After completing a degree in Horticulture and undergoing a three-month class – complete with a final exam – to qualify to treat lawns with traditional chemical fertilizers, it amazes Anthony Nied that anyone can walk into a box store and buy the same formulas to use without training at home.  The first time he used chemicals to treat a lawn, he knew it wasn’t the path for him.  He developed headaches, coughing, and shortness of breath even when he wore a breathing apparatus.

“Once I had kids, I couldn’t hug my kids anymore when I came home from work,” Nied said. Switching to providing natural, organic lawn care services was an easy choice.

“I’m trying to be an advocate, to reach directly to families. Organic as a whole, not just in the lawn care business, is growing immensely.” – Anthony Nied, Safe & Simple Lawn Care

Nied developed the Safe & Simple Lawn Care brand as a branch of his landscaping services, Nied Landscape and Design, and launched the concept in January. His goal is to inspire a grassroots (pun intended) movement to eliminate the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

Services begin with an evaluation of the lawn and a consultation. Nied determines the viability and needs of the lawn, discusses the goals of the homeowner, and comes up with a plan.

“It’s kind of like going to your first family doctor visit,” Nied said.  Some lawns need basic care, which generally involves four or five visits over the course of the warm months between spring and fall. The first is an aeration treatment, which encourages the lawn to grow thick. Organic fertilizer is applied during two or three visits in the spring and summer, and the season wraps up with a final aeration service in the fall to break up thatch buildup and increase drainage.  Safe & Simple Lawn Care provides a health report after every visit to keep landowners up-to-date on their lawn’s condition.

However, some lawns require special attention.

“You have to have empathy for the lawn,” Nied said.  Some land is ill-suited for lawns because of soil conditions, shade, and other factors, and some need services to address existing weed or disease issues.  Nied works with owners to determine whether grass is the right choice for their ground, and then to implement a strategy to help the lawn grow thick and healthy enough to resist those problems.

Organic lawn care has its limits: it fights weeds and illness through preventative environmental measures, which means getting rid of existing weeds can take time.  But Nied is convinced giving up instant results is worthwhile.  The organic fertilizer he uses, which is sourced from Minnesota, is safe for pets and people to play on without risking health complications.  It also poses less of a threat to wildlife and the environment.

“I’m trying to be an advocate, to reach directly to families,” Nied said.  You can find him educating people about his business and the benefits of natural lawn care at events his business sponsors in the Valley, such as RCU’s Rock the Riverfront.  “Organic as a whole, not just in the lawn care business, is growing immensely.”

More information about Safe & Simple Lawn Care is available online at www.gotrulyorganic.com.