make sure your fertilizer is certified by the Organic Materials Review Institute. The OMRI certifies fertilizers, pesticides and other inputs intended for the organic farming industry. The use of the word ORGANIC in garden products is meaningless. There is no regulation on the use of that term. Look for OMRI certified. I've put several lawn fertilizers that I recommend in Layne's Likes in my bio. Because they're not real easy to find.
I also love volcanic ash products. They're very clean and mineral-rich. If you have problems with crabgrass or dandelion outbreaks in the spring, you can use corn gluten, but it's expensive and hard to find certified. I suggest filling a spray bottle with straight white vinegar and spray a direct stream on emerging weeds. It's just acetic acid, which won't hurt anyone. But it breaks down plant cell walls, in any plant it gets on, so aim well.
Check out BeyondPesticides.org. You'll get really smart about how to have a gorgeous toxin-free yard.
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