Articles

Beyond Pesticides
Organic lawn care 101 - Take simple steps this fall to convert your lawn to organic

Cornell University Cooperative Extension Information Bulletin 248
Lawn care without pesticides

National Coalition for Pesticide-Free Lawns
Read your "weeds" - a simple guide to creating a healthy lawn

Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA)
A Citizen's Guide To Organic Land Care

Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides (NCAP)
Taking Care of Your Lawn without Using Pesticides

Ohio State University Extension
Natural Organic Lawn Care for Ohio

Books

Paul Tukey
The Organic Lawn Care Manual. 272 pages.
Storey Publishing (North Adams, MA). 2007
ISBN 13:978-1-58017-649-1 (softcover) $19.95

The Organic Lawn Care Manual by Paul Tukey shows homeowners how to have beautiful lawn without using synthetic chemicals. The author's friendly and accessible style make this book a very readable guide to organic lawn care practices. Numerous photos, illustrations, and tables enhance the text.

Choosing the right grass is important, so Tukey covers grasses for different climates. But he also starts at the beginning with a review of how grass grows.

He devotes a whole chapter to building good soil, the foundation for having healthy plants. Another chapter covers natural soil amendments, including compost and compost tea.

Tukey lays out the steps for transitioning to organic lawn care or starting a lawn from scratch. He follows up with maintenance, including watering and mowing.

Readers will appreciate the illustrated weed guide that includes tips for control. Tukey also offers organic controls for common lawn pests.

Your public library may have this book, so you could check it out before buying.

Don Williamson
Lawns for Canada: Natural and Organic. 160 pages
Lone Pine Publishing (Auburn, WA). 2005
ISBN-13: 978-1-55105-485-8 (paperback) $19.95

Find an Organic/Eco-Friendly Lawn Care Company or Landscaper

Grassroots Healthy Lawn Program
Find a Landscaper (CT & NY)

Organic Land Care (NOFA)
Find a NOFA-accredited Organic Land Care Professional
(CT, DE, GA, MA, MD, ME, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, RI, VT, VA, DC, WI)

Beyond Pesticides
Safety Source for Pest Management

On the "Safety Source" web page LOOK FOR "Find a Service Provider" in GRAY menu bar. Finds lawn service companies that use "non-toxic" or "least-toxic" materials. Each business answers a list of questions about their practices.