Home staging starts at the curb, including your lawn. A green lawn is also a great place to spend time with the family and socialize with friends and neighbors. An organically grown green lawn is even better!

Going organic means a safer, cleaner, greener lawn that costs less money and requires less upkeep. Despite what chemical companies tell us, organic agricultural and horticultural solutions, used properly, are more effective than any chemical solutions available. We all know, beyond any doubt, they’re safer, to boot. Many facets of organic growing are methods, rather than products, which means you spend less, as well.

If your lawn is overrun with weeds, you may prefer to start fresh, tearing out the old lawn and starting over, after ensuring that your soil is up to snuff. Quality soil is key to a green lawn, whether you’re going organic or using chemicals.

The best soil composition for lawns in Ohio is 50% silt (regular dirt), 20% clay and 30% sand, with an ideal pH between 6 and 7. If you need to raise the pH and soften clay soil, you can accomplish both of these by adding crushed limestone to the soil before tilling. It’s best to add any sand you will need at the same time. Once you’ve added any amendments you need, it is time to till. Ohio lawns should be tilled to a depth of at least 4 inches, preferably as deep as 12 inches, before seeding.

Once you’ve prepared the soil bed, you need to seed your lawn. Take a moment to sketch out your property, noting the areas that receive sunlight all day, those which receive only partial sun and those areas which receive mostly shade. Bring this sketch with you to your local Home Depot or Lowe’s (as a side note, I’ve worked the garden center at Home Depot before and can vouch for their training program and overall knowledge) and have one of their lawn care experts assist you in determining which types of grass will work best in your lawn. It is best to use a slot seeder to seed your new lawn, as it actually buries the seed to the proper depth.

For more information, refer to this page at the Ohio State University website.

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