Do It Yourself
- Before you do any work on your yard, you’ll need to take a Soil Test
- By reviewing the Introduction to Organic Lawns and Yards, Second Edition, individuals can learn how to start making a difference in their own yards, lawns, and gardens. The print booklet is also available on our publications page.
- Review the Organic Lawns and Yards brochure with the ‘Going Organic’ checklist that will tell you step-by-step how to start maintaining your property organically.
- Keep an eye out for any upcoming Homeowner Workshops in your area.
- To determine if a horticultural product can be used under the NOFA Standards for Organic Land Care you should check if the product and/or its ingredients are approved on one the product lists maintained by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI)
Other Homeowner Resources:
- Why Organic?
- Why Organic Landscaping:
- Eliminates your children, your pets and your own exposure to harmful pesticides, many of which are carcinogens and/or are thought to affect childhood development
- Cuts the costs on repeated chemical applications, gasoline, and sprinkler systems by using the free services offered by soil organisms, pollinators, compost, plants, and beneficial insects
- Makes your yard a force of nature. Promoting biodiversity and choosing native plants supports a self-sustaining yard that is resistant to pests.
- Uses natural fertilizers such as leaves and compost to add soil nutrients to the soil instead of synthetic fertilizers which disrupt soil biology and often run off into rivers polluting freshwater and marine habitats.
- Conserves water by using plants adapted to local rainfall patterns and by incorporating compost and mulch to retain moisture in the soil.
- Encourages beneficial insects to naturally control pests as a form of organic integrated pest management.