Organic Lawn Fertilizing Tips

Organic Fertilizers

• Organic fertilizers contain no synthetic ingredients. They are safe for use around children and pets and break down slowly, providing nutrients for several months. The trade-off is that organic fertilizers are often more expensive and bulkier than synthetic fertilizers. Some organic fertilizers suitable for lawns include alfalfa pellets, fish pellets, cottonseed meal and bone meal. These products are available at nurseries and garden centers, although you may also find them economically priced at farm feed stores.

Application

• For best results, apply fertilizers in early fall when growth has slowed but before the ground freezes. Use 1 lb. actual nitrogen per 1,000 square feet of lawn. To determine the amount of fertilizer to use, divide 1.0 by the percentage of nitrogen in the product. For example, if cottonseed meal has an analysis of 3-1-1, divide 1.0 by .03 to get 33 lbs. of cottonseed meal, blood meal, alfalfa pellets or fish pellets. Place the fertilizers in a drop spreader at the recommended rate and walk across the lawn in a back and forth motion to get good coverage.

Soil Amendments

• Natural soil amendments, such as compost, manure and coffee grounds, add nutrients to the soil, as they improve the soil's texture. Manure is available free from local stables and barns, while some municipalities offer free compost. Many coffee shops, such as Starbucks, offer free coffee grinds. Spread a thin layer of compost, manure or coffee grinds over your yard in fall or spring. The amendments break down slowly, improving the soil and adding nutrients.

Corn Gluten

• Corn gluten is derived from corn processing and acts as both a fertilizer and natural herbicide. As it breaks down, corn gluten forms a thin film over soil preventing weed seeds from germinating. It also adds nitrogen to the soil. Apply corn gluten one or two weeks after the last frost and in late fall for best results, but don't use it if you are reseeding a lawn because the lawn seeds won't germinate. Corn gluten is more expensive than synthetic fertilizers, but is completely safe. It can also be used in vegetable gardens once the seeds sprout.

Considerations

• Organic fertilizers, such as bone meal and blood meal, cost more than synthetic fertilizer and may be cost-prohibitive for a large lawn. Manure from horses and other animals that eat hay often contain weed seeds and may burn the lawn if not thoroughly decomposed. Municipal compost may contain biosolids, or byproducts of wastewater processing. Biosolids are considered safe for use on lawns, but may contain toxins or heavy metals. Do not use them on food crops. One of the best things you can do for your lawn is to leave the grass clippings. As the clippings decompose, they provide nitrogen to the lawn, as much as one-third of the lawn's nitrogen needs.