Lawn Care Products
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Grass Seed
Grow the lawn of your dreams with Jonathan Green! If you’re looking for grass seed that germinates quickly, grows thick, dark green grass, and can withstand a variety of climate conditions, Black Beauty Grass Seed is right for you! Read more.
Jonathan Green specializes in cool-season grass seed mixtures that grow exceptionally well in many conditions, including sunny, shady, and heavily trafficked lawns.
Our signature Black Beauty grass seed was created by cross-breeding two unique species of tall fescue grasses. The first was found in the frigid climate of northern Michigan, possesses a naturally dark green color, and can withstand freezing temperatures. The second was found on the edge of the Sahara Desert, with the ability to grow roots up to four feet deep, allowing it to suck up moisture from deep within the earth. It also has a waxy coating on the grass blade like the skin of a cactus that protects it from high heat and drought. We cross-bred these two types of grass to produce our one-of-a-kind, Black Beauty tall fescue grass seed.
To learn more about why our grass seed is a favorite among homeowners and professionals alike, visit our Why Choose Black Beauty Grass Seed page!
Which Grass Seed Should I Buy?
With all of the grass seed varieties available, you may wonder which one is truly right for you. Here are a few questions you can answer to help guide you through the process:
- Do you live in an area ideal for growing cool-season or warm-season grass?
- Does the area receive full sun, shade, or partial shade?
- Does the area receive frequent heavy traffic? (ex. Dogs and/or kids playing or running on the lawn)?
Once you’ve answered these questions, you can narrow down your lawn seed options and determine which grass type is best suited for you and your individual needs.
Types of Grass Seed
Before you buy grass seed, it’s important to know the different varieties of grasses. Grass seed varieties fall under two categories: cool-season grasses and warm-season grasses.
Cool-season grass types are grasses that grow best in the colder weather during fall and spring and go dormant between late fall and winter. They are primarily found in areas of the northern half of the United States. Warm-season grass types are grasses that grow best in the summer and go dormant in early fall. They are typically found in southern states that experience long, hot summers and high average temperatures above 75°F.
Cool Season Grass
Tall Fescue
Tall fescue is a popular cool-season grass variety due to its rich, dark green color, adaptability, and wear and tear tolerance. It is also known for its deep root system and ability to withstand shade.
Tall fescue can grow in a variety of climates, making it a top choice among homeowners in the northern half of the United States. Jonathan Green includes our signature Black Beauty tall fescue in many of our grass seed mixtures. Black Beauty is naturally dark green and grows upright and uniform. It’s often compared in appearance to Kentucky bluegrass but is preferred for its ability to withstand heat and drought.
Kentucky Bluegrass
Kentucky bluegrass is best known for its durability and gorgeous, blue-green hue. These qualities have made it popular among sod growers. It has a rhizome structure that allows it to grow horizontally and can self-repair patches and bare spots making it ideal for sports fields. Kentucky bluegrass requires more water and has a longer germination time than other cool-season grasses.
Visit our Kentucky Bluegrass resource page to learn more about this cool-season grass type!
Perennial Ryegrass
Perennial ryegrass is valued for its fine grass blades and ability to germinate and establish a lawn quickly. This type of grass seed is used to plant both temporary lawns in southern states and permanent lawns in northern parts of the United States, as it performs well in areas with moderate summers and colder winters.
Perennial ryegrass has several remarkable qualities, including high wear tolerance, an ability to withstand light shade, and the natural ability to suppress other plants, like pesky lawn weeds. Although it spreads slowly due to its bunch-forming growth habit, it creates a beautiful lawn when paired with other grass types, like in many of our Black Beauty mixtures.
Warm Season Grass
Jonathan Green does not sell warm-season grass seed, however, we’ve included information below for you to learn more about the different types of warm-season grasses and their unique characteristics.
Bermudagrass
Bermudagrass is preferred by many southern homeowners for its ability to quickly fill bare spots, endure high traffic, and withstand heat and drought. It performs best south of the transition zone with full sun.
To learn more about this durable warm-season grass, visit our Bermudagrass resource page!
Zoysia
Zoysia grass is a low-maintenance, warm-season grass most notable for its heat and drought tolerance, dense growth, and ability to withstand heavy foot traffic. Even though it is a warm-season grass, it is known to have decent cold tolerance. Similar to Kentucky bluegrass, this grass seed spreads by rhizomes and produces a beautiful, emerald hue.
It is most suitable for both the southern part of the United States and areas near the transition zone and performs best in areas with full sun. You may want to plant zoysia grass if you want a great-looking lawn without much work, as this grass won’t require large amounts of fertilizer or water to maintain it. Like most warm-season grasses, however, it will go dormant in the winter and turn brown.
Centipede grass
Centipede grass is another low-maintenance, warm-season grass known for its heat and shade tolerance. It has wider stems than other warm-season grasses, like bermudagrass and zoysia grass. Centipede grass grows best in the southeastern area of the United States, specifically the Carolinas and parts of the Texas Gulf Coast.
It has great heat tolerance and requires less frequent mowing and dethatching. Furthermore, this type of grass seed doesn’t experience a true winter dormancy period and will maintain its green color in some climates. However, it has little to no drought tolerance and won’t hold up against heavy foot traffic. It also has strict soil and climate requirements, as it prefers sandy, acidic soils.
The Main Takeaway
We know that lawn care is not one-size-fits-all. That’s why we provide a wide range of grass seed options to cater to your unique needs. We believe selecting grass seed should be a seamless process so you can start growing the lawn of your dreams as soon as possible!
Explore our wide selection of lawn seed mixtures today and buy grass seed that’s a perfect fit for your lawn.
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Soil Amendments
Soil health and lawn health go hand in hand. Choose Jonathan Green soil amendments, made with all-natural ingredients to help you maintain loose, biologically active soil with a balanced pH. Read more.
Explore Jonathan Green Soil Amendments
Jonathan Green soil amendment products are designed to address a variety of soil issues, such as compaction, water retention, nutrient availability and acidic and alkaline soil pH. Our soil foods are one-of-a-kind and formulated with natural ingredients to help you achieve a healthy lawn and soil, without the use of harsh chemicals!
What Are Soil Amendments?
Soil amendments or soil conditioners are anything added to your lawn’s soil to change the physical nature and improve its texture, aeration and ability to retain water. They also often adjust pH, creating a better environment for roots to grow and improving your grass plants' ability to absorb nutrients.
Soil amendments are often confused with lawn fertilizer, as they both are used to improve the overall health of your lawn. Fertilizer supplies the soil with nutrients needed for grass growth, while soil amendments help to improve the structure and texture of the soil, allowing your grass roots to grow deep and strong.
Soil amendments aid in creating a healthy environment to grow grass in. When added to your soil, they encourage the growth of stronger roots and make it easier for your lawn to access air, water, and nutrients.
Benefits of Using Soil Amendments
One benefit of using a soil amendment is that it improves the overall health of your soil and lawn. Many soil amendments contain humates, which are organic substances that help to stimulate healthy biological activity in the soil. Having healthy, biologically active soil creates the best foundation for your grass to grow in.
Another benefit of adding soil conditioners to your lawn care routine is that they help to improve water drainage and the flow of oxygen to grass roots.
When soil is hard or compacted, grass roots cannot grow deep into the soil to access necessary air, water, and nutrients for healthy grass growth. This can lead to a number of lawn issues, including the growth of weeds, thin, patchy grass, and water pooling in areas of your yard.
Using soil foods fortified with gypsum (a loosening agent), such as Jonathan Green Love Your Soil, helps to release trapped nutrients in hard, compacted soil, improves air and water flow, and encourages the growth of deeper roots.
Soil amendments can also help to balance the levels of acidity and alkalinity of your soil. If you struggle with weeds, light green or yellowing grass or bare spots in your lawn, your soil’s pH levels may be unbalanced.
To determine if your soil’s pH levels are within a healthy range, you can use a soil pH test kit or send a small sample of your soil to your local cooperative extension office. For reference, healthy lawns flourish with a pH that is slightly acidic to neutral (between 6.2 and 7.0).
When your soil pH is unbalanced, it prevents your grass from accessing the nutrients it needs for growth. Using soil conditioner formulated with elements like sulfur, calcium sulfate, and calcium carbonate help to correct unbalanced soil pH. Check out Jonathan Green Mag-I-Cal® for Lawns in Acidic Soil or Mag-I-Cal® Plus for Lawns in Alkaline & Hard Soil to restore balance to your soil.
Choosing a Soil Amendment for Your Lawn
Choosing the right soil amendment for your lawn and soil type is important in order to address specific soil issues. Here are a few steps to select the best soil amendment to address your soil’s specific needs:
- Test your soil (a healthy range is between 6.2 and 7.0)
- Perform a soil compaction test.
- Once you have your results follow the guide below on which product you need to use.
If the pH of your soil is balanced and not compacted, then you probably don’t need a soil amendment. If your soil pH is above 7 or below 6, or if it is compacted, then it needs some help from one of the following soil amendments.
- Mag-I-Cal for Lawns in Acidic Soil- use this for soil with a pH that is below 6
- Mag-I-Cal Plus for Lawns in Acidic and Hard Soil- use this for soil that has a pH below 6 AND is compacted
- Mag-I-Cal Plus for Lawns in Alkaline and Hard Soil- use this for soil that has a pH above 7 AND is compacted
- Love Your Soil- use this for soil that is compacted, but has a balanced pH
Types of Soil Amendments
There are several types of soil amendments you can use to improve the physical properties of your soil. Whether it’s to help fix an unbalanced soil pH or loosen compacted soil, each type of soil amendment has its own unique role in creating a healthier environment for you to plant grass seed. Here are some common soil conditioners used in lawn care:
Lime
Lime is an element that is commonly added to soils to help raise the pH of acidic soil. Though its fruit-bearing name is deceiving, the form of “lime” used in lawn care is actually made from ground limestone rock and contains a concentration of magnesium carbonate and calcium carbonate, both of which help to adjust low soil pH and improve the availability of nutrients to your lawn.
Adding lime is a common solution to adjust soil pH that is too acidic, however in most cases of unbalanced soil, it can take many bags of dusty lime to do this. A cost-effective, nutrient-packed alternative to this is Jonathan Green Mag-I-Cal Soil Food, which offers the adjusting power of up to 15 bags of lime and includes calcium carbonate in a completely soluble form to help rapidly adjust soil pH upwards.
Sulfur
Sulfur, also known as elemental sulfur, is another ingredient added to soil amendments that lowers the pH in soils that are too alkaline. Soil microbes feed on elemental sulfur and produce its soil pH-lowering effect.
Fast-acting sulfur is a key ingredient in Mag-I-Cal® Plus for Lawns in Alkaline & Hard Soil which works with calcium sulfate to lower high soil pH levels so that grass plants can access nutrients in the soil.
Gypsum
Calcium sulfate, or gypsum, is a quick-acting mineral that loosens and aerates compacted soil. It is best used on hard, clay soils that are dry, compacted, and challenging to grow healthy grass in. When soil particles are tightly compressed, rates of water infiltration and drainage are reduced and grass plants struggle to grow deep roots. Many people use a core aerator to loosen compacted soil, but this is only a temporary solution as the holes will fill back in over time and recompact.
For a natural, long-term solution to this problem, you can add a gypsum-enriched soil amendment, such as Love Your Soil, which provides natural aeration, improves root growth and enhances water penetration.
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Lawn Fertilizer
Feed your lawn with Jonathan Green! Our lawn fertilizer products are packed with key lawn nutrients – nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium – for vigorous grass growth, deep roots, and drought and disease resistance. Read more.
Jonathan Green lawn fertilizer products are packed with key lawn nutrients - nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium - for vigorous grass growth, deep roots, and the ability to resist drought and disease.
Our fertilizers are specially formulated to nourish and strengthen both cool and warm-season lawns from top to bottom. If you are seeding a new lawn and need starter fertilizer or want to prevent crabgrass while fertilizing your lawn you’ve come to the right place!
What is a Lawn Fertilizer?
Lawn fertilizer is a dressed-up term for “lawn food”. Just like humans need food to survive, plants do too! Lawn food provides your grass with the nutrients necessary to build cell walls, encourage strong root growth, and ward off weeds and disease.
Why Your Lawn Needs Fertilizer
All lawns require a healthy dose of macronutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium), and micronutrients, (iron, manganese, and zinc).
Fertilizer supplies grass plants with these nutrients to grow healthy, green grass and maintain a lush appearance. Just as we take multivitamins packed with nutrients to keep our bodies healthy and strong, lawns grow best when they are supplemented with vitamins and minerals too.
Lawn fertilizer also helps to strengthen nutrient-deficient lawns. Lawns with nutrient deficiencies are more likely to have problems with weeds, patchiness, and brown spots. Fertilizer arms your lawn with a defense system of nutrients to combat existing lawn problems and prevent future ones.
Most lawn nutrients are water soluble, meaning regular precipitation and lawn watering cause them to leach out of the soil, and need to be replenished over time. Applying grass fertilizer helps to restore these nutrients back into the soil.
Nitrogen, for example, is an essential lawn nutrient that needs to be replenished regularly as it moves through your lawn’s soil with rain. Jonathan Green Green Up Lawn Fertilizer features special slow-release nitrogen that is unaffected by excessive rainfall and provides your lawn with a steady feeding of nutrients for less surge growth and greener, healthier grass.
Understanding the NPK Ratio on Fertilizer Bags
Every lawn fertilizer has a formula of elements (shown on the front of the bag) called the NPK ratio, which stands for Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium (K). This formula tells you the amount of each element included in the fertilizer. Each of these elements serves a distinct purpose for your lawn’s health:
- Nitrogen supplements the rich, green color of your grass and encourages leaf growth.
- Phosphorus stimulates the growth of deeper roots and the sprouting of new grass seedlings.
- Potassium aids in drought and disease resistance, protection from heavy foot traffic, and extreme weather conditions.
Every lawn is unique and has specific nutritional needs that may require more of one nutrient than another. For example, some lawns may need more nitrogen than others to repair damage from summer stress. This is what led Jonathan Green to create a fall lawn fertilizer that is rich in both nitrogen and potassium to repair summer damage and build deeper roots to prepare your lawn for winter stress. When buying fertilizer, make sure you choose the one that is right for you.
Choosing the Best Fertilizer for Your Lawn
With all of the fertilizer formulations available, it can be confusing to know which one is right for your lawn. Here are some things to consider when selecting grass fertilizer:
- Grass type - Do you have cool-season or warm-season grass?
- Time of year - Is it spring, summer, fall, or winter?
- Lawn issues - Do you have weeds or yellow spots?
- The condition of your lawn - Are you starting a new lawn or seeding an existing one?
Once you identify your lawn’s individual needs, you can narrow down your fertilizer options and find the one that’s right for you.
Quick Release vs. Slow Release Fertilizer
Most lawn fertilizers are classified as either quick-release or slow-release. Quick-release fertilizers release nutrients rapidly into your soil, making the nutrients readily available for your lawn to use right away. These types of fertilizers are usually water-soluble, meaning they will dissolve quickly into your lawn’s soil and be used by your grass immediately. This is a great option if you want quick greening, especially on a newly planted lawn.
Slow-release fertilizers steadily release nutrients into the soil over a period of time. This type of fertilizer is best for established lawns and has many benefits, including a longer-lasting green-up, uniform application, slower growth, and a reduced risk of nutrients leaching from the soil.
While you won’t see any instant green-up like a quick-release fertilizer, you can expect more even-paced grass growth and longer-lasting results with slow-release fertilizer like Jonathan Green Green Up Lawn Fertilizer. This special formula offers a slow and steady release of nitrogen to prevent a surge of grass growth in early spring and reduces the number of grass clippings when you mow.
Weed and Feed
When a lawn fertilizer is combined with an herbicide, it is known as “weed and feed.” These two-in-one products offer the convenience of controlling lawn weeds while simultaneously feeding your lawn. Weed and feed products often offer pre-emergent control, which prevents the weed seeds from germinating, or post-emergent control, which kills actively growing weeds. Jonathan Green Green Up with Crabgrass Preventer, however, prevents crabgrass seeds from germinating, AND kills existing crabgrass up to the three-leaf stage.
Starter Fertilizer
Using a new seeding fertilizer helps to get grass seedlings off to a great start! Starter fertilizer helps supply seedlings with the nutrients they need to develop deep, dense roots and promote healthy germination and grass growth. Most starter fertilizers contain a high amount of phosphorus to build strong roots. If you’re seeding, overseeding, or even laying sod, use a starter fertilizer that can be applied the same day you seed.
Fall Lawn Fertilizer
Your lawn should be fed throughout the year, but especially in the fall. Fall fertilizers give your lawn a boost of nutrients to repair summer damage and withstand cold, winter weather. Using one that is high in potassium, such as Jonathan Green Winter Survival Fall Lawn Fertilizer, helps your grass build stronger cell walls to endure times of stress like harsh weather conditions.
Organic Fertilizer
Organic lawn fertilizer is an eco-friendly way to feed your lawn without the use of chemicals. Organic grass fertilizers require a bit more patience than synthetic fertilizers, as soil microbes need more time to break down nutrients so they can be absorbed by grass roots. The benefits are well worth it, however, as you won’t risk burning your lawn and it’s safe to use around kids and pets!
When to Fertilize Your Lawn
Timely fertilizer applications are a key component of maintaining a healthy lawn year-round. By feeding your lawn throughout the year, you encourage the growth of dark green grass with strong roots and resistance to weeds and disease.
You should add lawn fertilizer 3 to 4 times a year (early spring, late spring, summer, and fall) during the active growth period for your grass type.
For cool-season grasses, such as tall fescue and perennial ryegrass, this means focusing on applying fertilizer in the spring and fall. Warm-season grasses, such as bermudagrass, St. Augustine, and zoysia, experience an active period of growth during the spring and summer. You should feed warm-season grasses every 6 - 8 weeks during this time.
Applying a fall fertilizer before the first fall frost helps any lawn, cool or warm season, prepare for harsh, winter weather conditions.
For a full guide to feeding your lawn at the right time (including a helpful seasonal application reference tool), visit our When to Fertilize Your Lawn page!
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Weed Control & Prevention
Tackle lawn weeds with Jonathan Green! Our weed control and weed prevention products are specially formulated to kill over 200+ types of broadleaf and grassy weeds. Read More.
Explore Jonathan Green Weed Control & Prevention Products
To avoid a weed infestation, it’s important to quickly deal with any weeds that pop up. Using a weed control product will help to eliminate broadleaf and grassy weeds from creeping into your yard. With a plethora of options available, however, it can be confusing to know which one is right for you.
Jonathan Green offers a wide variety of weed control and weed prevention products to help kill existing broadleaf weeds and prevent grassy weeds. Our premium herbicides are specially formulated to kill over 200+ types of lawn weeds. To help you tackle your weed problem, read below for information about different types of lawn weeds and the specific type of product you’ll need to keep your lawn weed free.
Why Weed Control Is Important
When weeds invade your lawn, they’re competing for the same nutrients, air, and water that your grass needs to thrive. Weeds are often the first to soak up nutrients from fertilizer, meaning your lawn’s growth isn’t fueled as much as it should be. Put simply, without proper weed control, your grass plants are competing with weeds to survive in your yard. This will make your lawn more prone to issues like disease, insect infestation, and drought.
Just like if humans don’t get enough sleep, water, and vitamins, their immune system is weakened- the same goes for grass plants. If weeds are soaking up all the nutrients your grass needs, then it will struggle. However, if you put down a weed preventer, your grass will not need to compete for resources.
Types of Lawn Weeds
There are two types of lawn weeds: broadleaf weeds and grassy weeds. Most types of weed controls target either broadleaf weeds OR grassy weeds, not both at the same time so it’s important to identify the type of lawn weed you have prior to selecting a weed control for optimal results.
Broadleaf Weeds
Broadleaf weeds are distinguishable by their deep taproots and pronounced flowers once they reach maturity. Some common examples of broadleaf weeds include dandelions, chickweed, and clover.
Grassy Weeds
Grassy weeds are slightly more difficult to spot, as they look like and often blend in with the rest of your lawn. They are identifiable by their thick, unsightly leaves and rounded stems, with alternating leaf blades on each side. Some common examples of grassy weeds include crabgrass, poa annua, and goosegrass.
Types of Weed Controls
Aside from being categorized into broadleaf and grassy weed controls, weed killers are also formulated to offer either pre or post-emergent control of lawn weeds. Pre-emergent weed controls work underground to prevent weeds from growing and overtaking your lawn. Post-emergent weed controls kill weeds that have already grown above ground to prevent them from going to seed, taking over your lawn, and becoming a recurring problem.
Pre-emergent Weed Control
Pre-emergent weed controls provide preventative treatment for most lawn weeds. If you want to get ahead of a weed problem in your lawn, this may be the right treatment for you.
The magic of how pre-emergent weed control works begins in the lawn's soil. Most pre-emergent weed controls create a barrier at or just below the surface of the soil to prevent weed seeds from germinating and growing into a full-blown problem.
Pre-emergents work best with grassy weeds, such as crabgrass, as its plants produce seeds that lay dormant in the fall until they germinate in spring when most people find them in their lawns. Because crabgrass is harder to treat when it’s reached maturity (past the third leaf stage), it’s best to apply a pre-emergent in early spring to prevent the weed seeds from germinating.
Where most pre-emergents only work to prevent weed seeds from germinating, Jonathan Green Crabgrass Preventer plus Lawn Fertilizeroffers both pre AND post-emergent control of crabgrass up to the three-leaf stage. It has fewer harmful ingredients than other crabgrass preventers and includes fertilizer to promote an early spring green-up.
Post-emergent Weed Control
Post-emergent weed controls work to kill lawn weeds that have already germinated and grown above ground. They serve as damage control, by coming in and attacking established weeds at the root to ensure they won’t grow back.
Post-emergent weed control proves to be most effective on weeds that are actively growing. Dandelions, for example, are broadleaf weeds that most people find actively growing in their lawns in early spring. While you can hand-pull small infestations, using post-emergent weed control, like Jonathan Green Weed & Feed or Jonathan Green Lawn Weed Control ensures you kill the weed and eliminate its root.
Some post-emergent weed controls are also coupled with fertilizer to provide a deep greening to your lawn while controlling weeds. Jonathan Green Weed & Feed includes fertilizer to gently feed the lawn while controlling over 250+ broadleaf weeds! This can save you both time and money, by offering the convenience of two treatments in one easy-to-use product.
Natural Weed Control
Natural weed control is an eco-friendly alternative to controlling weeds in your lawn. Most natural weed controls are composed of non-chemical ingredients, such as corn gluten, which hinders root formation, killing the new weeds soon after they germinate.
Natural weed controls may require a bit of patience in comparison to synthetic weed controls, as they may take more than one application to control severe lawn weed infestations. Even so, using natural weed prevention products is ultimately beneficial for your lawn, family, and the environment!
Jonathan Green Corn Gluten Weed Preventer is specially formulated with patented corn gluten technology to provide pre-emergent control of both broadleaf and grassy weeds, while gently feeding the lawn. This eco-friendly, double-action weed control product is also gentle enough to use in flower gardens and planting beds. It is safe to apply around kids and pets and is our only weed control that will prevent both broadleaf and grassy weeds.
Why Choose Jonathan Green Weed Control
There are several weed control products out there, making it difficult to identify the right one for you. At Jonathan Green, we provide a variety of weed control products that are either natural or synthetic. Our natural weed preventer is made with non-chemical ingredients, such as corn gluten, to gently give your grass the nourishment it needs while eliminating a variety of weeds. Our synthetic weed control and prevention products quickly and effectively prevent weed seeds from germinating and tackle existing weed infestations.
You dedicate a lot of time and care to maintain the health and look of your lawn. Trust Jonathan Green’s selection of weed control and prevention products to provide effective, top to bottom control of weeds in your lawn.
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Natural Lawn Care Products
Want to grow a dark-green lawn without the use of chemicals? Jonathan Green organic lawn care products are both safe to use around kids and pets and made with all-natural ingredients! Read more.
Take care of the planet and your lawn with Jonathan Green! Our natural lawn care products are gentle on the environment, yet powerful enough to maintain the health and look of your yard. All of our eco-friendly products contain natural ingredients, such as corn gluten for weed prevention and natural plant oils to repel insects. Our products, such as our pet-friendly weed killer and natural lawn fertilizer, are also safe to apply around kids and pets, so you can create plenty of family memories on your lawn!
While natural lawn care requires a bit of patience, the long-term benefits for the environment and your lawn make it worthwhile! Ultimately, you will have a lawn that naturally combats weeds, repels harmful insects and pests, and boasts a rich, dark green hue. Ready to make the switch? Read on to start caring for your lawn without the use of chemicals.
What is Natural Lawn Care?
Natural lawn care is the practice of caring for your lawn using non-toxic, non-synthetic products. They are primarily made with ingredients that come from nature, such as plant and animal components.
Natural lawn care products differ from synthetic lawn products, which are made from man-made materials. While synthetic lawn products are often extremely effective and offer immediate treatment for your lawn, they can have adverse effects to the environment, and are often not safe for pets and humans to touch with bare hands. Caring for your lawn naturally, on the other hand, requires a bit more patience, as the ingredients offer a slower, more gradual treatment process but pays off with the many benefits to you, your family, and planet earth.
Benefits of Natural Lawn Care
There are many benefits to switching to an all-natural lawn care routine. The main benefit is that it is environmentally friendly. Misusing synthetic products can result in chemical runoff leaching into your local water supply. By using natural lawn care products, you won’t have to worry about unintentional runoff or pollutants endangering the health of your community.
Another benefit of a natural lawn care routine is it supports a healthy soil microbial life, which is vital to growing a healthy lawn. Using a natural soil amendment enriched with humates, such as Jonathan Green Love Your Soil, helps stimulate and feed these microbes to build a humus reserve, which offers vital nutrients and disease resistance.
Whereas many traditional fertilizers should not be applied during warm months, natural lawn care products can be applied year-round, without harm to your grass! With Jonathan Green natural lawn care products, you can safely feed your lawn, repel insects, and control weeds in spring, summer, or fall, without worrying about burning or damaging your lawn.
Jonathan Green Black Beauty grass seed varieties pair perfectly with any natural lawn care routine. Unlike other grass seed brands, Black Beauty grass seed is 100% pure seed, made with no coating or fillers. Growing an all-natural lawn with Black Beauty grass seed is ideal, as its natural dark green color requires less fertilizer than other grass seed brands and is insect and disease resistant.
How to Make the Switch to Natural Lawn Care
Want to grow a beautiful, lush green lawn without the use of harsh chemicals? It’s simple! Below are some steps you can take to help you get started:
- Test your soil pH
- Add natural soil amendments or compost to your lawn’s soil
- Feed your lawn with natural lawn fertilizer
- Use natural weed control to prevent lawn weeds
- Repel lawn insects with natural insect control
Before trying natural lawn care products, test your soil to make sure your lawn has a healthy environment for proper grass growth and root development. Lawns with soils that are too acidic or too alkaline encourage the growth of weeds, decrease healthy microbial activity, and hinder access to nutrients.
Use a soil pH test kit to determine if your soil pH is within an optimal range. Lawns with a healthy pH have a range between 6.2 to 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral). If you find your soil pH is unbalanced, add natural lawn care products such as Jonathan Green Mag-I-Cal® Plus for Lawns in Acidic & Hard Soil to rapidly raise soil pH that is too acidic or Jonathan Green Mag-I-Cal® Plus for Lawns in Alkaline & Hard Soil to lower soil pH that is too alkaline.
Adding a natural soil amendment or homemade compost to your lawn’s soil helps to stimulate beneficial soil microbes, improve texture, and make it easy for your lawn to access air, nutrients, and water.
Jonathan Green Love Your Soil is a natural soil amendment that aerates the soil using gypsum (a natural loosening agent) and supports a healthy microbial life. Using Love Your Soil eliminates the need of using heavy, unwieldy core aerators and naturally creates healthy, loose soil for your grass to grow in.
Lawn fertilizer supplies your grass with the nutrients it needs for maintaining a lush green color, a strong root system, and insect and disease resistance. Using a natural lawn fertilizer is a great way to supply your lawn with all the nutrients it needs without chemicals!
Jonathan Green Organic Lawn Food contains food-grade organic ingredients, such as feather meal and soybean meal, to gently feed your lawn. It also contains iron to offer a deep greening to both established and newly seeded lawns.
Natural lawn fertilizer requires some patience compared to quick-release synthetic fertilizers, as the soil microbes need time to break down nutrients so they can be absorbed by grass roots. The benefit of using a natural lawn fertilizer, however, is that you won’t risk burning your lawn, and kids and pets can enter the lawn immediately after you apply it!
Using pre-emergent weed control is a great way to get ahead of weed infestations and prevent them from ruining your lawn. Natural weed preventer, such as Jonathan Green Corn Gluten Weed Preventer plus Lawn Food, is an eco-friendly alternative to controlling and preventing weeds from germinating.
Corn Gluten Weed Preventer uses the power of corn gluten, which acts as natural weed control, to hinder root formation of weed plants and kill them before they reach maturity.
Natural weed control may require more than one application to prevent weed infestations from returning year after year. The natural ingredients in it, however, are beneficial for both your lawn and the environment. Unlike synthetic weed killers, Corn Gluten Weed Preventer is also a pet-safe weed killer that can be applied around your furry friends!
Many insect controls require the use of harmful chemicals to repel insects from your yard, making it an inconvenience for you and your family to use your lawn for play. Jonathan Green Natural Insect Control is a non-toxic, natural lawn care product that uses an all-natural proprietary blend of plant oils to kill and repel lawn insects. Unlike synthetic insecticides, it’s safe to use around kids and pets and has no effect on mammals, birds, or fish
The Bottom Line
Switching to a natural lawn care routine is beneficial for both the health of your lawn and the environment. By using natural lawn fertilizer and other natural lawn care products made with non-toxic, all-natural ingredients, you’ll give your lawn the nutrients to grow healthy and strong and a safe place for your kids and pets to play!
Browse the full Jonathan Green Natural Lawn Care line today! Your lawn (and the Earth) will thank you for it.
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Insect & Disease Control
Address your lawn issues with Jonathan Green! Our natural insect control kills surface and soil insects, such as grubs, chinch bugs, and ants. Use our lawn fungus control to treat damage caused by dollar spot, brown patch, and more! Read more.
Explore Lawn Insect Control
Prevent lawn insects from ruining your yard with Jonathan Green lawn care products! Jonathan Green insect control is formulated to kill over 15 surface and soil insects, including grubs and chinch bugs.
We know lawn insects can be an annoying issue to tackle. That’s why we’ve made it simple for you, by offering easy-to-apply lawn insect control to kill and repel insects from your yard. Read on for more information about what lawn insect control is and how to identify damage from lawn insects, and grubs!
What is Lawn Insect Control?
Lawn insect control falls under an umbrella term of substances called pesticides, which are defined as any substance or mixture used to kill and repel pests. Pests can include insects, rodents, weeds or diseases. Insecticide is a specific type of pesticide that kills insects. Pesticides usually come in either liquid or granular form and are applied by spraying or with the use of a handheld spreader or rotary spreader.
Insecticides or lawn insect control works to kill and repel one or several species of bugs and insects, such as ants, fleas, ticks, grubs, armyworms, and more.
Types of Lawn Insect Control
Synthetic Insecticides
Synthetic insecticide is a type of lawn insect control that is made up of man-made, chemical ingredients that kill and repel insects. Synthetic insecticides usually work quicker than organic pesticides and oftentimes are more effective.They can however pose a risk to the environment if misused, as harmful runoff can get into your local water supply. When used properly though, they provide complete long-term protection against lawn insects.
Insecticides with Fertilizer
Insecticides that are coupled with fertilizer add nutrients to the lawn while controlling insects at the same time. This combination can save you time and money, by helping you maintain a healthy, green lawn and repel insects from your yard with a single application.
Jonathan Green Summer Survival Insect Control with Fertilizer is a dual-action, lawn insect control product that feeds the lawn while eliminating over 15 surface-feeding insects, such as chinch bugs and armyworms. It contains a low-nitrogen formula that is specifically designed to feed the lawn during hot, summer months, which is the same time of year insects thrive in cool-season grasses.
Natural Insecticides
Natural insecticides are an eco-friendly alternative for killing and repelling lawn insects. While you may need more than one application for severe infestations, the environmental benefits make it worthwhile.
Research has shown that plants produce oils that naturally repel lawn insects. Jonathan Green Natural Grub and Insect Control contains a one-of-a-kind, proprietary blend of plant oils to naturally lawn insect control without synthetic toxins or the residue of non-organic ingredients. It also offers peace of mind, as it’s safe to apply to lawns where kids and pets play!
Common Lawn Insects
Most lawn insects can be categorized as either surface or soil-feeding. Surface-feeding insects, such as chinch bugs and webworms, exist above the surface of your lawn’s soil and feed on the leaves of grass plants. Pests such as grubs are considered soil-feeding, as they live under the surface of the soil and feed on the grass roots. Make sure that the lawn insect control you are applying works for the type of insect you would like to repel.
Grubs
Grubs are the larvae of billbugs and live in the soil, surviving by eating away at your grass roots. They are primarily found in fall during seeding season and have a life cycle of one year that begins in the summer, when billbugs lay eggs that turn into grubs. Key indicators of grub damage are brown patches or spongey spots on your lawn.
To test if a dead patch of grass in your lawn has been caused by grubs, conduct a simple pull test:
- Take a handful of yellowed grass and gently tug to determine if the grass is still connected to the soil. If it comes out easily, you have a grub problem.
For a full guide to identifying, treating, and preventing grubs with lawn insect control, visit our Lawn Grubs page!
Chinch Bugs
Chinch bugs are small lawn insects that can be identified by their black bodies with white wings. They are primarily found between the spring and fall and thrive in hot, dry climates. Key indicators of chinch bug damage are large, yellow patches of grass that turn brown overtime.
Explore Lawn Fungus Control
Stop the spread of lawn fungus in your yard with Jonathan Green! Jonathan Green offers lawn fungus control to treat and prevent a variety of lawn diseases, such as dollar spot, brown patch, and more!
Lawn fungus is a lawn disease that occurs during periods of excessive heat and humidity. While fungal spores exist naturally in every lawn, practices such as overwatering or watering your lawn at night, can cause the spores to multiply and spread throughout the lawn.
If left untreated for too long, lawn fungus can cause widespread damage and leave you with a yard full of dead grass that cannot be brought back to life.
Using lawn fungus control can help to stop an existing spread from worsening and prevent future spreads when used as a preventative treatment. Read on for more information about different types of lawn fungus control and identifying lawn fungus in your yard.
What is Lawn Fungus Control?
Lawn fungus control or lawn fungicide is a pesticide that is used to stop and prevent the spread of fungi that causes a variety of lawn diseases, such as snow mold, red thread, and dollar spot.
Types of Lawn Fungus Control
Broad-spectrum fungicides
Broad-spectrum lawn fungicides can be used to control a wide variety of fungi that cause damage to lawns. These are effective in preventing fungi from returning to areas where it has been a problem in the past.
Jonathan Green Lawn Fungus Control is a broad-spectrum lawn fungicide that works to control a wide variety of turf diseases, including leaf spot and brown patch. It is a preventative treatment, meaning it can only prevent or stop the disease from occuring, and will not bring grass that has already been damaged back to life. It can be applied year-round and works well for both cool and warm season grasses.
To learn more about lawn fungus and how to treat it in your lawn, check out our lawn fungus article.
Common Types of Lawn Fungus
Brown patch
Brown patch is one of the most common lawn diseases that occur in cool-season lawns. It appears as circles of dead grass with a dark gray ring around its perimeter. Brown patch can be caused by a number of reasons, including excess fertilizer and watering your lawn at night.
Leaf spot
Leaf spot is a disease that is fairly easy to identify, as it appears as brown or yellow spots on the blades of grass plants. It typically occurs in areas that are warm and humid and soils with high levels of nitrogen. Most lawn fungicides treat brown patch and leaf spot.
How to Identify Damage from Lawn Fungus
Before applying lawn fungus control to your lawn, it’s important to properly identify the type of lawn problem you’re dealing with. Here are steps to guide you through this process:
1. Examine the problem area
Are there patterns or irregular patches of dead grass? If the dead grass is widespread, it may be due to drought or dormancy. If there are consistent patterns or rings, patches of yellow or brown grass in one area, visible black or yellow spots on the grass blades, or even slime on your grass, you may have lawn fungus.
2. Diagnose the problem
Once you’ve examined the area, determine if you have lawn fungus. Contact your local county extension office if you’re unsure.
3. Decide on treatment
If the damage isn’t extensive, treatment may not be required. If you have a severe infestation, however, apply lawn fungus control to treat and prevent future infestations. Rake out the dead grass and reseed the bare spots.
How to Prevent Damage from Lawn Fungus
The long-term solution to preventing damage from lawn fungus is maintaining a healthy lawn, which includes but is not limited to:
- Having a balanced soil pH and active soil microbial life
- Aerating the soil to prevent compaction
- Removing excess thatch
- Fertilizing regularly (at least 2 - 3 times a year)
- Proper mowing and watering practices (Mowing at the correct height, sharpening blades, avoiding watering at night, etc.)
- Applying a fungicide as a preventative measure if you’ve experienced lawn fungus in the past
Safety Tips for Applying Pesticides
It’s important to note that you should exercise a great deal of care when applying chemical pesticides to your lawn. Here are some vital safety tips to practice before, during, and after applying chemical pesticides:
- Carefully read the product label for application instructions before purchasing AND before applying insect control or lawn fungus control
- Reference Safety Data Sheets for complete safety precautions for handling, disposing, and storing lawn infection control products
- Wear proper PPE (personal protective equipment) when handling chemicals, such as gloves and goggles
- Make sure to apply the correct amount of product to your lawn to avoid harmful runoff in the local water supply. See product label for instructions and visit our Spreader Settings page to determine the correct setting.
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Annual Lawn Care Programs
Jonathan Green Annual Lawn Programs are an easy, four-step solution to care for your yard all year long! Fertilize, control weeds, adjust soil pH, loosen compaction, and prevent winter damage.
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Spreaders
Our state-of-the-art rotary and handheld spreaders quickly and evenly distribute grass seed, fertilizers, weed controls, and more.
Growing the lawn of your dreams starts with the right tools! Jonathan Green lawn spreaders are specially designed to help you easily apply lawn care products to your lawn. We offer a variety of lawn spreaders, including grass seed spreaders, rotary spreaders and handheld spreaders that quickly and efficiently distribute grass seed, fertilizers, soil foods, weed controls, and more!
Unlike other spreaders, Jonathan Green lawn spreaders eliminate the need of using multiple spreaders to apply lawn care products. A Jonathan Green spreader is one tool you can use to apply all of your lawn care products, from grass seed to weed control and everything in between!
Whether you’re new to lawn care or a seasoned pro, investing in a quality grass seed spreader is one of the best decisions you can make for your lawn. Spreaders ensure that all of your lawn care products are spread evenly throughout your yard for optimal results. Lawn spreaders also help you apply the correct amount of product to your lawn, avoiding fertilizer burn or under applying. Read on for more information on using and selecting the best spreader for your lawn.
Types of Lawn Spreaders
Drop SpreadersDrop spreaders are used to accurately and uniformly cover smaller areas of the lawn. As its name suggests, drop spreaders help to drop specific amounts of product in rows for improved accuracy. Drop spreaders also offer the benefit of not wasting on product on a sidewalk or driveway.
The downside to using a drop spreader is that they can be time-consuming and cover less ground than a rotary spreader, which allows you to cover a large area in a short amount of time.
Rotary SpreadersRotary spreaders are used to cover larger areas or lawn projects, such as seeding a large lawn or sports fields.
If you want to seed a new lawn or have a larger area to cover with product, Jonathan Green Standard Rotary Spreader is right for you! This rotary lawn spreader holds up to 40 lbs of product and spreads a 10 ft. swath, meaning less work to cover your entire lawn. It also features large, durable tires, making it easy to push over rocks and depressions.
Jonathan Green rotary spreaders also come in a deluxe and professional version to suit a variety of lawn care needs. Jonathan Green Deluxe Rotary Spreader holds up to 60 lbs of product and includes a height-adjustable handle and a hopper cover to prevent spills. The Jonathan Green Pro Spreader holds up to 100 lbs of product and is perfect for lawn professionals and landscapers who want to cover large lawns quickly.
Hand SpreadersOur Jonathan Green Hand Spreader is a lightweight, easy-to-use handheld lawn spreader that is perfect for spreading grass seed, soil amendments, and fertilizer on smaller lawns and gardens. It features an ergonomic handle that allows your forearm to support the weight of the product and prevent back injuries. This is a great option for smaller applications of fertilizer, and weed control or seeding a few bare spots in your lawn.
How to Use a Spreader
Using a spreader is the easiest, most efficient way to apply your lawn care products. While you might prefer spreading them by hand, this practice is time-consuming and won’t ensure the ease and accuracy you get with a lawn spreader. Follow these five, simple steps:
- Check the back of the product bag for the correct spreader setting
- Spin the dial on your spreader to the correct setting
- Close the hopper at the bottom of the spreader
- Fill the spreader with product on your driveway or sidewalk to avoid excess product spilling onto your lawn
- Apply the product by first walking around the perimeter of your lawn, then making passes back and forth until your entire lawn is covered.
Spreader Tips
When used properly, lawn spreaders are the best tools to efficiently and evenly distribute grass seed, fertilizer and soil foods onto your lawn. Here are some helpful tips to ensure you get the best use out of your spreader:
- Read the instruction manual carefully prior to operating the spreader.
- Check product bags for spreader settings or visit our Spreader Settings page.
- Ensure that the port at the bottom of the spreader hopper is closed prior to use. This will help to avoid spilling product onto the ground.
- Always fill your spreader on a driveway or sidewalk to avoid spilling excess product on your lawn.
- Walk at a steady pace when using your spreader to distribute the product evenly on your lawn.
- Clean and dry your spreader after each use and store away properly.
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Lawn Care Accessories
Lawn care tools and accessories are the perfect add-ons to any lawn care routine! Choose from grass seed mats, soil pH test kits, seedling cover, ice melt, and more. Read more.
For well over one hundred years, Jonathan Green has been providing homeowners and business owners with everything they need to create and maintain a green and beautiful lawn – including lawn care accessories and lawn care tools. Many of these accessories and tools will help you overcome some of the most common challenges that get in the way of having a thick, green, and healthy lawn all year long, but that’s not all. We also have accessories for lawn care repair, tools to measure the pH and moisture levels of your lawn, and much more. Find what your lawn care routine might be missing from Jonathan Green today!
Why do you need lawn care accessories?
Sometimes, you can do everything right – buy the correct grass seed, give your lawn enough water, fertilize it, and mow properly – but certain areas of your lawn just never look as healthy or green as others. This may be because it’s getting too much sun or shade. Jonathan Green Black Beauty Patcher Bare Spot Repair will quickly repair these stubborn bare spots. You may also find a lawn care repair product like the Black Beauty Biodegradable Grass Seed Roll to be helpful.
Other lawn care accessories, like our Wildflower and Meadow Grass Mix or Pasture Grass Mixture, can transform an already healthy and thriving green lawn into something even more beautiful or functional.
If you live in a place where it snows often, the blankets of snow that can cover your property for weeks can be potentially damaging. Our Melt-A-Way Ice Melter quickly melts snow and ice from your driveway and sidewalks while being gentle on your lawn and shrubs. It also won’t stain concrete, carpets, or shoes.
We also have lawn care tools and kits for testing the pH and moisture levels of your lawn so you can ensure your soil provides the ideal conditions for growing lush, green, and healthy grass.
Quality lawn care accessories from Jonathan Green
At Jonathan Green, our goal has always been to help people grow a thick, healthy lawn and ward off problems before they start. Here, you’ll find lawn care accessories that can do both. Order now and get what your lawn needs today!
