Burlington Garden Center

Soon the snow cover will be gone, and our ugly March lawns will be in full view. Now our thoughts are: how to get this mess looking good! Most of us want to use natural and eco-friendly products to accomplish this. On older, established landscaping, trees have grown since the lawn was put in, blocking sunlight. Not all grasses are created equal. Most need 4 hours of sun to thrive and some can’t tolerate heavy foot traffic, extreme cold or extended drought. We must remember, as with any other plant in our garden, no product will help the wrong plant in the wrong place.

Start thinking about mowing practices. A healthy lawn starts with a healthy root system. Healthy roots start with good mowing practices. When we mow our lawns, we’re actually cutting off its leaves. Lawns need these leaves for photosynthesis and good health. We take that away from the lawn by using poor mowing practices. Use a sharp mower blade to stop the stress on the grass and cut it higher—3 to 4 inches. This helps crowd out weeds, keeps moisture in the soil and supports deeper roots. The most important mowing strategy of all is to leave grass clippings on the lawn to decompose. Fertilize for the long term. Gardeners accustomed to a monthly or 4 times a year chemical feed may be surprised to learn that organic lawn fertilizer needs to be applied only twice a year. Organic fertilizers are long-acting, feeding the root systems for months. Checking our lawn P.H., and making sure it is between 6.5 and 7, will help ensure a happy lawn.

At the Garden Center, we have all kinds of organic pest control in stock, products that work well. The exception is treating the lawn for Japanese beetles, which still requires chemicals to get the job done. Our high-yield brand, “Kill-A-Grub,” does a great job. Milky spore does not work in Wisconsin or elsewhere. No one knows why.

We are all being encouraged to learn about organic products and how to use them effectively. It starts with the lawn. Kids and dogs play and roll around on the grass, adults play games on it. A lawn is designed for recreation. Safety, therefore, is a prime concern. My goal is to offer you organic products that will help you accomplish your environmental goals.