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Photo Credit: Jodi Torpey

Corn gluten meal is an organic fertilizer that’s better for the environment than chemicals.

It would seem that green and lawns go together naturally, but that isn’t always the case. Most US lawns are kept lush and weed-free thanks to synthetic chemical fertilizers and toxic herbicides.

But with a global move toward an overall healthier environment, it’s time gardeners begin challenging themselves to use fewer chemicals in their gardens and take an organic approach to lawn care. Instead of keeping your grass on a diet of harmful fertilizers ask yourself, “What can I do to feed my soil?”

Building healthy soil is at the center of any organic lawn-care program. Synthetic chemical fertilizers may make your grass look green and healthy, but chemicals don’t feed the soil or help the beneficial organisms that live there. Here are six soil-healthy ways to get growing on your green organic lawn:

1. Loosen the soil. Use a core aerator on your lawn at least once a year. Aeration is the mechanical process of pulling small cores of soil out of the ground. Opening up the soil surface allows water and important nutrients to move deeper into the root zone. Use a core aerator that pulls plugs 3 or 4 inches deep on 4-inch centers. And if your turf needs a little reviving, you can sow grass seed just after aerating to provide the best conditions for sprouting.

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Photo Credit: Jodi Torpey

Like most conventional fertilizers, corn gluten meal is applied to the lawn with a drop spreader. Adjust the setting to the application rate specified on the bag.

2. Use organic fertilizers. Soil amendments that come from natural sources, like plant and animal by-products, are called organic fertilizers. Some of the newest organic fertilizers are made from feed-grade nutrients like alfalfa and corn gluten, and they build up nutrients and organisms in the soil. These fertilizers add nitrogen and perform best when applied in early spring and fall.

There are just a couple of things to know about corn gluten meal before you apply it: Because it’s a pre-emergent weed control, it should be applied before weed seeds germinate in the spring or it’ll act as a weed fertilizer. Also, don’t apply corn gluten meal when overseeding the lawn or the seeds won’t germinate. But have no fear: Corn gluten meal is safe to use around pets and people. It may be more expensive than synthetic fertilizers, but you’ll need fewer applications during the growing season.