If you guys have spent any time around here, you know that I am a big fan of Milorganite for lawns. It is a great slow release fertilizer that also contains iron, and iron makes bluegrass lawns deep blue! But enough of that, read on and learn. A friend of mine wrote this quick review on Milorganite:

Milorganite Organic Lawn Fertilizer is natural slow-release organic nitrogen fertilizer. Proponents of organic slow release nitrogen fertilizers praise Milorganite for its slow delivery of naturally occurring microbial nutrients deep into the roots of the grass, a process they believe is preferable to the instant massive release of chemicals characteristic of synthetic chemical fertilizers. Synthetic chemical fertilizers carry with them the potential for burning the grass because of the large amounts of nitrogen and salts immediately unleashed upon application. Milorganite Organic lawn Fertilizer releases nutrients and minerals slowly and only as the grass is able to use and absorb them. Their release is actually triggered by the microbials in the grass itself when the grass needs to feed upon the organic fertilizer.

Milorganite is made from activated biosolids (sewage sludge) and contains 6% nitrogen, 2% phosporous and 0% potassium, lower ratios of each than the ratios contained in synthetically blended fertilizers, but more effective in feeding lawns, advocates say. The slow release characteristics of Milorganite guarantees groundwater is not polluted by fertilizer runoff into creeks, lakes and rivers.

The absence of salt content in Milorganite Organic Fertilizer prevents the drying and burning of lawns, particularly in the hot summer months, something which can occur with quick releasing fertilizers you find on the shelves of local big box stores.

The presence of 4% iron in Milorganite also creates a deeper green in lawns than synthetic chemical fertilizers and helps build a deeper underlying root system or turf, rather than simply increase the height of the grass itself from a thin root base, a common effect of synthetic chemical fertilizers. This results in a healthier lawn overall and one that does not require extra mowing as a result of rapidly growing grass leaves, or rampant “top growth,” a typical result of applications of synthetic chemical fertilizers.

Milorganite Organic Fertilizer is child and pet safe and releases no dust into the atmosphere, which could be inhaled by people and pets, and which diminishes the actual amount of fertilizer that actually is available to treat the lawn.

A 50-pound bag of Milorganite will treat 3100 square feet of lawn and does not require watering in. Watering in will make the fertilizer more quickly available to the grass and the grass will show faster results from the fertilizer application, but it is not required. Because it is essentially “dust free,” Milorganite Organic Fertilizer will not blow off the grass in windy weather prior to rainfall or watering, which drives the fertilizer into the roots and allows the roots to “feed” on the available nutrients.

Milorganite Organic Fertilizer is widely available at nurseries and garden centers and is one of the most popular natural organic fertilizers on the market. If you are looking to “go green” with your lawn care regimen, give Milorganite a shot.

Wanna know when is the best time to put down Milorganite? How about an entire year’s fertilizer treatment schedule? Get my e-book and learn it! Organic Lawn Fertilizer Schedule

Corn Gluten Meal Organic Fertilizer

Corn gluten is used for many lawn and garden applications, but the two most popular are as an organic natural fertilizer and as an organic crab grass control or preventative. If you are thinking of using it on your lawn, read this before you start.

What Is Corn Gluten Meal?

Corn gluten meal is a by-product or leftover from when companies make corn starch and corn syrup. When you get it at the store or local garden and lawn center, you will find it in 40 or 50lb bags in pellet or granular form. Overall, it contains around 10% nitrogen. Nitrogen is pretty much the essential nutrient that turns grass green, and corn gluten meal has a very solid and stable amount naturally, making it a GREAT choice for an organic fertilizer.

Is Corn Gluten Meal A Good Organic Fertilizer?

Yes, it is! Corn gluten contains a very nice amount of nitrogen, and because it is organic, it is naturally slow releasing. This means that it feeds the lawn slowly over time, making a nice impact on plant growth without pushing the turf unhealthily. So many of today’s synthetic fertilizers are full of quick release super hydrated nitrogen that pushes the growth of grass plants, almost like giving them a sugar rush that will end in a crash at some point. Organic fertilizers like corn gluten won’t do this.

How Does Corn Gluten Prevent Crab Grass?

Corn gluten meal, when applied early enough in the season, will build up in the soil line and prevent annual crab grass with some fairly good results. The key is you have to get it down just after the snow goes away. If you wait too long, you will not get very good control. I also recommend you NOT apply corn gluten in heavily shaded areas because:

1) crab grass does not usually grow in shady areas

2) the corn gluten will build up in the soil and actually thin out the grass in shaded areas. This grass is weak already from lack of sunlight.

So you want to go green eh? Organic lawn treatment services and companies do exist, as well as great DIY friendly organic lawn treatment programs. But where do you start? Here are the basics for you to consider.

1) Is an organic lawn treatment program right for your situation? The reason I need you to answer this question is simply to gauge your expectation level. An organic lawn will in all reality look better and be healthier than the alternatives, but you have to have a good base to work from first. Long story short, if you have a major weed problem and a thin turf structure, then you will need to use non-organic means to correct what is ailing your turf prior to going fully green and organic.

There just is no such thing as an organic weed killer so you can hang that thought up. Now I know there are companies on the net selling natural and organic weed killers, but they DO NOT WORK, trust me. There is, however, a good alternative to achieving a green, weed free lawn by using just a “little bit” or weed killing chemicals. In my book, I talk about this! Click here to get it.

Once you do get rid of the weeds, then you can start on an organic lawn treatment program.

2) Are you willing to do your part in other areas besides organic lawn treatment? What I mean here is that there are many things you can do to your lawn that will help it to thicken up and these items are indeed organic. One of those is core aeration which is a machine that punches holes in the lawn, allowing grass roots to thicken. In addition, you should constantly add fresh grass seeds to existing lawns to thicken them up and add in fresh, disease resistant grass species.

You will also need to mow your organically treated lawn regularly and mow it tall! No scalping allowed! irrigation is also important.

3) Finally, can you exercise a little patience? Organic lawn treatment programs work very well, but they also work slowly. organic lawn fertilizers release nutrients slowly as heat breaks down the nutrients and releases them into the soil. This produces good results slowly over time. Remember, organic lawn care is a marathon, not a sprint.

If you are ready to take on your organic lawn treatment program, click here and get the full, step by step program that works very well on my own lawn, and my readers’ lawns too. This organic lawn treatment program works on all types of grasses in all areas of the country.