In spring and fall, traditional nurseries promote synthetic "weed and feed" products for lawns. Instead of applying chemicals to your land, convert to natural soil improvements.  Begin your gardening season by taking a major step to organic solutions. Aeration, biodiversity and corn gluten meal will give you a healthy lawn without having to use toxic chemicals that leach into the water system as well as the skin pores of humans and animals.

 Air is important to achieve a balanced soil. The deep roots of weeds not only aerate but bring minerals and trace elements from the subsoil to the surface. They also shade and cover bare spots in the yard. Try to tolerate some weeds in your yard. Aeration using mechanical or manual devices provides oxygen to compacted soil of turf and bed areas. Aeration devices stab or tear holes in the soil, lessening the compaction caused by foot traffic, pets and vehicles.

 If you have the time and inclination, manual aeration devices include a turning fork or hand-held aerator. A hand-held aerator is a long-handled device with a bar across the top of long tines. The laborer pushes on the bar with the feet to push the tines into the soil. Then the laborer rocks the aerator to tear holes. He continues the process throughout the turf and bed areas. The closer and more numerous the holes, the better. Hand-held aerators are available for less than $50.

  A mechanical aerator can be a tiller or a device made especially for aerating. For those who have a vehicle that will haul large equipment, mechanical aerators can be rented. Units are available that will aerate an area 6 to 24 feet wide at a pass. If you can't manage the hard labor of aerating, contact a landscape maintenance company to do the work for you. Aerating immediately before adding granular fertilizers allows the amendment to fall in the holes, quickly reaching plant roots where it is absorbed.

 Once your soil is healthy, aeration can be eliminated. Healthy soil contains earthworms and other microbes that will aerate the soil. If your soil is not healthy, continue aerating twice a year during the warm months. Healthy soil is achieved after being on an organic program for three to five years.

 During the first few years of an organic program you may also choose to use a pre-emergent. The organic pre-emergent is corn gluten meal. Corn gluten meal inhibits germination of weed seed. An added bonus is corn gluten meal is also a fertilizer. Corn gluten meal is a yellow powder produced during the milling process of corn. It is sold in organic nurseries and feed stores. Apply at 20 pounds per 1,000 square feet. It costs approximately $20 for a 50-pound bag. Tests have shown that corn gluten meal should be applied during a four to six-week window for effectiveness. In North Central Texas, the spring window begins March 1 and the optimum fall window begins September 15.

 Because corn gluten meal is a powdered product, apply while wearing a mask when there is no wind. If rainfall is not expected for several days, lightly water to activate. Excessive moisture can reduce the effectiveness. One application of corn gluten meal each spring and fall for two to three years produces long-lasting results.

 If you are using corn gluten meal, wait four to six weeks before planting seed in the same area. The corn gluten will stop the germination of grass and flower seed as well as weed seed..

By Gail Morris - all rights reserved

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