Author: Organic Lawns by Lunseth

Managing Crabgrass and Other Weeds

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The Twin Cities’ excessive rainfall this year has been great for our lawns. Weeds already compete with your turfgrass during the hot months of the summer, and the spring rains gave them a jumpstart. This month we’ll help you identify the most common weeds you’re seeing and provide natural best practices to control them.

Crabgrass

The University of Minnesota Extension Service describes crabgrass as a prolific weed that survives harsh conditions through its abundant tillering (creation of shoots other than the main shoot) and seed production. One crabgrass plant can produce up to 150,000 seeds in a single season. Crabgrass seed germination occurs in the spring, when soil has an average temperature high enough to support growth. These seeds produce even more crabgrass plants over the summer.

There are steps you can take to control crabgrass:

  • The best way to control crabgrass is in the early spring, applying a pre-emergent herbicide – Corn Gluten –  before the soil temperatures reach approximately 55°F.
  • Keeping your mowing height to a minimum of 3 inches helps decrease crabgrass seed germination. 
  • One of the best strategies to combat crabgrass, and other weeds in general, is to maintain a healthy lawn.

Chickweed

Chickweed is challenging because of its ability to grow in a variety of conditions.  PennState Extension says it’s found in both high and low maintenance turf, in sunny and shaded areas, and in many different soil types. Common chickweed stems grow close to the ground then turn slightly upright, producing leaves and flowers. It’s generally classified as a winter annual. It produces shallow root systems and long, branching stems that grow prostrate along the soil surface. Seeds can germinate during spring, summer, and fall. Common chickweed produces one or two generations per year.

Common chickweed can be controlled with three to four applications of liquid iron each year. However, mouse-ear chickweed can tolerate iron applications due to the trichomes on the leaves. Improving turf density through non-chemical fertilization, regular mowing, and use of turfgrasses well-adapted to site conditions also helps. The University of California Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources provides these guidelines for natural control:

  • Nonchemical controls include hand weeding, cultivation, and adding mulch to garden beds.
  • Chickweed should be controlled before it flowers. This can be difficult due to the short period between germination and flower production. However, regular monitoring and removal of plants from the site will prevent seeds from developing and accumulating in the soil (seed bank).
  • It’s important not only to remove the plants from the ground but also to remove them from the site. Common chickweed can re-root from stem nodes in moist areas.

Chances are, you see other weeds in your lawn. Some of the most common are:

Dandelions
Dutch white clover
Ground ivy (creeping Charlie)
Quackgrass
Wild violet (common blue violet)

Following the management guidelines we provided can help manage weeds.   Contact the experts at Organic Lawns by LUNSETH to create the best organic weed control program for your yard.

How Organic Compost Tea Improves Soil Quality and the Health of your Lawn

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Organic compost tea is a water-based extract of compost that can be effectively used in organic turf management. It’s made of just two simple ingredients: compost and water. Good compost is successfully aerated, alllowing it to maintain oxygen levels necessary for aerobic functioning. It’s also necessary that the compost consists of the right balance of chemical compounds, is rich in nutrients, and contains beneficial microorganisms.

Why Have Your Lawn Treated with Compost Tea?

Organic compost tea has a number of positive effects on your lawn, including:

  • Adds nutrients to your lawn.

Compost tea contains a number of important macronutrients that are beneficial to your lawn—including magnesium and potassium, while also containing helpful micronutrients, such as iron and zinc. Applying such nutrients can boost overall soil quality.

  • Reaches important areas of your lawn.

Compost tea reaches deep into the soil, it also comes into contact with leaves, and it’s absorbed through foliar feeding.

  • Helps to control weeds.

Adding compost tea improves soil quality, which in effect discourages weed growth (notably, some weeds thrive in lawns that don’t contain a sufficient amount of nutrients).

  • Helps with repelling insects.

Compost tea can contain microbes effective against chitin, a biopolymer that forms the exoskeletons of insects; it can also improve overall plant quality in a way that makes plants less susceptible to harmful insects in the first place.

  • Helps with plant disease control:

According to the Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides, compost tea has shown some promise in controlling diseases in plants when applied as root drench—helping against some soil-borne diseases.

Applying Organic Compost Tea To Your Lawn

During the application process, LUNSETH blanket applies the aerated compost tea to your entire lawn. The lawn will green up quickly, so results are seen right away. This is a great way to give your lawn a mid-season boost.

Adding compost tea to your organic lawn care plan can be an effective means of increasing microorganisms, improving your soil quality and the overall health of your lawn. By applying compost tea you can trust that you’re utilizing a safe, organic solution that excludes pesticides and synthetic chemicals.

If you’re interested in having a yard filled with color this summer, contact the experts at Organic Lawns by LUNSETH to create the best program for your yard.

Your Yard will Bloom All Season with Pollinator Friendly Plants

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This summer and fall you can have continuous blooms when you design your landscape with native plants.The Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources has a great publication that explains how native plants are the prefered food sources of pollinators and – with the right plan – provide a yard full of color until the first frost. Here are their recommendations.

Most pollinators are adapted to native plant communities. Which is why native plantings provide the best support for native pollinator species.

  • Continuous bloom throughout the growing season helps ensure pollinators have food when they need it. This allows them to conserve energy by not having to travel long distances when blooms are scarce. Include an assortment of flower colors, sizes, shapes and scents to attract a variety of pollinators.
  • Grouping plants together looks amazing and can help pollinators find and access resources more easily. It also is a way to create a sense of order in your planting
  • Buy Locally Produced Native Plants: this helps protect nearby native plant communities and provides plant species that are sure to be compatible with local insect populations. (see plant lists and Wild Ones resources)

Where you buy your plants is very important. Some nurseries treat their plants with insecticides and fungicides that are harmful to pollinators in your garden.

  • Best Selections: LUNSETH can provide information on specific plant species that provide excellent pollen and nectar resources for native bees, monarchs, and other pollinators.

LUNSETH also recommends the best plants for your landscape based on your site conditions (soil, water, light, space). Our installations are planted with growth in mind. They will look great on installation and fill in over time to look better and better every year.

If you’re interested in having a yard filled with color this summer, contact the experts at Organic Lawns by LUNSETH to create the best program for your yard.

Maintaining New Lawns

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Last month we reviewed the process for a sustainable lawn renovation.  This month we provide tips to give your new yard its best chance of thriving. The University of Maryland Extension provides excellent guidance.

Watering

  • Once seed germination has begun do not let the seed dry out
  • A newly seeded lawn requires daily watering during dry periods. 
  • If there’s a stretch of windy and dry days, your grass may require several light waterings a day.
  • Sandy soils dry out quickly, require more watering, and using a light mist is best.
  • Mature grass seedlings require less frequent watering, but they should be watered longer when you do.
  • It’s best to water earlier in the day so the grass does not remain wet overnight.

Mowing

  • Mowing lawns too short or infrequently causes grass to become susceptible to drought injury, weed infestations (especially crabgrass), and foot traffic injury.
  • Mow new turf when it reaches a height one-third higher than your normal mowing height. Usually this is four to six weeks after seeding.
  • Remove only one-third of the grass’s height in each following mowing. Removing too much of the leaf blade at each cutting stresses the new lawn.
  • Soil should be dry enough so that ruts are not formed by the wheels of the lawnmower.
  • Mowing typically needs to be done on a weekly basis during the growing season.

Fertilizing

  • Follow-up applications of fertilizer are made as part of a regular maintenance program.  
  • Organic Lawns by LUNSETH’s organic fertilizer solution provides a proven alternative to chemically-based lawn care — delivering a number of benefits that aren’t possible when treating your lawn synthetically. Being 100% organic means our fertilizers contain a purely balanced food source and do not feature synthetic chemicals that can be detrimental to your health and harsh on your lawn. By hiring us to apply our 100% OMRI-certified organic fertilizer to your lawn, your grass won’t just look great, it’ll be healthy in a way that’s very environmentally advantageous.

Weeds

  • Weeds have been resting all winter and can’t wait to shoot through and start growing.  Thin or bare soil areas combined with sunlight and warm soil temperatures create a perfect opportunity for germination of many of our annual weeds. 
  • These weed seeds aren’t just perennials that lay dormant over the winter. They can be blown in by the wind or be carried in by our bird friends. Early spring is the time to start looking for these intruders and taking steps to reduce their spread. 
  • Read LUNSETH’s Blog Post, “Handle Spring Weeds Now or Pay the Price Later”, to learn about some of the most common weeds we see in Minnesota, along with our tips for getting them under control.

Traffic

  • Young seedlings are easily injured. Newly seeded areas should be restricted from foot traffic for a least a month after the seed has germinated or until the new lawn has been mowed at least a couple of times. 

If you’re interested in having a lush, organic lawn, contact the experts at Organic Lawns by LUNSETH to create the best program for your yard.

Identifying and Controlling Grub Damage

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Grubs have become a real nuisance the past few years. LUNSETH addresses this issue in a number of communities throughout the Twin Cities. How do you know if you’ve got grubs or not?  Our friends at the University of Minnesota Extension Service have excellent information and suggestions for handling grubs..

Identifying Grub Damage

There are several indications that white grubs are damaging your lawn. These include:

  • Irregular patches of dead or dying grass that resemble drought stress.

  • Early signs of a white grub infestation are apparent when an irrigation system has been running or we have had regular rainfall and the drought symptoms are still present.

  • Moderate grub damage involves observing dead or dying turf with little to no roots when pulling on the turf.

  • More severe white grub damage is sometimes not caused by the grubs themselves, but by animals like racoons and skunks turning over the turf to feed on the grubs.

Controlling Grubs

What can you do about grubs? The good news is there are very effective organic solutions to get them under control. The Turfgrass newsletter references a biological insecticide, GrubGone (Baccilus thuringiensis galleriae), as the only known biological insecticide to work effectively. It works as a preventative treatment and needs to be applied in advance of a white grub infestation. 

Contact LUNSETH for a quote on our grub control services. We’ve helped people all around the Twin Cities get their grub damage under control.

Organic Weed Control using Corn Gluten

Posted on | by Organic Lawns by Lunseth

Corn gluten is an effective pre-emergent weed control that can prevent many annual weeds, like crabgrass, over time. 

Corn gluten is a byproduct of the wet-milling process of corn.  Organic Lawns by LUNSETH uses non-GMO, organic corn gluten meal (CGM).

The protein in the corn gluten acts on germinating seeds to inhibit root growth.

Corn gluten also contains 10% nitrogen by weight and has a slow-release fertilizing effect when applied to home lawns.

25% control of new weeds can be achieved in the first year; 50% in the second year; and 75% control by the third year. This is due to the reduction in weed seeds and from the effect of nitrogen in the corn gluten increasing the lawn’s density.

Timing and application rates greatly affect the success of corn gluten meal.  The best time to apply corn gluten is in the early spring.  Heavy rates are necessary for weed prevention.

Preparing Your Lawn Before Applying CGM

Before CGM can be applied to your lawn and work in an effective manner, it’s important that some preparation occurs.

A spring cleanup that can include raking leaves and cleaning up debris such as fallen tree limbs and sticks. The product needs to get to the soil to work, thus removing debris in the lawn is an important first step.

CGM & Seeding

Just as it does for weeds, a CGM application can inhibit grass seed germination.

  • If you’re planning to seed the lawn yourself, you should allow 3-to-4 weeks before CGM is applied.
  • If you’re planning to seed after CGM is applied, it’s important you wait 3-to-4 weeks after the CGM application to seed to ensure successful germination.
  • You can seed immediately after the corn gluten meal if you provide a barrier to avoid conflict.  Sowing seed into ¼” layer of new topsoil or compost will work to create this barrier and ensure successful germination. 

If you have a question using corn gluten on your yard or would like help getting your yard ready for spring and summer, contact the experts at Organic Lawns by LUNSETH.

Preparing Your Lawn for Spring Topic #1: Snow Mold

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It seems odd to think about taking care of your yard during February in Minnesota. But now is a great time to start planning your lawn care for the upcoming spring, especially if you’re focused on organic lawn care. 

For the next few months, LUNSETH will provide details (with information from the University of Minnesota Extension Service) about common challenges for Minnesota yards, and the recommended organic solutions to deal with them.

What is Snow Mold

When the snowmelt is on and we start to see our lawns appear in Minnesota, most yards have some, or a lot, of snow mold. It’s typically circular patches of matted, greyish grass up to 3 feet in diameter. 

U of M Extension describes snow mold as “…a fungal disease that can be caused by 3 different pathogens (Typhula spp. and Microdochium nivale). All Minnesota lawn grasses can be affected, although fine fescue grasses are less susceptible. Snow mold disease damages grass leaves but usually will not kill the entire plant.” 

Repairing Grass with Snow Mold

Snow mold might look bad, but it shouldn’t permanently damage the lawn. To promote recovery, lightly rake these areas to loosen the matted leaves. Make sure to lift the matted grass completely to let air circulate in that part of the lawn. No chemicals – just a little effort. It doesn’t get any more organic than that.

Timing is important, too. You need to stay off of the lawn until it has a chance to dry out.  Foot traffic on wet, damaged grass can cause even more damage. And, you especially DO NOT want to rake up the snow mold when it’s wet because you’ll end up pulling out your grass plants. Then you’ll have to seed the lawn if you want grass to return.  

Preventing Snow Mold Next year

There are a couple of simple steps to take at the end of the growing season to try and prevent snow mold next spring. First, continue to mow your turf well into the fall.  Second, when snow does come, avoid creating large, long-lasting snowbanks on your grass when shoveling snow from your sidewalks and driveways.

Conclusion

February might feel like the dead of winter in Minnesota, but it’s the perfect time to start planning for a healthy, organic lawn this spring. By planning and scheduling your organic lawn care treatments today, you’ll be ahead of the game when the warm weather finally arrives.

Remember, organic lawn care is all about nurturing the health of your lawn and the environment. By taking small steps now, you’re not only preparing your lawn for a successful year but also creating a sustainable, eco-friendly outdoor space for your family to enjoy. Let’s make this year’s lawn care routine as green and healthy as possible!

If you need help preparing an organic lawn care plan for your yard, reach out to Organic Lawns by LUNSETH today! 

Sustainable Ways to Dispose of Your Christmas Tree and Holiday Trash

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The holiday season is a time of joy, celebration, and togetherness. But as the festivities wind down, one challenge many of us face is what to do with all the holiday debris, especially the Christmas tree that brightened up your living room. Whether it’s your tree, leftover gift wrap, or food packaging, Organic Lawns by LUNSETH wants to share ideas about how to dispose of holiday waste in an eco-friendly way.

As an organic lawn care company, we’re all about promoting sustainable practices that nurture the environment. Here are some creative and green ways to dispose of your Christmas tree and other holiday trash.

1. Recycle Your Christmas Tree

Christmas trees are often discarded in landfills, but there are much better options! Many cities offer curbside pickup for trees after the holidays. These trees are chipped into mulch or compost, keeping them out of landfills and turning them into useful material for parks, gardens, or nature reserves.

  • Check with local municipalities: Many local governments offer tree recycling programs where trees are chipped into mulch or used in erosion control projects.
  • Drop-off locations: If your city doesn’t offer curbside pickup, check if there are designated drop-off locations for recycling.
  • Go for a mulch project: If you have a backyard garden, you can use the tree branches to create mulch or add them to your compost bin.

2. Repurpose Holiday Wrapping and Cards

After the holiday season, there’s usually a lot of leftover wrapping paper, ribbons, and greeting cards. Instead of throwing them away, get creative and reduce your waste with these ideas:

  • Upcycle wrapping paper: Use the paper for crafting or as a decorative cover for books or notebooks.
  • Recycling wrapping paper: Some wrapping papers can be recycled, but avoid those with metallic finishes, glitter, or plastic elements, as they’re not recyclable. Check with your local recycling program for guidance.
  • Repurpose holiday cards: Instead of tossing old holiday cards, use them to create gift tags for next year or turn them into new cards by cutting out festive images and adding your own message.

3. Repurpose Christmas Lights

Christmas lights bring warmth and cheer to the season, but when they burn out or become outdated, they often end up in the trash. Consider these eco-friendly alternatives:

  • Donate or recycle: If your lights are still in good working condition, donate them to local thrift stores or schools. Many organizations can reuse them for their own holiday displays.
  • Recycle them: Many cities have recycling programs for holiday lights. If yours doesn’t, search for an e-waste recycling facility that accepts string lights.
  • Use LED lights next year: LED lights are more energy-efficient and longer-lasting, reducing both waste and your carbon footprint.

4. Dispose of Holiday Food Waste Properly

Holiday feasts can result in a lot of food scraps, which often end up in the trash. Instead of sending these scraps to a landfill, make sure to dispose of them in a way that benefits the environment:

  • Compost your food scraps: A backyard compost bin is an excellent way to turn food waste into rich, fertile soil for your garden. If you don’t compost at home, look for local composting services that can take your scraps and recycle them into nutrient-dense compost.
  • Donate excess food: If you have excess food from holiday meals, consider donating it to a local food bank or community organization. Many places accept non-perishable foods or even prepared meals.

5. Minimize Plastic Waste

The holidays can generate a lot of plastic waste, especially in packaging. While it’s not always possible to avoid, there are ways to minimize plastic waste:

  • Choose eco-friendly wrapping options: Use fabric gift wraps, reusable gift bags, or recycled paper.
  • Give plastic-free gifts: Look for toys, gifts, and decorations made from sustainable materials like wood, fabric, or metal.
  • Recycle plastic properly: If plastic packaging is unavoidable, make sure it’s properly recycled according to your local recycling guidelines.

The holiday season is all about giving, and what better way to give back to the planet than by taking a sustainable approach to holiday waste disposal? By recycling, reusing, and upcycling your holiday debris, you’ll be contributing to a cleaner environment and making a positive impact on the world around you.

At Organic Lawns by LUNSETH, we believe in creating green spaces and healthier environments year-round. By adopting eco-friendly practices, we can all help reduce waste, preserve resources, and support a more sustainable future.

Happy holidays, and here’s to a greener, cleaner year ahead!

Protecting Your Yard from Deicing Salt

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Every Minnesotan knows that unsettling feeling.  You step on your sidewalk and immediately realize that the best-case scenario is you can slide across the pavement to reach where you’re going – without falling!  That’s when the bags of salt come out. But, while deicing salt reduces the danger of hurting yourself, unfortunately, it increases the danger of winter damage to your lawn.

LUNSETH agrees with the advice provided by the University of Minnesota Extension Service, regarding ways to deal with icy sidewalks without causing irreparable damage to your grass.  Here are some of their suggestions.

Effects of Deicing Salt

Using deicing salts on paved areas increases the salt content in the soil of adjoining turf and gardens. The salt damages roots and causes dehydration in many grasses, causing discoloration or death.

Ways to Avoid Deicing Salt

Sand is a time-tested solution for increasing traction on icy surfaces. The downside is that it doesn’t melt ice and can be a nuisance when it’s tracked into the house. 

Beet brine and alfalfa meal are more recently suggested deicing alternatives. Sugar beet brine can effectively lower the temperature at which salts can be applied and reduce the environmental impact of salts. Alfalfa meal is an effective deicer and provides traction, but it contains nitrogen which can contaminate waterways as part of your yard’s runoff.

Good Shoveling Practices Reduce the Need for Deicing Salt

If you clear the snow often to remove as much snow as possible, it prevents ice buildup. With less snow on your paved areas, when the winter sun appears, it will do an amazing job of melting off any snow and ice that remains. 

If You Need Deicing Salt

There will probably be times when it’s important to make sure your sidewalks and driveway are ice-free, and deicing salt needs to be used.  When this happens, keeping a few tips from the Extension Service in mind will minimize the potential damage deicing salt will cause.

  • Apply the deicing salts correctly and sparingly to critical areas only.
  • Do not apply deicers to snow. Remove the snow first.
  • More is NOT better. A coffee mug of salt (about 12 oz.) is all that is needed for about 1,000 sq. ft., approximately the area of a 20-ft driveway or 10 sidewalk squares.
  • Spread salt evenly leaving about 3 inches between salt grains. Avoid spilling piles of salt.
  • Sweep up any salt grains you see on dry surfaces to prevent it from washing or blowing into plants and waterways. Save it in a container to reapply later in the season.

Planning Ahead – Healthy Turf and Salt-Tolerance Grasses

Making sure your turf is as healthy as possible will help it fight the effects of deicing salts and other winter damage. One product LUNSETH recommends is C20 Soil Builder to stimulate biological activity 157x more than compost. This promotes root health for all types of plants.

Choosing grasses that are heartier is important as well.

  • The UMN Turf Department research found that Fine fescues perform the best in high-salinity environments. They recommend Creeping Red Fescue because it performs the best, but seed mixes containing any fine fescue species will perform well in high-salinity environments. 
  • Tall fescue has intermediate salt tolerance among turfgrass species.
  • Kentucky Bluegrass performs poorly with high salt concentrations.

If deicing salt damages your grass, contact the experts at Organic Lawns by LUNSETH in the spring. We will come up with a plan to repair the damage and help your entire yard thrive because, naturally, we can help!

Rake or Mulch in the Fall?

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Many people are obsessed with raking their yards to look like freshly vacuumed carpets. This approach can be stressful and time-consuming. While it’s important to make sure your grass isn’t covered with leaves going into the winter, the good news is there are benefits to not leaving your yard spotless.

A little leaf coverage is good, but not too much

The University of Minnesota’s Turfgrass Science Program provides helpful guidelines for dealing with your fall leaves.  They say the most important point with fall cleanup is that the tree leaves are not covering a significant portion of your yard. Too many leaves on your lawn going into winter is harmful.  Leaves smother the grass and inhibit growth in the spring.  Leaves covering your grass also promote snow mold diseases.  And, a layer of leaves makes an attractive habitat for voles and mice and they can cause turf damage over the winter. They recommend leaving 10-20% coverage of your lawn.

Rake, bag or mulch? Mulch!

The three options to take care of leaves are raking, bagging, or mulching. The Turfgrass Science program explains why mulching is the most beneficial for your yard.  Mulching the leaves with a mower incorporates beneficial nutrients and organic matter into the lawn and soil.  Some leaf types, like maples, have even been shown to reduce weed seed germination when mulched into a lawn.  The leaves of honey locusts may add a significant amount of nitrogen to lawns. Their leaves fix nitrogen from the atmosphere just like soybeans, so higher leaf nitrogen contents in these leaves transferred to the soil is possible. 

Successful mulching requires chopping leaves into small pieces. This requires more frequent mowing in the fall, and you may need to do multiple passes with the mower to mulch the leaves sufficiently. 

If you do choose to rake or bag your leaves, make sure to compost them.

 

If you have a question about mulching or general fall lawn preparation or would like help getting your yard ready for winter, contact the experts at Organic Lawns by LUNSETH.