Is Organic Lawn Care Safe for Kids?

Organic lawn care is very safe for kids. It avoids use of toxic chemicals commonly sprayed on lawns to control insects and broadleaf plants. An organic lawn uses nature-based fertilizers that are quickly absorbed by the soil, it requires less lawn mowing, it uses less water and it is a pleasure to walk on or sit on. Organic lawn care focuses on working with nature to encourage a strong growth of desirable plants, including unusual ground cover.

  1. Starting with Soil

    • Good soil is essential to having a good lawn. Take a soil sample to your local university extension center to get it tested. This step is important because it will help you select the correct fertilizer for good grass growth. Most extension centers have instructional pamphlets and fliers that can help guide you through choosing a good fertilizer. Plants that grow in your yard can help guide your fertilizer choice, as well. For example, according to "Organic Lawn Care for the Cheap and Lazy," an online write-up from the Pennington Fertilizer Company, lots of clover in your yard indicates a lack of nitrogen. An FAO study, "Influence of soil conditions on productivity and persistency of white clover in pastures," endorses this theory.

    Preparing or Correcting Soil

    • To correct soil deficiencies, read the label on organic fertilizer packages and select the one with the right ingredients to correct your soil's balance. Children can help with the next step, which is to pull weeds and rake up the old turf in an existing lawn, and aerate it by running a spike aerator over the area. An adult can then scatter the fertilizer over the area using a mechanical spreader or broadcast it by hand by scooping it up in a cup and sprinkling it evenly. If the lawn is being planted for the first time, an adult can till the ground, then fertilize, and the children can help with planting.

    The Right Seed

    • Climate, rainfall and soil type should influence your choice of grass seed for your lawn. Fescue and Kentucky bluegrass are often recommended as lawn coverings. However, since you will not be spraying herbicides on your organic lawn, you can expand your choices to plants such as white clover, thyme or chamomile. The advantage of these plants is that they are pleasant to walk or sit on, and have a pleasant fragrance when disturbed or mowed. They require less mowing than grass because they grow low to the ground naturally.

    Seeding, Growing and Maintaining

    • Scatter the selected seed evenly across the lawn area. This can be done using a spreader, or sown by hand. A light, straw mulch can help keep the seeds in place until they grow. Water lightly until the seeds are established, then water deeply once or twice a week, depending upon your local climate. When the grass is tall enough to mow, set your mower high. This allows the grass and other desirable plants enough leaf surface for good photosynthesis. Use a mulching mower rather than bagging the lawn clippings so that your lawn will naturally fertilize itself. Schedule watering with compost tea to help maintain soil health.

    Why Organic Lawn Care Is Safe for Kids

    • Now that your organic lawn is growing, you can enjoy feeling good about letting your kids and pets play on it, because there are no toxic chemicals. Healthy soil attracts earthworms that add nutrients for your plants. The effluent, or water runoff, from your lawn isn't adding chemicals to your local streams and rivers where your children might want to play. Desirable plants have a good nutrition foundation and can crowd out the undesirable plants. You have more time to spend with your family because you are watering and mowing less often, and you and your family have a greater choice of lawn coverings.

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