The Makings of a Successful Lawn Renovation

Neighborhood eyesore to best lawn on the block...

Before Renovation Started

Unsightly lawns are a matter of perspective, but they can draw some serious criticism if they don't appear equivalent to the neighbors.

The underlying struggles in this lawn were lacking nutrition and biology.  Clover is a natural indicator of low nitrogen soils.  Healthy clover means very little competition with the grass.

Dethatching the lawn; Before raking up debris

A renovation here consisted of dethatching much of the clover, weeds and dead grass. Then aeration of the soil, followed by remineralizing (a product called Azomite) and overseeding.  Topdressing with a 1/4" or so of compost was completed last.

Compost helps to improve and build the soil biology, nutrition and structure of the soil.  Grass can thrive much better when the soil is alive with biological activity and life.

Note that NO CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS were applied in the restoration of this lawn!
They are not needed when you feed and build soil.

We maintain this lawn with our liquid organic lawn fertilization program.  Check out our website to learn more about what we can do to improve your lawn naturally.

Hedahl Landscape maintains this lawn with our BeeSafe Organic Lawn Fertilization Services.
Picture taken from different angle standing in middle of the lawn in above photos.

FOR REFERENCE, the lawn across the street is maintained with chemical fertilizers.  Our safe, natural organic fertilization is just as effective visually, and significantly more healthy-- feeding and building the soil life and supplying nutrition naturally so that the grass can feed when it desires to.

A perfect analogy to feeding the soil is like stocking the refrigerator full so there is food available anytime you want, rather than chemical fertilizers that are a quick energy drink from a drivethru that leaves you hungry later.  

Is Your Lawn Addicted to Chemicals?

You want in nice, green lawn, so you head to the Big Box garden store where they have a big sale on fertilizer and weed killer. You pour on the fertilizer and spray the weeds, and a week later your yard looks pretty good. It’s green and the weeds have shriveled. You’re smugly thinking you have the best lawn in the neighborhood. But, you’ve just turned your lawn into an addict!

Soon your lawn starts looking a little distressed, so you start watering it twice a day. But, the more you water the less improvement you see, and the quicker the grass looks poor again. Why is this happening?

It’s happening because you’re giving it a nitrogen-rich formula that is much like eating a candy bar and soda for lunch – the grass gets a quick dose of ‘sugar’, but the 'high' quickly wears off as the commercial fertilizer is absorbed and washed away. Your lawn feels empty and goes into panic mode.

Does this look like your lawn?

So, you water and water in a vain attempt to “save it”. All that extra watering does is wash away whatever beneficial nutrients are left, and enable the grass to be “lazy” and not send down a good root system, since all its 'food' is sitting an inch or so below the surface.

This turns into a vicious cycle as more and more fertilizer applications and more frequent watering bring results that don’t last long, and eventually your lawn just won’t green up. It has overdosed on chemical fertilizers, and the toxins have killed off the helpful little bugs like ladybugs, lacewings and earthworms, which are beneficial to soil health. Your soil is very sick and devoid of nutrients, and your lawn needs rehabilitation.

Another problem with conventional fertilizers is that they do not deliver the full range of nutrients necessary for real plant health. The nitrogen content ensures green grass, but the color is a false indicator of health.

Organic to the Rescue

Hedahl Landscape's spray-on organic fertilizer being applied.

Organic fertilizers, on the other hand, provide a non-water-soluble chemical mix that is like a high-protein meal which takes longer for the plants break down and absorb. Since it isn’t easily dissolved in water, it won’t wash away like conventional fertilizers. It sticks around and is available to your grass longer, instead of draining into the water table.

As if that weren’t enough, chemical fertilizers can directly degrade your soil, thus damaging grass when used over the long-term. Improper application of inorganic fertilizers can create pH imbalances and lead to a build-up of salts and nitrates, which can pollute wells, lakes and streams. These chemicals damage microorganisms in the soil, especially the aerobic ones that help with decomposition.

So, before your lawn is on life support, help it kick the chemical habit with some organic intervention. With the right nutrients and time, your lawn will look green and healthy, and won’t be as high maintenance, either.

Hedahl Landscape has an organic granular fertilizer that is applied two to four times a year, or a liquid spray-on organic fertilizer that is applied six times a year. Both of these products are healthy for the soil and improve the root structure of the grass, and are not toxic to humans or pets. Call us at 360-340-1141 for a free estimate for your lawn, and help it kick the habit!

How to Maintain Your Edible Garden

Edible gardens have become more and more popular, as people want to grow their own organic food for economic and health reasons. But, Mother Nature and all her creatures love a garden full of tasty vegetables, too. How do you protect your plantings from hungry animals or the weather? Here are some tips for keeping your garden in good shape.

Wildlife

Deer, rabbits, raccoons and chipmunks can decimate your garden quickly. The best way of keeping them from your vegetables with a high fence to keep deer out, and a low fence, dug into the ground and with netting, to keep the smaller varmints from attacking your veggies. But, fences can be costly, and they are unsightly in some suburban settings.

There are commercial repellants that you can spray on vegetation, but they're only meant to cut down on the browsing, and are about 60% effective. An animal will ignore the repellant if it's hungry enough.

Choosing plants that are less palatable to the animals helps somewhat, too. "There is no plant that is wildlife-proof," says Stephen M. Vantassel, program coordinator for the Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. "But you can select plants that are less appealing. You could say it's the equivalent of we humans choosing between a hot fudge sundae and broccoli."

Weeds

Weeds can be annual and perennial. Since perennial weeds are spread through seeds and roots, you can dig the weeds up to get rid of them. Be sure to get all of the roots to ensure they will not grow back. Annual weeds should be hand-pulled before they are able to seed. Keep in mind that a garden might have both types of weeds. It's important to weed your garden regularly, as weeds steal nutrients and water from the soil, stunting the growth of vegetables. If left untended, they can overgrow and choke out many of the low-lying plants.

Weather

Every region of the country has a different climate. You should take steps to prevent a garden from getting damaged by the local weather. Have covers and shades available and ready to place over your garden in times of heavy rain or extreme heat and sun. In the Northwest we don't get the extremes in temperatures that some areas of the country do, but too much rain can drown the young plants.

Watering

Understand the watering needs of what you choose to grow and the soil you are using in the garden. Plant roots need oxygen to grow, and if you overwater the soil the plant can become too wet and get stem rot. On the other hand, if plants fail to get enough water, they will not bloom or produce fruits or vegetables.

When it comes to watering gardens and flower beds, you simply can’t beat the efficiency—and convenience -- of low-volume drip irrigation. By delivering water to plant roots where it’s most needed, drip irrigation keeps plants looking their best, reduces water waste through evaporation or runoff and keeps weeds from growing.

Source: www.totallandscapecare.com

Pesticides Can Cause Severe Health Problems in Humans and Pets

It’s extraordinary how many health issues are associated with pesticides. Cancers, neurological problems, and birth defects are some of the most dramatic, but increased asthma attacks and skin disorders plague many others. Pesticides are also increasingly suspected of being ‘endocrine disrupters’, a category of chemicals that can cause severe illnesses from cancer to miscarriage to immune system problems.

Pets at Risk

Cats and dogs are more vulnerable to most of these disorders than humans, because they have more skin area in proportion to their body size, so they have a proportionally larger surface through which they can absorb poisons. Besides that, they lick their fur and their feet, ingested it directly into their mouths.

Children Most Vulnerable

Children are the most vulnerable because they have much thinner and more permeable skins than do animals, but like animals, they have a larger skin area in relation to the weight or volume of their bodies than do adults. Children’s immune systems are not fully developed, so they cannot protect themselves from toxins as well as an adult’s system can. Furthermore, as they play they roll around on grass, crawl on it, walk barefoot on it, and sometimes eat it. As a result they absorb more of whatever is on the grass, and they absorb it in more ways than adults.

Possible Cancer-Causing Agent

The rise in pesticide use parallels a rise in non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NLH), a class of lymphatic cancers. What used to be a rare disease is now the fifth most common cancer in the U.S. In the twenty-four years between 1973 and 1997, the incidence of these cancers rose about 80% or almost 3% yearly.

A report by the esteemed National Cancer Institute of Bethesda, Maryland, listed eight “possible causes” of non-Hodgkins lymphoma, four of them dealing with what most people would think of as medical issues (such as genetics, viruses, and pre-existing medical conditions) and four with environmental factors. The first item on that second list was pesticides. In study after study, the first environmental risk factor or probable cause mentioned is pesticides.

Pesticide is Poison

That pesticides are dangerous is well-established (they were designed as nerve agents and are closely related chemically to the poisons used in the Nazi gas chambers), but the working assumption has been that there is a “safe dosage” below which they don’t harm us. According to this model, if a single low dose of a chemical appears to be safe, then ten or ten hundred similarly low doses would also be safe. But there are other substances and procedures for which this rule does not hold. Most of us know, for instance, that an X-ray isn’t dangerous but that you should limit the number you have in a day, a year, and a lifetime.

Despite the dangers, the pesticide industry is replete with lobbyists and so they spend lots of time and money “convincing” politicians that their product is completely safe. But numerous health and environmental studies have shown that to be false. 

The best solution is to avoid these toxic agents whenever possible, and Hedahl Landscape has many non-toxic, organic applications that will keep your lawn and landscaping healthy and green, while keeping you, your children and your pets safe from harm. Call us today at 360-340-1141 for a free consultation.

Sources: planetnatural.com, epa.gov, www.panna.org

Caring for Your Northwest Lawn Organically

Soil pH

The heavily wooded Northwest has fungal-dominant soil.

Here in the heavily wooded Northwest our soil is fungal-dominant, which gives it a higher acid content. Because of the acidity, the soil pH is generally low, and it is important to raise the pH level to maintain a healthy lawn. Adding lime to the soil raises the pH level, bringing it into a better acid-alkaline balance. The pH scale goes from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral, but most soils are between 4 and 9.  Below 6.0, soil is acidic, above 7.0 it is considered alkaline. A pH between 6 and 7 is generally considered ideal.

To find out your soil’s pH level, it’s a good idea to have your soil tested professionally. If a soil’s pH is found to be lower than 6.0, then an application of lime will reduce the acidity in your soil and lead to a healthier lawn. We have found a calcitic lime product that is much faster at raising the pH level in soil. In as little as three weeks your soil’s pH can be at optimum levels.

Another benefit of calcitic lime is that it doesn’t contain any magnesium carbonate. While many lime products (such as dolomite lime) contain magnesium, it is not necessary in the Northwest since the soil usually has plenty of it. Adding more will make it worse, and cause compaction, among other things.

Mowing

Many people are under the impression that mowing your lawn shorter will mean it will take longer to grow back, allowing you to mow it less often. This is not true, and is actually harmful to your lawn for a number of reasons.

The upper blades of grass are what allow it to absorb water and sunshine, converting it to food (a process called photosynthesis). This is how all plant life gets its nutrition. If grass blades are trimmed too low, this process is compromised and the grass begins to starve. This triggers the grass to grow faster so it can get back to ‘normal’. While expending all this energy to regrow quickly, it weakens the grass. Add to that a lack of water or sunshine, and the grass begins to stress and die.

By setting your mower at the highest cutting height, you trim off less of the important blades that the grass needs for processing sunlight and water into food. Another benefit is that as taller blades, it can win the battle against weeds, which can thrive more effectively in a shorter environment. If the grass is short and weak, it will lose the territorial battle and the weeds will take over the lawn.

Fertilizing and Watering

 

Use organic fertilizer only.

Use only organic fertilizers on your lawn. Fertilizers loaded with pesticides and other toxins will build up in your soil and affect it adversely. The runoff goes down the storm drains and into the water system, poisoning the environment. Using organic fertilizer twice a year (spring and fall) is all your lawn needs to do well.

When watering your lawn, it’s important to give it just the right amount of water. Overwatering can be as bad as under-watering. We get plenty of moisture nearly year-round in the Northwest, so it’s not necessary to water your lawn constantly. Not only is this a waste of water, but too much can drown the grass and cause loss of nutrients through soil erosion. If it hasn’t rained for a few days, and you see your lawn getting a little stressed, put a cup in your sprinkler zone. Once it gets about an inch of water, that’s enough.

If you have any questions about organic lawn care, Hedahl Landscape is a Certified Sustainable Landscape Professional, EcoPRO certified. They would be happy to answer and questions you may have, or provide a free estimate for your lawn. Call us at 360-340-1141 or visit our website at www.hedahlandscape.com

What Is Organic Landscaping and Why Is It Important?

The word ‘organic’ seems to pop up everywhere these days, from fruits and vegetables to eggs and meats. But, there’s an equally important emphasis being put on organic land care, and for good reason: The dangerous chemicals in many widely-used fertilizers and weed killers is not only an environmental hazard, but dangerous to humans and animals, too.

The primary goals of organic land care are:

• Maintaining soil health
• Eliminating the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers
• Increasing landscape diversity
• Improving the health and well being of people and animals

The Dangers of Pesticide Use

The demand for organic lawns is driven by concerns about human health and the environment. Organic management is beneficial to human health and the environment in many ways: eliminating the use of synthetic pesticides; building a diverse, robust ecological system that holds nutrients and water; reducing pollution due to leaching and run-off; and recharging groundwater and streams with clean fresh water.
A pesticide, according the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, is “any substance intended for preventing, destroying, repelling, or mitigating any pest.” Pests include a wide range of “living organisms that occur where they are not wanted or cause damage to crops or humans or other animals.” In addition to insects, these include weeds, fungi, bacteria and viruses that cause disease in plants, and animals such as mice and slugs that attack desirable plants or occur where they aren’t wanted.

Small children can be sickened by lawn pesticides.

While pesticides may be needed in certain situations to protect against the spread of human pathogens, evidence of harmful effects of pesticides on human health and the environment has increased steadily since the first alarms were raised by the book Silent Spring in 1962.  As the evidence has accumulated, some pesticides that once were widely used have been restricted or banned.

Delayed Symptoms

There can be a long time between pesticide exposure and the appearance of chronic disease. Cancer in humans, for example, may show up 20–30 years after exposure to a carcinogenic pesticide. Studies have shown that fetuses and young children are particularly sensitive to the effects of pesticides. These effects may show up as cancer, as deformities of the reproductive system or as effects on the development of the nervous system, which affect learning and behavior, but are only detected years after the exposure.

Recent studies have shown that exposure of a parent to pesticides is associated with birth defects, cancer and reproductive effects in the next generation. This includes exposure of fathers, not just pregnant mothers.
Hedahl Landscape: Focused on Organic

So, it’s imperative that we reduce the use of pesticides in our lives, and that includes our lawns and landscaping, where we -- and our children and pets -- spend a great deal of time. Hedahl Landscape is dedicated to creating pesticide-free landscaping through the use of organic sprays and other non-toxic treatments for your property.

Give us a call at 360-340-1141 or visit our website: www.hedahlandscape.com  for more information, or a free quote.

Sources: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Pesticide Information Center, Cornell Extension Toxicology Network

The greatest complement one can receive...

Hedahl Landscape working on paver driveway.

We just completed a large paver driveway project in Gig Harbor.  As we were cleaning up the site, the homeowner came out and handed me the final check and told me "This was such a pleasure!  You were the first contractor that has worked here (including the builders and other landscapers) who finished on time and on budget!  Everyone else came back at us during the project and asked for several thousand more dollars...  And, your crew was so pleasant-- and it's amazing I couldn't even tell they used our bathroom [it was kept so clean]."     So, thank you! We appreciate hearing these wonderful complements.

Belgard Mega-Arbel concrete pavers, installed by Hedahl Landscape