How to Avoid Harmful Fertilizers on Your Lawn

Choose a variety of turf grass suited to the local climate. Plant rye grass or Kentucky bluegrass in areas with a cool climate, and zoysia or St. Augustine grass in warm areas. Choosing a suitable turf grass species minimizes upkeep and maintenance, including fertilizer.

Test the soil before planting turf grass. Amend the soil with lime if the pH is below 6.0, or amend with sulfur if the pH is above 7.5. Creating hospitable alkalinity allows turf grass to fully absorb and synthesize nutrients from the soil, decreasing the need for fertilizer.

Prepare the lawn by cultivating it with a rotary tiller to a depth of 5 inches. Pass over the area twice, or until most of the large clumps of dirt are broken down. Creating friable soil is essential to having a healthy, fertilizer-free lawn.

Apply a 4-inch layer of compost to the lawn area. Run the rotary tiller over the compost until it is integrated into the topsoil. Adding organic matter to the lawn before planting creates a well-draining, nutrient-rich environment that allows the grass to develop extensive roots, thereby decreasing the need for feeding.

Plant the grass with a seed density per square foot required for the individual species. Water it to a depth of 5 inches using an oscillating sprinkler. Planting the appropriate amount of seed per square foot is essential, since too much seed produces an excess of grass, while too little allows the growth of weeds, both of which deplete the soil of nutrients.

Allow the turf to grow undisturbed for six weeks. Mow it at a height of 3 inches, and allow the clippings to stay on the lawn.

Fill a hose-end sprayer with 10-10-10 ratio organic fertilizer made from kelp meal, bone meal and wood ash. Spray the seedlings liberally to provide a burst of nutrients during their early development. Continue watering the grass daily to a depth of 2 inches until it is established. Adjust the watering to 5 inches once a week.

Apply a 1/4-inch layer of corn meal gluten to the lawn in early spring to provide slow-release nutrients during the growing season. Corn meal gluten is a safe and inexpensive source of nutrients, available at grocery and home improvement stores.