The Green, Green Grass of Home

How Organic is Changing the Landscape
by Anne Taulane

David Rubovits tended his lush, green organic lawn himself last summer. However, the Evanston resident also had his hands full with his new twins, so he hired a landscaper to cut his lawn. He requested that the company mow high -- an organic standard -- keeping the grass between three to four inches high. Mowing high was particularly important, given the sweltering summer heat wave smothering the Chicago area.

But, they didn't listen. "They butchered the place," Rubovits lamented. "They scalped the lawn, and it burnt, and the weeds came." He lost his verdant organic lawn to modern landscaping ideals.

Rubovits, a developmental psychologist, discussed his situation with the Chicago non-profit Safer Pest Control Project and Pure Prairie Organics -- the organic lawn company that now cares for his yard --- and began rebuilding his lawn with organic care. One year later, the lawn is thriving again. "My wife and I, in general, have an appreciation for organic solutions to problems," he said.

Rubovits is one of the many yard owners who has experienced the revitalizing effects of organic care. According to organic lawn care providers, he is part of an increasing trend of homeowners who refuse to use synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, which pose serious health and environmental risks, and opt instead for natural alternatives.

However, bucking the synthetic system to embrace organics requires more of a commitment to your lawn and a greater understanding about what keeps your grass, soil, and the microorganisms within it healthy. "It's not a quick fix," Rubovits said. "You don't spray and the next day weeds are gone and the grass is dark green."

The Trouble with (Uninformed) Landscapers

The foundation of successful organic lawn care is soil rich in beneficial microorganisms and insects, which feed and protect the grass from other disease-causing bacteria and fungi. Organic fertilizers help the grass grow by adding natural nutrients to the soil, which in turn promotes deeper roots. The result of this balance will be a lush, green lawn.

As Rubovits discovered, the battle for a healthy organic lawn is often waged against uninformed landscapers instead of unmanageable weeds. Rachel Rosenberg, executive director of the Safer Pest Control Project, a non-profit that promotes healthy alternatives to pesticides and educates individuals and communities on maintaining an organic yard, said organic lawns often suffer at the hands of inflexible landscapers who improperly manage lawns by mowing too short or during droughts.

She said landscapers often cut lawns on a schedule they faithfully stick to despite a lawn's needs. "When it is short and damaged, a weak lawn is open territory," Rosenberg said.

On the other hand, many organic lawn care providers have an extensive knowledge of a lawn's eco-system. Bill Scheffler, owner of Pure Prairie Organics, has a degree in horticulture and draws on his biological and chemical understanding of lawns to treat his customers' yards. His knowledge impressed Rubovits, who became his customer. Rubovits said that before he used an organic lawn care service, he bought and used organic fertilizers himself. "We didn't know what we were doing," he said.

For Do-It-Yourselfers

Organic enthusiasts lacking the guidance of organic lawn care specialists like Scheffler can turn to the Safer Pest Control Project, which educates people about organic alternatives to chemical lawn treatments through its "Yards for Nature Campaign." Rosenberg said the non-profit organization encourages homeowners to re-envision their yards and explains the care needed to maintain an organic lawn. "It's possible. It's doable. It just takes a little more energy," she said.

It also takes patience. One of the compromises in going organic is understanding that organic lawns sometimes take longer to respond to treatments. "It does take time," said Scheffler, Pure Prairie's owner. "Some lawns are quick and some lawns are slow. You have to be patient."

Organic converts accustomed to the quick response of chemical treatments must reshape their lawn expectations. Rosenberg explained that chemical fertilizers promote a fast green-up, but the treated lawn quickly becomes hungry again, needing more fertilizer to maintain its color. "It's a vicious cycle," she said. "A lawn can't maintain heavy green-up and no biological activity." Chemically-treated lawns have little biological activity since the chemicals kill everything -- the good and the bad. Like a drug addict, lawns become dependent on the chemicals to stay alive.

Organic fertilizers work by allowing the grass to take the nutrients it needs when it needs them. The results are ultimately highly pleasing to a customer who consistently feeds his lawn an organic diet. "Mine are the last to brown and the first to green," Scheffler said.

In addition to patience, people who maintain organic lawns need to reinvent their image of an ideal lawn. John Howell, branch manager of NaturaLawn of America in Rolling Meadows, said part of encouraging customers to adopt organic lawn care is educating them about what to expect. "A customer should expect weeds off and on -- that's Mother Nature," he said.

Safer Pest Control's Rosenberg agreed. "You can't be afraid of weeds," she said, explaining that the roots of some weeds give back to the soil. "People have to let go of their dandelion phobia. When the dandelion disintegrates, it adds nutrients [to the soil]."

Scheffler, whose Pure Prairie Organics works with the nutrition of the lawn, believes he can discern what nutrients a lawn is lacking by the type of weeds growing. For example, yellow clover is a sign of low nitrogen in the soil and dandelion is a sign of alkaline in the soil. "Those who work [with lawn] nutrition are able to control insects and diseases nutritionally," he said.

Scheffler explained that since grass blades do not have a stomach, they use the soil for digestion. Therefore he targets certain microbes in the soil to fight specific weeds and pathogens. To combat small weed patches, Rosenberg recommends an old-fashioned technique: hand-weeding. "Children love it," she said, adding that a little bit of seed should be dropped in the soil where the weeds once were since bare areas are ripe for all sorts of new problems, including re-emergence of weeds.

Another concession in using organics is price. Most organic lawn care companies acknowledge that organics cost a little more than synthetics.

Bill Leuenberger, organic lawn care manager at Chalet, a North Shore landscaping company that offers both organic and non-organic care, said the organic services cost slightly more than the synthetic. For a 2,000-square-foot lawn, a synthetic treatment, which requires four applications, costs $136. For the same size lawn, an organic treatment, which requires five applications, costs $195.

Organic/Synthetic Hybrid

A greater number of mainstream companies like Chalet have begun offering organic alternatives to their synthetic services because they recognize the increasing demand among clients and the benefits to the lawns they treat. However, organic lawn care users should understand that many companies sometimes incorporate man-made products into their organic services.

Chalet utilizes organic fertilizers in its three organic programs, Leuenberger said, but they also rely on fungicides and pesticides if they are needed. If he plans to use weed control chemicals, Leuenberger said he informs the customer first.

NaturaLawn practices an Integrated Pest Management system, a program that uses current information on the life cycles of pests and their interaction with the environment. In some cases, a moderate use of pesticides is necessary, but only with the least possible hazard to people, property and the environment. "We determine whether it's a problem or a nuisance," Howell said. "Just because there's a grub doesn't mean you have to use an insecticide." If the company determines that a problem requires chemical treatment, it only sprays the infected spots. He adds that the company also offers a pesticide-free program.

The Environmental Protection Agency, Illinois Department of Public Health and the Safer Pest Control Project all endorse integrated pest management programs. Howell said his company uses 80 to 85 percent fewer chemicals than other mainstream companies.

Even Pure Prairie's Scheffler, who is passionate about the nutrition of his lawn, does not completely shun synthetic products, "A few man-made products are very friendly to the soil." Scheffler blends a very small amount of ammonia sulfate, a by-product of the plastics industry, into his organic fertilizer and said the grass really responds to it. "I use it in spring and the results are bongo!"

At the same time, he cautioned that an organic label does not always equal an ideal product. "It's not enough that things are organic," he said. "They have to help the plants." He said he does not like soybean meal, but recommended alfalfa, which helps grass under stress. Alfalfa doubles as rabbit food and can be bought at pet food stores.

Despite the attention that organic homeowners must show their lawns, people are increasingly converting to it. Chalet's Leunenberger says his business' current organics program started with 70 lawns and has increased to 500. In addition, 50 percent of their new callers inquire about their organic services. "We have a synthetic program, but we're weaning those people into the organics," Leuenberger said. "The lawns that are on synthetics are more stressed."

Yet, many homeowners still rely on synthetic lawn care products. According to the Safer Pest Control Project, 40 percent of the nation's private lawns are treated with pesticides. While many lawn care service providers have encouraged the switch to organics because of the overall benefits to the yard, many homeowners have made the switch because of their health concerns for their children and pets.

The Safer Pest Control Project reports that 95 percent of the lawn care pesticides are considered possible carcinogens and that children have greater exposure to the dangers of chemical lawn products because of their day-to-day play habits.

"When you have babies," says Evanston resident Rubovits, "you stop and think about it."

Anne Taulane is a graduate student at Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism and writes for the Medill News Service.

Organic Lawn-care Contacts

Pure Prairie Organics, Wheaton, IL; 630-510-2483

Chalet Nursery & Garden Shops, North Chicago, IL; 847-688-0561

NaturaLawn of America, Rolling Meadows, IL; 847-776-5144

Bio Green Inc., Wauconda, IL; Contact: Dave Ellis, 847-526-6541

Connie's Organic Garden Care, Oak Park, IL; 708-524-2860

For info on pesticide dangers or do-it-yourself help:

Safer Pest Control Project, Chicago, IL; 312-641-5575