Step 4
Banish weeds and insects naturally.
Granted, no lawn will ever be 100 percent weed-free, but your mowing, feeding, and watering practices will gradually reduce the weed population. And in the meantime, there are effective, organic weed-control strategies. One of the best is corn gluten meal, which prevents many grassy and broadleaf weeds, including crabgrass, from germinating. Apply it early in the season, before the soil reaches 55 degrees, at a rate of 20 pounds per 1,000 square feet. Do it again in the late summer and you’ll stop weeds from taking hold.
Insects are not a huge problem on a lawn, especially one that’s been strengthened by organic care. Still, there are a few bad characters that can do some damage to your turf. Grubs, for example, feed on grass roots, causing large patches of turf to turn brown and die. Fortunately, there’s Milky Spore, a bacteria that’s poisonous to grubs—and only grubs—and a favorite of organic gardeners from more than 50 years. A little goes a long way: Apply four ounces per 1,000 square feet in the spring or summer, and in most climates, it will colonize the soil to offer long-term coverage.
ref: Warren Schultz
