Fall is an important season for many homeowners, with the prospects of planting the seeds for a captivating display of greenery. But this doesn’t come without environmental risks, specifically the use of pesticides.

Throughout the month of September, the city of Bellevue will host a weekly natural lawn care class. Each Thursday the free classes will go from 7 to 9 p.m. at Bellevue City Hall, said Bellevue Utilities Conservation and Outreach Program Administrator Patricia Burgess.

The classes are geared toward first-time homeowners who don’t have a history with lawn care, but anyone is welcome.

“It’s a win, win; they get to reap the benefits of a great yard, and we as a community get to develop the environmental quality of our city,” Burgess said.

The classes teach students the best ways to care for their yards using natural products such as organic fertilizers.

The program has been a hit since it began in 2003. Burgess said each session typically has about 50 to 60 students, and each year the city helps as many as 90 homeowners. When the program began, it was focused purely on water conservation, and pesticides as a threat to the city’s water quality. As the program has continued, the emphasis has broadened. Creating healthy soils is a key topic this year, as that can eliminate the incentive to use chemicals to bolster plants.

“It’s possible to have a great yard without using a lot of chemicals,” she said. “You don’t need to do an inordinate amount of work. If you work with nature and the right tools you can have a healthy beautiful yard.”

For more information or to register for a class, call 425-732-2405. Space is limited, and registration is required. More information about the city’s natural yard care program can be found online.