By Kreg Weiss, B HKin • September 21st, 2006

To achieve a pesticide free lawn what follows is a 12 Step Program to Getting Your Lawn Off Drugs...

1. TOLERATE SOME WEEDS And allow beneficial plants to exist such as clover in your lawn for its nitrogen-fixing magic.

2. HAND DIGGING WEEDS is the best method of weed control. More than 80% of all weeds are annuals. Hand-remove annual weeds before they seed, and remember to remove the roots of perennials.

3. RESEED BARE SPOTS before weeds fill them in. Most importantly, plant a mixture rather than a single variety (e.g. 60% fescue mix, 10% Perennial Ryegrass, 30% Kentucky Bluegrass, 2-3% Dutch White Clover). Diseases can be quite selective. A mixture of grasses will prevent complete destruction of your lawn.

4. TEST YOUR SOIL. Soil test kits can be easily obtained at a local garden centre. Such a test will give you an idea about your soil's pH and organic matter content, and the nutrients needed to balance it. Organic matter increases nutrient-holding capacity and improves aeration and water retention.

5. REMOVE THATCH, the matted layer of clippings and debris on top of the soil, if it is more than 1/2" thick. Thatch chokes out grass plants, prevents air, water and nutrients from reaching the soil, and promotes almost every possible lawn problem. Aeration and a brisk raking should remove much of the thatch.

6. AERATE LAWN to break through the deep thatch and reduce compaction of soil. This encourages deeper rooting and allows water, nutrients and organic matter to feed the soil. Earthworms are terrific aerators. Lots of worm holes in the lawn means the job is being done for you.

7. FERTILIZE NATURALLY. If your soil test results show the need, add organic fertilizers. Natural fertilizers are more desirable because of their long-term benefits…and they are needed less frequently. They improve the soil's ability to retain and release nutrients and they are alive with beneficial micro-organisms that speed up decomposition of clippings and thatch. And if the soil test says the pH is low, add a natural source of ground limestone when you fertilize (as long as you aren't seeding at the same time). ...

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Location:  Montreal, CA

Kreg is a co-founder of My Yoga Online and certified Hatha Yoga Teacher. Several years ago, Kreg discovered yoga while teaching health and fitness. Yoga dramatically transformed Kreg's approach to teaching health and...