What’s an organic lawn?

Just like the organic produce you can get at the grocery store or farmers market, an organic lawn is grown without synthetic chemicals. That means no synthetic fertilizers & no synthetic weed killers.

Why is it so important that we get away from synthetic lawn chemicals?

With around 40 million acres of turfgrass in the continental United States, grass is by far the largest irrigated crop in the country. We have three times as much land set aside for growing turf as we do for irrigated corn. ​

Each year, Americans apply around 90 million pounds of synthetic chemical fertilizer to their lawns, either themselves or with a lawn company. These chemicals destroy the composition of our soils, pollute our waters and damage the creatures responsible for natural decomposition processes. ​

Chemicals found in synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides also introduce toxins to humans, pets and wildlife, which are known to cause disease and other health problems.

How can an organic yard help heal the planet?

Natural lawn care isn't about pumping nutrients into your lawn, it's about building up organic matter in your soil. Having healthier soil will mean thicker turf and less weeds, which means less need for herbicides. Having healthier soil will mean less watering, because organic matter locks moisture into the soil. Plus, healthy soil sequesters carbon, keeping it out of the atmosphere where it becomes a greenhouse gas.

Removing synthetic chemicals from our yards also keeps those chemicals out of our watershed-- something that we as an organic lawn company work at every day. Applying organic fertilizer, soil amendments and microbial drenches will build up your soil and give you a healthier lawn. Natural fertilizer also locks carbon into your soil, which is great for the environment.

What it means to have an organic yard.

Who or what are you trying to protect from toxic lawn chemicals? Pollinators? Children? Pets? The environment? Every one of these benefits when you switch to natural lawn care. Choosing to go organic in your yard is one of the most impactful things you can do for your home, your neighborhood and the living ecosystem that surrounds us all. So what does it mean to have an organic lawn?

• Healthy soil is where it begins. A healthy natural lawn has to have good soil thrive. That means adding organic matter and feeding the microbial populations beneath your grass. It means nourishing the living ecosystem growing in your soil. When you apply an eco-friendly lawn fertilizer, you're building up organic matter, not just force-feeding your turf nutrients. An eco-friendly approach focuses on what's happening underground, because healthy soil produces grass that grows tenaciously.

• Growing a natural lawn means welcoming some biodiversity. A truly natural lawn is never a monoculture. You won't find a monoculture growing anywhere in nature, and an eco-friendly lawn company shouldn’t promote a monoculture as something to aspire to. Having a natural lawn means turning away from unsustainable standards and accepting that at-minimum, 10% of what's growing in your lawn will be something other than turfgrass. That's not a flaw, it’s not a failure, it’s how we work with nature, instead of against it. The goal isn't to wipe out every unfamiliar plant but to manage and guide that biodiversity thoughtfully, because having some biodiversity is how you grow a healthy lawn. One of the best ways to manage your biodiversity is by introducing clover, which feeds the soil and supports pollinators at the same time. As an organic lawn company, we’re working with Mother Nature, not fighting her.

• An organic yard is safe for every creature that lives in and around your yard. Maintaining an eco-friendly yard means everything applied to your landscape is safe for you, your kids, your pets, wildlife and the pollinators our ecosystem and farmers depend on. Eco-friendly lawn care is about more than just turf. In 2026, we’re celebrating the Year of the Pollinator, which means we’re helping our neighbors understand the impact lawn care has on bee and butterfly populations.

Interested in learning more about our organic lawn program? Get in touch with us. Interested in becoming a pollinator protector? Support the Protect MI Pollinators campaign. Interested in learning more about what you can do to grow a healthy lawn? Check out our Lawn Library.