Question
Dollar weeds are taking over my new floratan yard layed a year ago also chinch bugs and killing out areas. Earlier this year i was freaking out cause every area was turning yellow.  I used scotts weed and feed against my better judgement (i prefer organic) and when that seemed to do no good i used milorganite. Most of the yellow is now gone then the chinch bugs were taking over. So frantic to save my lawn I bought a pesticide for chinch bugs but WONT use in the back yard because of my dog. Help. I keep reading about sugar. Is it just regular sugar? Wont that cause ants? and sugar isn't pure organic is it? I just want to have to mow my lawn and get back to having the prettiest greenest lawn in the neighbor hood again. What do I do for all year care. And where do I get any products you may suggest? Hopefully Lowes.

Answer
Hi Denise,

Unfortunately, the new push for Organic lawn care often neglects to manage expectations very well.  There are all sorts of products and home remedies that are being pushed as fix-all solutions, many of which simply don't work.

Sugar feeds the soil microbes very temporarily. This kicks up a flush of natural fertilizer when the microbes then break down much of the decaying organic matter in the soil during their ensuing active stage. Extra fertilizer does NOT get rid of weeds or insects. The increased activity is also very short lived and borderline futile. Quite honestly, this idea of putting down sugar has been the most frustrating one for me to deal with. The idea was creative, the tests showed minimal results that certainly weren't worth the effort, and yet the web is teaming with stories of sugar as a miracle cure for all that ails your lawn.

Getting rid of weeds and/or insects takes pesticides. It is quite unfortunately that simple. There are no organic products that will do it effectively, despite the claims to the contrary.

An ORGANIC lawn has weeds, occasional insect problems, etc. When areas die off, you simply reseed or resod. Fertilizing with Milorganite will give your lawn what it needs in terms of nutrients, but expecting that to get rid of problems is a bit like expecting to rid yourself of strep throat by taking vitamins and eating organic chicken. vitamins and organic chicken are great nutrition sources, but they won't rid your body of pathogens.

If you want to go organic, I support you 100%. Just keep in mind that you won't have a perfect green carpet. We have come to expect the results of chemicals without using chemicals. That's not realistic.

So, take a little while to decide for yourself what it is you truly want; a perfect green carpet, or a chemical free property.

Good luck!

-C.J. Brown
www.TheLawnCoach.com