Last Updated on May 25, 2025 by Brian Beck
Chapter 1: The Trouble with Synthetic Fertilizers and Chemicals
A Brief History of Synthetics
A long time ago, people grew plants using natural methods, like compost and manure. But around the early 1900s, scientists in Germany, like Fritz Haber and Carl Bosch, invented synthetic fertilizers. These are man-made chemicals that give plants nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. They were first used widely in Europe and came to the United States around the 1940s, especially after World War II. Farmers and homeowners loved them because they made plants grow fast and green.
In the 1960s, chemicals called biocides (like weed killers and bug sprays) became popular too. These were meant to kill pests and weeds, but they also hurt the good bugs and microbes in the soil. By the 1980s, scientists noticed that synthetic fertilizers and biocides were causing big problems. Lawns and farms were losing healthy soil, and plants were getting weaker. The soil was becoming hard, like concrete, and it couldn’t hold water or nutrients well anymore.
Why Synthetics Hurt Your Lawn
Synthetic fertilizers are like giving your lawn a sugary soda—it gives a quick boost but doesn’t make it healthy. These fertilizers are water-soluble, which means they dissolve in water and get pushed into the plant. This forces the plant to take up nutrients in an unnatural way, making it weak. Weak plants get sick easily and attract bugs or diseases.
These chemicals also hurt the soil. They kill the tiny microbes (like bacteria and fungi) that keep soil healthy. Without microbes, the soil loses its structure—it gets hard and clumpy, and water runs off instead of soaking in. Synthetics also lower soil carbon, which is like the energy source for soil. When soil carbon drops, the soil can’t hold water or nutrients, and your lawn suffers.
Caution: Using synthetic fertilizers and chemicals means you’ll spend a lot of money fighting problems like weeds, bugs, and diseases. These are called secondary effects because they happen because of the chemicals. A healthy lawn saves you money and time!
Chapter 2: The Power of a Biological Fertility Program
A biological fertility program uses nature’s tools—microbes, organic matter, and natural nutrients—to make your lawn strong and healthy. Instead of forcing chemicals into your plants, this method works with the soil’s natural processes. Here’s why it’s better:
- Microbes: Tiny living things in the soil, like bacteria and fungi, break down organic matter (like leaves or compost). This releases nutrients slowly, so plants get what they need without being forced.
- Better Soil Structure: Microbes create tiny tunnels in the soil, making it soft and fluffy. This helps water and air reach plant roots.
- More Soil Carbon and Humus: Organic matter adds carbon to the soil, and microbes turn it into humus—a special kind of carbon that acts like a battery, storing energy for soil microbes.
- Protection: Healthy soil makes strong plants that can fight off diseases, stress, and bugs naturally.
This program saves you money because you won’t need to buy as many weed killers or bug sprays. Your lawn will be healthier and happier!
Chapter 3: Key Areas for Healthy Soil
To make your lawn thrive, focus on these important parts of a biological fertility program:
- Soil pH (The Most Important!)
Soil pH tells you how acidic or alkaline your soil is. It’s like a gatekeeper for nutrients and water. If the pH is too high or too low, nutrients get “locked” in the soil, and plants can’t use them. Even water can’t get into the plant properly! Most lawns like a pH between 6.0 and 7.0.
How to Fix It: Test your soil with a simple pH kit that provides both a chemical analysis but the biological side as well. We can assist you with this. If the pH is too low (acidic), add lime. If it’s too high (alkaline), add sulfur. Check your pH every year to keep it balanced. As you invest in the biology, the Microbes will buffer and adjust the pH over time!
- Organic Matter and Humus
Organic matter is stuff like compost, grass clippings, or leaves. It’s like a battery that holds water and nutrients in the soil. When microbes break down organic matter, they create humus. Humus is a super-powered form of carbon that feeds soil microbes and helps plants grow strong.
How to Add It: Spread a thin layer of Humus on your lawn once or twice a year. You can also leave grass clippings on the lawn after mowing—they add organic matter too!
- Calcium and Sulfur
Calcium is like a delivery truck—it carries nutrients into the plant’s cells. But plants need sulfur to use calcium properly. Without enough sulfur, calcium can’t do its job, and plants miss out on other nutrients.
How to Add Them: Use gypsum (a natural mineral with calcium and sulfur) or add Humus and Humic Acid, which has both. Test your soil to make sure you’re adding the right amount.
- Macro and Micro Elements
Your lawn is a monocrop—it’s just one type of plant (grass). In farms, they rotate crops to keep soil balanced, but we can’t do that with lawns. This means we need to add macro elements (like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) and micro elements (like iron, zinc, and manganese) to keep the soil healthy. Synthetic fertilizers only give a few nutrients, but a biological program gives plants all the nutrients they need.
How to Add Them: Use a natural fertilizer, that has macro and micro elements. Apply it in spring and fall for a happy lawn.
- Soil Formazan
Soil formazan is a way to measure how active your soil microbes are. Healthy soil has lots of microbial activity, which means microbes are breaking down organic matter and releasing nutrients.
How to Improve It: Add compost or organic fertilizers to feed microbes. Aerate your lawn (poke tiny holes in it) to give microbes air and space to work.
Chapter 4: Steps to Start Your Biological Fertility Program
Ready to make your lawn healthy? Follow these simple steps:
- Test Your Soil: Buy a soil test kit to check pH, calcium, sulfur, and nutrient levels. This tells you what your soil needs.
- Add Organic Matter: Spread Humus and Humic Acid on your lawn. This feeds microbes and builds even more humus.
- Fix pH: Use lime or sulfur to balance your soil’s pH. Aim for 6.0 to 7.0.
- Add Calcium and Sulfur: Use gypsum or compost to make sure your plants can take up nutrients.
- Use Natural Fertilizers: Apply organic fertilizers in spring and fall.
- Aerate Your Lawn: Use the microbes to aerate the soil. They have the capacity to do this. As you have more microbes you will improve your soil porosity.
- Water Smartly: Water deeply but less often to encourage strong roots. Healthy soil holds water better, so you’ll water less!
Chapter 5: Why This Matters for Your Lawn and Wallet
Using synthetic fertilizers and chemicals might seem easy, but they cause problems that cost you money. You’ll spend a lot on weed killers, bug sprays, and extra water because the soil can’t hold it. A biological fertility program saves you money by making your lawn naturally strong. Healthy soil means fewer weeds, fewer bugs, and less watering. Plus, your lawn will look green and lush without all the extra work!
Caution: If you keep using synthetics, you’ll lose most of your lawn budget to fixing problems like weak grass, bare patches, and pests. Switch to a biological program to save money and grow a lawn you love.
Chapter 6: Final Tips for Success
- Be patient! It takes time for soil to get healthy, but you’ll see results in a few months.
- Test your soil every year to make sure it’s on track.
- Avoid synthetic fertilizers and biocides—they undo all your hard work.
- Talk to a local soil expert (like us) to advise you on which products to use and what is a good starting point (soil test)
Your lawn is part of nature, and a biological fertility program helps it thrive the natural way. By focusing on soil pH, organic matter, calcium, sulfur, and nutrients, you’ll build a lawn that’s strong, green, and healthy for years to come.