Is your neighbor’s grass always greener? Thicker? More weed free? Does this make you think your neighbor’s grass is better than yours? It’s likely that I think about grass in a different way from some of you. I’m happy to see less of it (though I confess that I enjoy creating interesting lawn shapes in my landscape design work). And I prefer the look of grass that is less than perfect. Love to see lush, green clover. Some weeds are fine by me.
Why do I prefer less than perfect grass? Because it takes a lot of chemical inputs to get that perfect look. For the health of you, me and our environment, my way of looking at grass is the best way. However, for those of you who love a perfect lawn, my view isn’t likely to fly.
I wonder, though, could we meet in the middle?
At a recent conference, Gregg Munshaw, Turf Extension Specialist at the University of Kentucky, described three lawn care options:
Synthetic turf care requires “jacking up the lawn” on synthetic fertilizers, chemicals and pesticides, to use Munshaw’s very apt turn of phrase. The result is thick, very green turf.
Reduced care (or low input) lawn care means that some fertilizer would be used, with very little pesticide use and less frequent mowing. Reduced input care will result in a good looking lawn that is more environmentally friendly.
Organic lawn care uses organic inputs only. The turf will still look good though probably not such a “glowing green” (again I quote Munshaw), and there may well be some weeds.
So, what’s so wrong about synthetic turf care when the results – thick, green, weed-free turf – seem so desirable? Well, the side effects can be a poisoned ecosystem. A good deal of those chemical inputs end up washing into our streams and leaching into our groundwater. Also, conventional treatments are often based on timing, not on actual need. For example, Munshaw noted that many companies treat for grubs mid-summer even though this is often unnecessary.
Dave Leonard Tree Specialists are introducing organic and transitional lawn care programs this spring. I asked Leonard, a local consulting arborist, why a professional tree care company would choose to move into lawn care. He told me that he has seen evidence that “traditional turf care methods damage trees by damaging the soil. For example, synthetic fertilizers encourage shallow root systems in trees. And because these synthetic fertilizers are quick release, dumping everything at once, they do not build healthy soils.” Proper care of trees requires proper care of the soil – that makes sense.
Healthy soil means healthy grass. And healthy grass is better able to resist diseases and pests, so the need for pesticides is greatly reduced, perhaps even eliminated. And healthy grass requires less water, too. Definitely a plus, both for the environment and, over time, for your pocketbook.
To make the transition to organic lawn care, an essential component, first, is an extensive soil test; the results of the test will dictate the various treatments needed for your specific situation.
If you’re interested in transitioning to low input lawn care and you’re a do-it-yourself type, there is an excellent publication from the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service, titled “Low-Maintenance Lawn Care, Stressing Pest Avoidance and Organic Inputs,” available online at the service’s website (www.ca.uky.edu).
Here are some easy changes to make in your current lawn care practices. Learn to love white clover and add it to your lawn. It provides nitrogen to your grass without the use of a fertilizer because it “fixes” atmospheric nitrogen into a form that plants can use. It can be seeded into your lawn in late winter or early spring (right now). I know, the texture of clover is quite different from grass, but perhaps we need to revise our definition of what is acceptable.
Keep to a mowing height of three inches. This results in more shading of the soil, which reduces weed competition. Also, the grass will produce a deeper root system, making it more tolerant of stressful conditions, such as drought. Never remove more than one-third to one-half of the leaf blade at any one cutting, and leave those clippings on the lawn to fertilize the grass. Research shows that grass clippings do not contribute to thatch. (What is thatch? More on that next month.)
Watering should be deep and infrequent. The above-noted publications states: “If you choose to irrigate, avoid irrigating during the heat of the day, when much of the water will evaporate and not be used by the turf. When watering, wet the soil to a depth of three to four inches to promote deep rooting. Check the watering depth by pushing a metal rod or screwdriver into the soil. It will sink easily until it reaches dry soil.” The best time to water is early morning so that the grass can dry out during the day. The worst time to water is in the evening because the grass will stay wet longer and this encourages fungal diseases.
It makes sense, both economically and environmentally, to move to low input lawn care, or even to take the plunge and go organic. Are you on board?