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May 10, 2007 7:16 pm US/Eastern
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Experts Share Best Ways To Keep Your Lawn Green
CRANBERRY (KDKA) ―
Now that the beautiful weather of spring has arrived, keeping your lawn that gorgeous shade of green can be a difficult task.
And many are joining the debate over whether the best way to do that is through organic or chemical lawn care.
"I like to go out and try to take control of it very quickly, and get it taken care of," says local resident Wayne Berger, who uses chemicals on his lawn.
"I think that chemicals are bad for the environment in the long term," says Ann Berger, who unlike her husband favors organic lawn care. "They have some poisons that get into things you don't want them to get into."
So the Bergers decided to go head-to-head in a front lawn and back lawn competition to see whose method of lawn care works the best.
Lawn care expert Doug Oster was brought in to evaluate the Berger's problems, and it was easy for him to discover the first issue – grubs.
"If you see 10 in a square foot you've got a grub problem," says Oster. "We see one-two-three-four-five-six-seven, yes, that many in just a couple of inches."
Experts say chemical insecticides can kill grubs in 3 to 5 days.
But Ann decides to go organic with the nematode parasite, which attacks the grub.
"The nematodes will really hit them hard, immediately," says Oster. "The milky spore takes a year to catch on, but once it gets going. Some people say it last 40 years."
Oster discovers the second problem to be feeding the lawn.
For Wayne, there are synthetic fertilizers, but experts say these can also kill off important soil microbes and wash away.
The organic alternatives include natural versions of the same nutrients found in chemical fertilizers.
Oster says the third problem is weeds.
He says chemical weed killer won't work without killing grass too.
"The organic solution is letting the grass grow at least 4 inches high, which will literally choke out the weeds," experts say.
Here are some more tips:Doug Satterfield of Rollier Hardware in Mt. Lebanon recommends the following organic alternatives, which he says are popular among his customers who are worried about the effects of lawn chemicals on pets and children:
Organic lawn weed control (corn-gluten based) & lawn fertilizer (contains manure & kelp): Jonathan Green
Organic lawn thatch control (prevents lawn diseases): Lawn Restore
Organic fertilizer for trees, flowers and vegetables: Espoma
Organic weed control (for situations where you would use a "Round-Up" type chemical): Avenger
Organic lawn treatment schedule:
1. Early spring, use a corn-gluten based weed controller (he recommends Jonathan Green). This lays on the surface of the the soil and kills germinating weed seeds.
2. About a month later in mid to late May, use an organic fertilizer (again, he likes Jonathan Green) made of manures and kelps, and containing nitrogen, potassium and potash.
3. In early fall, follow up with another treatment of the corn-gluten weed controller
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