It is important to reduce the amount of pollutants you are exposed to every day. After making changes to your diet, personal care routine, and cleaning products in an effort to lead a more natural lifestyle, your next step is to change your lawn care. Synthetic lawn pesticides and weedkillers have been linked to birth and reproductive defects, liver and kidney damage, endocrine and neurological disorders, cancers, autism, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Parkinson’s disease, and childhood leukemia. Don’t think that these chemicals stop at your lawn after application! They are tracked into your home and drift in through open windows and ventilation systems, where they contaminate the air that you, your family, and your pets breathe.
Another negative effect of synthetic fertilizers and chemical pesticides is their ability to devastate the complex system in and around the soil called the “food web.” A healthy organic soil consists of insects, fungi, and a range of microorganisms that nurture the grass. Applications of broad-spectrum biocides kill a large variety of weeds, pests, and insects, but eliminating any part of a lawn’s food web can create more problems and lead to the use of even more chemicals. By eradicating unwanted weeds and insects with synthetic products, the beneficial ones are also eliminated. This endless cycle is devastating to the life of your lawn and binds you to the use of synthetic lawn chemicals indefinitely. A constant attempt at eradication will also lead to increased immunity in those targeted insects and weeds, thus leading to more frequent applications in the future.
While “organic” tends to equate to “expensive” in most minds, transitioning to organic lawn care will actually save you money in the long term by building up your soil so it can independently sustain your lawn. Organic fertilizers will improve the foundation of the soil and boost the entire ecosystem. Proper fertilization with natural products will allow the soil to grow rich with organic matter. This will lead to reduced maintenance and irrigation as your lawn’s roots increase their depths and the soil increases its ability to retain moisture. This transition will then result in a lawn that requires less water and will grow more slowly than a chemically treated lawn, leading to less time spent mowing.
Organic lawn care is more than just using natural products. An organic lawn care program focuses on nourishing and sustaining healthy grass, preserving biodiversity, and providing improved nutrient availability. By choosing to go organic, you’ll save money and eliminate your lawn’s chemical dependency. Discontinue using synthetics on your lawn and embrace organic lawn care to keep your family, your home, and your community safe and toxic-free. As North Georgia’s leading organic property care company, Barefoot Organics can assist you with growing your lawn to its full genetic potential without the use of harsh products that sterilize the soil. Let us assist you with establishing a sustainable program that will balance your soil, give you a beautiful lawn, and save you money. Contact us today at 404-418-5756.