Enroll Your Lawn in the Organic Lawn Program!
Do you have an organic lawn that you are proud of? Enroll your Organic Lawn, and inspire your neighbors!
We’re looking for actively maintained lawns that are cared for without the use of synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. Your lawn can help demonstrate to your neighbors that a lush and beautiful green lawn can be achieved organically.
Enrolling in Montgomery County’s Organic Lawn program is easy! You must meet the
3 required criteria, as well as, 4 of the 10 additional criteria.
If you meet these minimum standards then you’ll be enrolled in our program!
As a thank you for going organic, we’ll mail you a
lawn sign,
certificate, and two pairs of gardening gloves – all for free!
Lawns should be primarily turfgrass or other mowable perennial plants, like clover, violets, and even dandelions.
Criteria to be met
The baseline for enrolling is that your lawn is covered in 75% turf grasses or mowable perennial plants, and that no synthetic fertilizers or pesticides are used. Meet four additional criteria, and your lawn gets our organic stamp of approval!
Required Criteria (All of these conditions must be met to enroll):
- You do not use synthetic pesticides on the lawn;
- You do not use synthetic fertilizers on the lawn; and
- Grass clippings are left on lawn after mowing.
Must Complete at least 4 Actions from this List:
- Your lawn is kept more than 3” high. (Lower height acceptable for bluegrass and zoyzia)
- You use compost or compost tea that was made within 25 miles of the lawn.
- Your leaves and extra grass clippings from your property are composted on the lawn or property. (They should not be disposed of off-site.)
- You use a solar, electric, or hand powered mower for routine mowing.
- Organic fertilizers used on the lawn are only sourced from plant materials (no animal by-products or man-made products).
- You don’t use any man-made/processed fertilizers (with the exception of compost products, mycorrhizae, and other biological inoculants).
- You test your soil at least once every three years.
- You don’t water, or you limit watering to between 5am and 9am, and grass is allowed dormancy during dry spells. If present, irrigation systems do not cause runoff from the lawn to other areas.
- Weeds are hand pulled (no pesticides/biocides, with the exception of GMO-free corn gluten).
- Your lawn is maintained by a Montgomery County Certified Green Business .