Explains how to make a lawn safe and environmentally friendly using organic methods, and how to pick the best grass for each climate and sunlight situation.

Create a gorgeous lawn that is free of harsh chemicals. This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know to grow and maintain a thriving lawn using organic gardening methods. With expert advice on planting the best grass varieties, nourishing the soil, watering, fighting weeds, and sustainable maintenance, Paul Tukey helps you create a luscious and inviting lawn that is pesticide-free and safe for your children and pets.

More than just a concentrated area of grass, a lawn is defined as a space planted with grass or other spreading plants that is kept trimmed to provide a natural carpet of foliage. If a grassy field is not cut and left to grow wild, it should not be considered a lawn but more likely a meadow.Most times a lawn is planted with grass to make an outdoor space that's usable and comfortable. It is aesthetically pleasing and easy to care for. It's also an economical way to prevent erosion and keep the soil moist and healthy.Many outdoor sports use a lawn as a playing surface. They often call that area by another name and might require exact specifications to be met regarding the care and maintenance of that lawn. In golf for instance, there is a big difference between the rough, fairway and the green. Each of these areas might even be planted with different grass varieties.Other terms used for a lawn are field (as in soccer), turf and pitch. In reference to your home, a lawn is also commonly called a yard.Although it is a matter of preference, there is a minimal level of maintenance required for a grassy area to be called a lawn. It should be trimmed close to the ground, although recently a trend towards wilder, les manicured lawns has taken off. Lawns are often invaded by common weeds such as dandelions and clover and can also become food for rodents and other animals.

For dog owners and garden lovers alike, Dogscaping presents a plan for the family dog to live in perfect harmony with a green, beautiful backyard. Whether the family dog is a demon digger like a terrier or a shade-seeking greyhound, Dogscaping offers solutions for all dog owners to create the perfect backyard and garden for all members of the human and canine family. Tom Barthel, a certified master gardener and devoted dog owner, approaches the topic of landscaping for dogs organically—figuratively and literally, whenever possible. Encouraging the reader to pursue organic methods, the author includes a terrific chapter on organic lawns and offers tips for maintaining an earth-friendly (and dog-friendly) green-as-can-be lawn. Between the chapters of this book are profiles called “Organic Gardener: Organic Dog,” in which he tells entertaining success stories of dog-owning organic gardeners and hobby farmers. In the chapter “Site Planning and Plant Selection,” Barthel advises on how to plan the backyard space taking the dog’s habits and proclivities in mind and then makes recommendations for various kinds of vines, groundcovers, shrubs, and urine-resistant plants. In its chapter about maintaining the garden and backyard, Dogscaping presents various organic pest and weed control options, which are safe for the dog and practical for the gardener. The author also offers a list of pest-discouraging plants and methods to deter unwanted weeds and visitors (gophers, deer, squirrels, etc.). In the greenest chapter in the book, “Recycling Home, Garden, and Yard Waste,” Barthel makes a compelling case for composting, cataloging both the advantages and savings and offering an easy five-step method of composting. Other additions to the dog-friendly backyard include planting fruits and vegetables, adding a water feature, and incorporating decks, gazebos, pathways, and lighting, all of which are covered in individual chapters in this beautifully photographed book. The final chapter of the book “Creating Doggy Nirvana” provides fun ideas for owners to include dog-specific features into their backyard designs, including a pooch pergola, doggy sandbox, and disappearing fountain. The appendix provides US and North American zone maps. Index included.

Wholesome tips for a healthier you. Everyone knows that we should be doing more to be good to our body—but moving toward an organic lifestyle can be overwhelming. This guide provides step–by–step information on everything from food to cleaning products to how to detoxify our bodies. It includes choosing quality natural products, exploring holistic alternatives to conventional medicine, and determining what to eat—and what not to eat. • Global market for organic products reached $38.6 billion in 2006 • Practical, step-by-step advice for making the transition

A guide to lawn care provides tips, techniques, and advice for an attractive yard, covering such topics as mowing, weeding, fertilizing, and getting rid of pests.

A renowned landscape gardener’s guide to less expensive, less water-intensive lawns, whether it’s a front yard or a fairway. A lush green lawn is one of the great pleasures of the natural world, whether it’s outside your front door or on a majestic fairway at a legendary golf course. But anyone who’s tried to grow the perfect lawn the conventional way knows it requires an endless cycle of watering and applying synthetic fertilizers and toxic chemical pesticides that costs a lot of money and kills all the life in the soil, on the surface, and on the grass. Fortunately, there’s a better way. Organic lawn care is not only healthier for the environment, it’s actually cheaper and less water-intensive, whether you’re managing a small yard or acres of turf. In this book, Howard Garrett, the renowned “Dirt Doctor,” takes you step-by-step through creating and maintaining turf organically. He begins with the soil, showing you how to establish a healthy habitat for grass. Then he discusses a variety of turfgrasses, including Bermudagrass, bluegrass, buffalo grass, fescue, ryegrass, St. Augustine, and zoysia. He explains in detail planting, mowing, watering, fertilizing, composting, and managing weeds and pests. And he offers alternatives to lawn grasses and turf, describing the situations in which they might be your best choice.