Garden Talk: There's Still Time to Prep Your Lawn for Summer, Organically

Waiting for the last frost date to arrive so you can get out and plant?

Remember now is the time to take care of your lawn and there is a lot of family and pet safe organic lawn care options. 

If you're looking to combat weeds, the most popular organic weed control is corn glutten. Corn gluten is a byproduct of corn milling found to have the ability to prevent germination of weed seeds. It really is great at reducing weeds in your lawn (and around your vegetable and flower plants in your garden, too!). Apply it now while the weather is cool. Use only if you will not be putting grass seed down for several weeks.  

Another option for weed control might be a new product for this year—Whitney Farms organic lawn weed killer. It is the first selective weed killer you can spray on your grass that will kill broadleaf weeds and not your lawn. The active ingredient is iron, which is derived from nature. 

If you have the opposite problem and are looking for ways to make your lawn healthier, there are also many brands of  great organic fertilizers for the lawn. Some examples are Organica Kelp booster and Lebanon Turf Nurture. All have restorative fertilizing properties that increase color and help reduce drought stress and thatch by fortifying the root system of your lawn.

If you need to control bugs, a new granular insect crontrol is available called ECOSmart Insect Control. It is easy to spread on your lawn, flower beds or house foundation. 

The best tip for easy lawn care? Keep the grass cut on the high side, about  3 to 4 inches. It is the easiest way to help your grass choke out many weeds and protect the roots from drought and heat stress.     

And do not look too close. Sometimes you are the only one that notices the weeds. 

Garden Talk is a Cranberry Patch weekly column by Laurie Curl, of . Got questions about your garden needs? Email them to Laurie at hahnnursery@aol.com and she'll answer them each week!