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TruGreen lawn care is part of the Servicemaster corporation.  It started in Lansing, Michigan, and has grown to be one of the largest landscape services in the United States.  The company, commonly mistaken for Chemlawn or Truegreen, offers more services than ever to keep residential and large-scale commercial landscapes healthy and beautiful.

The New Natural Nutrient Program

Beginning in 2009 with test markets, with a planned nation-wide rollout in 2010, TruGreen is now offering natural lawn care alternatives to their traditional services.  While all TruGreen applications are carefully planned and calibrated to provide each individual lawn with the care it requires without extra applications, the Natural Nutrient Program goes a step further, incorporating organic components into a routine lawn care maintenance program.

The Targeted Lawn Care program includes the following inputs developed especially for the program:

• Targeted Lawn Care: TruGreen’s overall commitment to service excellence that includes a customized lawn inspection at every application with new, proprietary technology that controls weeds only when and where needed

• TruPerformance: A highly effective fertilizer with Targeted Lawn Care weed control

• TruBlend: A blend of 100% natural, organic fertilizer and traditional fertilizer with Targeted Lawn Care weed control

• TruNatural: A 100% natural, organic fertilizer

Making a Difference for Water Quality

Most of the inputs that TruGreen uses are commercially available for homeowners to purchase over the counter at their local lawn and garden stores.  What doesn’t come with these over the counter purchases is the classroom and field education, as well as state examination and licensing to ensure that the chemicals are being properly applied.  That gives reason for concern in areas where homeowner chemical and pesticide use is high.

TruGreen, and other professional lawn care companies, have technicians that have completed rigorous training programs, and are held to strict standards (specifics vary by state), for application of chemicals.  These standards help ensure that any inputs—whether organic or synthetic—are applied in the proper form, amount and time for plants to take them in, or for insects to be eradicated.  By approaching lawn care as a carefully calibrated science, and making targeted lawn care available, TruGreen ensures that company-wide, fewer chemicals are added to the landscape.

Chemicals for lawn care—again, whether synthetic or organic—are expensive.  When applied at rates higher than what plants can use, or applied at times when they will not decrease the insect population, money is wasted, and the environment is potentially harmed.  By using TruGreen (not Chemlawn) to care for the lawn and landscape, a homeowner can feel certain that their lawn is being cared for in a responsible, economical manner.

Regular Maintenance Means Less Impact

Gone are the days of “spray first, ask questions later.”  In the targeted maintenance program, the natural nutrients program and the traditional lawn care program, TruGreen assesses the situation before taking action.  That means fewer chemicals are used than in decades past.

Additionally, the regular maintenance programs from TruGreen ensure that the lawn and landscaping stay healthy, requiring less treatment of problems.  Save money and time by going green with TruGreen.

Organic lawn care is an enviornmentally friendly approach to lawn care.

Organic lawn care is a good start toward contributing positively toward the ecosystem in your yard.  Each year, billions of dollars are spent on chemicals and pesticides for lawn care-to keep the more than 30 million acres of turf blanketing the United States healthy.  You might be thinking, “Why would I want to take care of my lawn using organic methods?” or “Is there such a thing as organic lawn care?”  Yes!  You can and should practice organic lawn care methods! It is easier and less expensive than you might think.  The best part about it is that a lawn maintained with organic methods is much healthier in the long run.  Organically grown lawns:

• Withstand drought more easily
• Are less susceptible to pest and disease problems
• Can be enjoyed, barefoot, at all times of the year by people and pets without worry about getting sick

Transitioning your Lawn to Organic Lawn Care

Planting a new lawn using organic methods and transitioning an existing lawn to organic care are two completely different processes.  Because most people will be starting with an existing lawn (uniform turf, or a blend of different turf and weeds), we’ll explain how to transition your existing lawn.  One of the best resources for organic lawn care principles is the book The Organic Lawn Care Manual, by Paul Tukey.   Here are his twelve steps for transitioning your lawn to organic methods.

1.       Test your soil

2.       Aerate and de-thatch the lawn

3.       Survey the weeds growing in the lawn, and add soil amendments to make conditions more favorable for grass and less favorable for weeds.

4.       Top-dress the lawn with about ½ inch of fine compost at least once a year

5.       Spray with compost tea three times a year

6.       Mow the lawn to the maximum height for your grass cultivar, and do not every remove more than 1/3 of the grass blade in any single mowing.

7.       “Grasscycle” or leave grass clippings on the lawn to add nitrogen back into the lawn

8.       Water deeply and infrequently to encourage deep root growth.

9.       Overseed with the right grass seed in the spring or fall to thicken up turf

10.   Add white clover to your grass seed mix to add nitrogen to the soil

11.   Add nitrogen as needed, depending upon the results of your soil test

12.   Make sure (via soil test) that the calcium level in the soil is seven times higher than the magnesium levels, to ensure that both nutrients are available in the right form for plants to take up.

Dealing with Weeds

Any organic lawn care program must be organized to treat weeds.  As you transition your lawn to organic methods, you will need to take a three pronged approach to removing weeds and prohibiting their growth.  Good lawn care goes a long way toward preventing weed growth-proper pH, good watering and mowing practices and avoiding over-feeding of nitrogen helps.  When it comes to flat-out weed removal, there are a few techniques to learn and practice.  Here’s what you can do to remove weeds and prohibit growth of new weeds in your lawn.

1.       Dig up the big weeds.  The only way to completely remove the largest weeds from the lawn is to dig them up.  If you are truly serious about a weed-free, organically maintained lawn, you need to eradicate the big weeds with taproots, and the best and easiest way to do that is by digging.

2.       Do not let existing weeds go to seed.  Prevent weeds in the lawn from re-producing, and your battle against weeds gets easier.  You can prevent existing weeds from spreading seeds by keeping the grass mown frequently, at the proper height.

3.       Use corn gluten as a pre emergence herbicide to keep weed seeds that do make it into the lawn from sprouting.

For a comprehensive look at organic lawn care, check out Paul Tukey’s book.  These are just a few basics about organic lawn care to let you know that it can be done, and to help you transition your practices from using synthetics to organics.

Herbicide, pesticide and fungicide all spell homicide to the weeds and insects that live, and often thrive, on yards all over the world. However, few stop to think about what those “cides” mean for the planet and those of us who live here. In recent years, there has been a surge in environmental awareness which has sparked much advancement in everything from eco-friendly household cleaners to organic lawn care products and practices.

Green Lawn care is more efficient as there is minimal amounts wasted material and it results in beautiful verdant lawns that are the talk of the neighborhood. Organic lawn care is a proven science and backed by soil biologist, plant breeders, educators, researchers, engineers and renowned turf professionals. Green lawn care can be achieved through the following  practices:

1. Taking care of your soil using compost and organic fertilizers.
2. Selecting the best grass for your climate and average amount of sunlight.
3. Watering well.
4. Using green lawn care tools.
5. Cutting grass correctly with a sharp blade.

Taking Care of the Soil

Green lawn care begins by having your soil analyzed to find out what nutrients are present or lacking. Once this is determined, you can begin adjustments to make it healthier. Organic lawn care improvements include:

• Using compost.
• Having your yard aerated.
• Applying organic weed killers such as mulch made from bark, leaves or newspaper and routine cultivating and weeding or even spraying them with vinegar that is at least 5% acetic acid.
• Never cutting more than 1/3 of the grass blade and leaving the cut grass to decompose.
• Saturating your lawn with compost tea at least 3x a year.
• Overseeding when appropriate.

Grass Selection

A key factor in green lawn care is using the best grass for the area in which you live. Cold regions best support grasses like fescues, bluestem or ryegrass; warm regions thrive on zoysia, centipede, carpet grass and Bahia. Should you live in a neutral zone, bluestem or Buffalo grass is recommended.

Watering

No matter what type of grass you choose, and as obvious as it may be, watering is an important part of organic lawn care as it aids with the photosynthesis and growth process. However, this does not mean you should daily water your yard; rather, you should water infrequently but thoroughly. There are 3 signs to indicate watering needs:

1. The leaf blades are folded in half lengthwise.
2. Footprints are still visible when you walk across the lawn.
3. Grass appears blue-gray.

It is important to note that green lawn care such as fertilizing and applying compost will help to retain moisture and encourage grass growth as well.

Organic Lawn Care Tools

Maintain your lush lawn by using these items—a flexible rake, a  metal rake for shaping and leveling the ground, and hand tools like trowels, pruners and yard scissors. Other labor saving devices are a wheelbarrow and an energy efficient lawn mower.

Cutting Grass

Maintaining a well cut lawn employs these green lawn care steps:

1. Making sure that your mower blade is sharp and at the proper height.
2. Mowing in the early evening.
3. Cutting in a line then overlapping by 2 inches on the next pass.
4. Pushing, not pulling your mower.
5. Mulching.
6. Never cutting more that 1/3 of the grass height.
7. Paying attention.
8. Taking care of your mower.

Organic lawn care benefits everyone. By making some basic changes, you will soon have a yard that is envied by all who see it.