How to Maintain a Lawn Organically

with This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook, This Old House television

Shopping List

Supplies You Will Need

1. Compost

2. Grass seed

3. Soil test kit, for determining health of soil

4. Pelletized limestone, used to amend acidic soil

5. Chicken-manure fertilizer, used to feed soil

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Tools List
Tools You Will Need
- Lawnmower
- Wheelbarrow
- Shovel, for broadcasting compost
- Garden rake, used to spread compost
- Power aerator, used to aerate the lawn (rents for $60 to $80 a day)
- Walk-behind broadcast spreader, used to apply limestone, fertilizer and grass seed
- Leaf rake, used to rake grass seed into soil
- Garden hose and sprinkler
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In this video, This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook shows an environmentally safe way to grow and maintain a greener, healthier lawn Steps:

1. Start by mowing the lawn very short.
2. Next, use a gas-powered aerator to punch air holes into the lawn.
3. Use a shovel to broadcast ½ to 1 inch of compost over the lawn.
4. Rake the compost into lawn using a garden rake.
5. Check the health of the soil with a test kit; for acidic soil, add pelletized limestone with a broadcast spreader.
6. Add chicken-manure fertilizer to the lawn with broadcast spreader.
7. Spread grass seed over the lawn using broadcast spreader.
8. Use the back of a leaf rake to work the grass seed into the lawn.
9. Lightly water the lawn two or three times per day.
10. Once grass germinates, return to normal watering: irrigate the lawn with 1 inch of water per week.

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