What is a 3-, 4-, or 5-step lawn program?
Answer
Thank you for your question. I reached out to our friends at the PERFECT EARTH PROJECT (www.perfectearthproject.org) for their answer. Jess Tonn, their Director of Communication, writes:
"A multi-step lawn program is a series of products labeled 1-3 (or 4 or 5) that are sold to be applied month-by-month throughout the growing season. They are all-in-one mixes designed to treat a range of typical lawn "problems". They usually contain synthetic fertilizer combined with synthetic pesticides-various weed killers, fungicides and insecticides, depending on the month. Some mixes also contain grass seed.
What's the problem with multi-step programs? Not only are they packed full of the worst kinds of chemicals, but they are treating your lawn for problems you may not even have. It's like going to the doctor and getting medication for every known health condition, just in case.
Multi-step programs have long-term consequences. The lawn may green up temporarily, but the fertilizer and chemicals will eventually pickle the soil. Excess nitrogen from the fertilizer can leach into nearby water bodies, contributing to algal blooms. And who wants to play on a lawn covered with chemicals?"
Thank you for your answer, Jess. I often get comments from homeowners who have used chemical lawn care programs for years that their lawns look worse and worse each year - that's exactly what Jess is describing.
Sprigs & Twigs has an outstanding organic lawn care program that creates a wonderful lawn that is 100% safe for children, pets and the environment without using chemicals. Take a look at our website all the lawn information is explained there and give us a call if you are interested.
View As PDF
To view a PDF of this article, please
click here.
About Linda Lillie
Linda K. Lillie is the President of Sprigs & Twigs, Inc, the premier
landscape design and maintenance, tree care, lawn care, stonework, and carpentry
service provider in southeastern Connecticut since 1997. She is a graduate of
Connecticut College in Botany, a Connecticut Master Gardener and a national
award winning landscape designer for her landscape design and landscape installation work.