Child's Play Organic Lawns organic fertilizers and lawn care programs. Natural, non-toxic lawn products. Organic lawncare is fertilization and proper maintenance techniques to minimize weeds, fungus, and grubs. Natural, organic lawn care is safe for kids and pets. Organic fertilizers protect our environment and are sustainable.

Child's Play Organic Lawns services South Bend, Elkhart, Granger and Mishawaka, Indiana. We also work in Southwest Michigan. We specialize in organic fertilizers and lawn care programs. Organic lawns are maintained using natural, non-toxic lawn products wherever possible. Organic lawncare emphasizes fertilization and proper maintenance techniques to minimize weeds, fungus, and insect damage. Natural, organic lawn care leads to a yard that is safe for kids and pets. Organic fertilizers help protect our environment and promote ecological sustainability.

12871 Industrial Park Drive, #16 • Granger, IN 46530 • 574.277.LAWN

Office hours: M-F 8-5, Weekends by appointment. Voice mail is checked routinely.
Please call ahead if you want to pick up products.

What is Organic Lawn Care?

To answer the question, let's first define organic. According to dictionary.com, organic means: noting or pertaining to a class of chemical compounds that formerly comprised only those existing in or derived from plants or animals, but that now includes all other compounds of carbon; a substance, as a fertilizer or pesticide, of animal or vegetable origin. Technically, anything containing carbon, even a synthetic chemical, is organic.

Cultivated turfgrass is not natural. In nature, weeds are the more aggressive and successful plants. A lawn is a monoculture of desired plants, much like a farm. "Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations… Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation." (USDA Consumer Brochure: Organic Food Standards and Labels: The Facts)

And so, we promote organic lawncare as the cultivation of a cosmetically attractive stand of turf grasses using natural fertilization, pest controls, and best cultural practices to maximize plant vigor and soil health, thus minimizing weed and disease pressure.

Organic lawncare is a proactive measure. Proper mowing, watering and fertilizing optimizes root development, which leads to healthy, lush top growth. By controlling the conditions that create pests, their presence is minimized. That ultimately leads to a sustainable growing environment and the reduction of pesticides.

Sustainable Turf Care

Sustainable development marries two important themes: that environmental protection does not preclude economic development and that economic development must be ecologically viable now and in the long run. Download the EPA's guide to sustainable lawncare...

Visit the EPA site here...

More people are asking for information regarding organic lawn care. Many people want to decrease or eliminate the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides in their home lawns. There is concern that some of these products may be harmful to humans, beneficial insects, wildlife,and pets. Download this .pdf for more information...

"The best weed control method available to turfgrass managers is to promote a dense, healthy stand of the desired turfgrass. Remember, when faced with a turfgrass stand that has a large weed population, the first step should be proper diagnosis of the cause of turfgrass decline. The best defense against weeds is dense, healthy turf."
(Category 3b Turf Pest Control, Indiana Commercial Pesticide Applicator Training Manual, Rev 1/03, pg. 55-57)

How to Stop Weeds and Disease Before They Start

People do not typically use dangerous pesticides for the fun of it. They are trying to remove pests, such as weeds, from the lawn. Years of research and experience have shown properly maintained turfgrass naturally crowds out weeds and resists damage from disease and insects. A yard overrun with weeds is symptomatic of deeper issues. It indicates turfgrass is not thriving and the causes of the grass decline should be investigated. Things people commonly do to cause weeds include:

Planting the wrong grass - e.g. putting a sun loving plant like Kentucky bluegrass in a shady yard; it will quickly die and thin out, opening the door for weeds.
Solution: overseed.
Mowing too short (below 2.5") - causes reduction in root depth, which impairs uptake of water and nutrients; reduces leaf area for photosynthesis; ultimately leads to weak, thin, noncompetitive grass.
Solution: mow properly.
Infrequent mowing - chops off too much leaf; leads to reduction in root mass as described above.
Solution: mow properly.
Underfertilizing - leads to thin, slow growing grass that exposes soil to light and water, which leads to weed growth.
Solution: fertilization program.
Overwatering - deoxygenates the soil, promotes shallow, thin roots and reduced heat and drought tolerance; keeps thatch wet, which provides amenable environment for disease and pests.
Solution: water properly.
Thatch - dead roots and blades build up to prevent water, air and nutrients from entering the soil, essentially choking out the lawn.
Solution: power rake.
Soil Compaction - prevents flourishing root development and impairs turf development.
Solution: core aeration.
Poor Soil Chemistry - Soil that has improper pH, high sodium or other imbalances will cause grass great difficulty in utilizing nutrients, which results in poor root and blade development.
Solution: soil analysis and amendment. We also offer a soil conditioning program to correct the compaction and poor nutrient levels in clay soil.