Question
Hello,

I live in PA and was wondering if there are some organic products that can be used as;
- fertilizer
- weed killer/suppressor
- insect repellent/killer for lawn and garden

Any help would be much appreciated!

Thank You,

Mike

Answer
Hi Mike,

I have good news and bad news.  Yes and no.  

Organic fertilizers are great.  They break down very slowly and feed the lawn for several months.  It truly is "nutrition as nature intended."  Milorganite is one variety (processed sewage sludge), but there are many more available as well that are produced from composted poultry manure.

As for the pest control products.......well, I can't really say as I've seen any sort of impressive results.  "Burnout" (a formulation of vinegar) is often used, but it is also deadly to grass, so it only works if you have solid patches to selectively spray.  On the other hand, things like corn gluten meal consistently fail to prove any success in controlling crabgrass under normal circumstances, yet are sold as a "crabgrass preventer" anyway.  Without EPA testing requirements, companies can unfortunately get away with somewhat grandiose claims that aren't truly backed up.

Organic insect control products are right around the corner, and are in development.  Unfortunately, the results are so sporadic that it's probably not worth trying.

Here's the deal though Mike.  You want to go organic?  There are a few things to keep in mind. Number 1) You're going to have weeds.  They are a part of an all natural lawn and shouldn't be fretted over.  2)Your lawn can get all the nutrients it needs organically, so you're good there.  3) Anything that dies from insect or fungal infestation probably wasn't cut out for your lawn anyway.  Let it go, then re-seed with the best stuff you can find.  After a while, the tough stuff will win out and the problems will be a thing of the past naturally.  Natural selection in front of your eyes!

Sure, the lawn won't look like the neighbor's faux fairway, but that's okay.  You can rest easy knowing that you're doing the right thing, and the lawn's happier and healthier for it.

C.J. Brown
www.TheLawnCoach.com