Erica Jo Shaffer
Erica Jo Explains Smarter, Organic Lawn Care Tips
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Asia Tabb
Erica Jo Shaffer
AIRED; March 20, 2026
As spring approaches in the region, many homeowners are turning their attention back to lawns and gardens—but according to local gardening expert Erica Jo, much of what people think they know about lawn care may be wrong.
Jo joined The Spark with Asia Tabb to break down common lawn care myths, particularly around the use of chemicals and how homeowners can take a more natural, sustainable approach.
“For anybody who’s doing lawn and you add the word chemicals, you’re misunderstanding,” Jo said. “There’s certainly ways to do it naturally, organically. You don’t have to kill everything because it doesn’t look like a blade of grass.”
Jo emphasized that a healthy lawn doesn’t necessarily mean a perfectly manicured one. In fact, some plants often labeled as “weeds” can actually benefit the soil.
“The dandelions are actually… breaking the soil up, the clover’s adding nitrogen,” she said. “What we are calling weeds are actually helping your grass… do better.”
She also pushed back on the idea that all chemicals are necessary—or even beneficial—arguing instead for organic practices and balance.
“I’m going to say probably yes,” Jo said when asked if all chemicals are bad. “There are no chemicals being used in my own personal garden… and it can be done and done well.”
Much of Jo’s philosophy centers on choosing the right plants and placing them correctly. When plants are put in the wrong environment, they become stressed and more vulnerable to pests.
“It really all comes down to what plants you chose,” she said. “If you pick better plants and better placements… you’re not going to get these issues.”
She encouraged homeowners to think more carefully about their planting decisions rather than relying on treatments after problems arise. A key step, she said, is understanding soil health.
“The Penn State Master Gardeners… their recommendation… is where you want to be to start with,” Jo said. “When your pH is right… it’s going to be more healthy.”
Balancing aesthetics with ecological responsibility is another challenge many gardeners face. While some prefer neat, uniform lawns, Jo says a more natural approach can support local wildlife.
“Ecologically, have you left a patch of stems up over the winter time for our mason bees?” she asked. “My leaves are protecting lightning bugs and butterflies and salamanders and frogs.”
She noted that what looks messy to one person may actually be thriving habitat for another.
“If you would walk into my garden, you might be like, ‘oh my gosh, what a mess,’” Jo said. “And someone else might be, ‘look at this gorgeous wildflower garden.’”
Education, she added, is key to shifting perspectives. As more people learn about the benefits of natural gardening, they may begin to rethink traditional lawn care practices.
“I think social media plays into that… it starts giving you this invitation to look a little bit deeper on what your slice of the earth is doing,” she said.
One of the most common mistakes she sees homeowners make involves mulching—specifically applying too much of it.
“Too deep is the biggest problem,” Jo said. “When the mulch is so deep… the microbes that would break it down are not working because there’s not enough air.”
Over-mulching, she explained, can even harm trees by preventing water from reaching the roots and encouraging unhealthy growth patterns.
“The roots respond by growing up into the mulch… and then they die because they still didn’t get enough water,” she said.
As the gardening season gets underway, Jo’s message is clear: homeowners don’t need to rely on chemicals or perfection to have a successful yard. Instead, working with nature—not against it—can lead to healthier, more sustainable results.
