Ralph Waldo Emerson might have said it best: “What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not been discovered.”
In a lawn or garden environment, most of us have a hard time seeing any virtues in any plants that are trying to compete with our grass or peas and carrots. Oftentimes, however, those weeds can be very valuable in telling us something about the condition of the soil below. Changing your mind about weeds starts with learning to identify them.
Though some soils in the West are inherently alkaline, meaning the pH is above 7.0, many gardeners in other parts of the country have acidic soil and they put pulverized dolomitic limestone on their lawns as a matter of course each fall.
Never spend money on any fertilizer or soil amendment for your lawn or garden without first consulting the results of a soil test.
Follow these 22 seasonal grass care tips to ensure your lawn looks healthy and green spring, summer, winter and fall.
If you want to be successful as a natural, organic gardener — or grow a healthy, organic lawn — you may need to think differently about your soil.