Spring arrives and the smell of freshly mown grass fills the air. Which is your signal to begin the annual rituals of spreading synthetic lawn care products, firing up the mower and having at it against nature.

But you don’t have to continue your annual chemically focused lawn care routine. And you really can help your lawn kick the performance-enhancing drugs. Going with more eco friendly, sustainable methods that will still give you a verdant, emerald green lawn.

Now organic lawn care begins with the grasses you plant. It also involves watering wisely, feeding sustainably, mowing right, while dealing with weeds or pests organically. Let’s briefly learn what each entails and then some.

Going Native When Deciding Which Grass to Plant

Planting indigenous varieties means you can get away with watering, feeding and treating for pests less often – if at all. Since any species of grass suited to thrive in your local conditions is more apt to make it on it’s own naturally. That means you want to stick with grasses adapted to cool seasons across the northern tier, warm season grasses across the southern tier and more transitional strains if you live in-between.