Week 15 - THE GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER...

We have about an acre and a half of sloped property with a 1,200 square foot house on it. We have no detached garage or other outbuildings. What we have is “lawn” and I use the term loosely. When we first moved to our home, my husband did all the customary things one does to a lawn. He fertilized it, applied insect control (which he now believes led to a few years of millipede infestation, since they fled the soil and ran to our house), over-seeded it, etc. However, one day it dawned on us, we have a hedgerow on one side, wild scrub on another and one neighbor that doesn't treat for weeds. What we were doing was not only bad for the environment, it was useless, and just money down the drain. So now, outside of mowing, we do nothing. We have embraced our weeds, and really, as long as its green (well most the time), we don’t care. Sure, we all admire a green, weed free lawn that feels great underfoot, but at what cost. To have that, it takes a lot of time, money and dangerous chemicals. So what are the alternatives? How can we create something around our home that is attractive, easy to maintain and is kind to the environment? Well, we have a few options.

Option #1: Practice Organic Lawn Care

1. Wean yourself off chemical fertilizers and pesticides. These chemicals have been linked to such things as asthma and cancer. Then you must consider how the chemicals can run into streams effecting wildlife and groundwater, potentially affecting us. Instead, fertilize by leaving your grass clippings in place. They are nitrogen rich. You can also purchase organic fertilizers (Concern and Espoma are two brand names), use dried poultry waste or cottonseed meal. Corn gluten is a plant food as well as a weed suppressor. As a weed suppressant, corn gluten acts as a natural "pre-emergent" - it inhibits seed germination by drying out a seed as soon as it cracks open to sprout. Buy the palletized kind and apply in the spring or fall.
   
2. Improve your soil. Have your local cooperative extension test your soil. Once you know what is in your soil you will know what to add to it to make it healthy. Lawns prefer acidic soil. Lime helps balance acidic soil, while sulfur helps with alkaline. You can also use, compost or compost tea, worm castings, kelp, fish wastes and other decomposed organic matter to improve your soil.
   
3. Grow native grasses that will thrive under the conditions around your home and in your region. Do not try to grow something that requires full sun, if you have a lot of shade. Nor is it wise to grow something that requires year round warmth, if you live in the Northeast or Midwest.


4. No one would like to be scalped and your lawn doesn’t appreciate it either. The type of grass you have will determine how much you should take off when mowing, but you should leave about 3”. Longer grass absorbs more sunlight, and in turn can develop deeper roots. Cutting too short weakens the grass and its ability to compete with weeds. Also, ensure your mower blades are sharp. Dull blades tear the grass and make it susceptible to disease.


5. Water only when needed. According to the EPA, “the average lawn consumes about 10,000 gallons of water annually beyond what it gets from rainfall. Nearly a third of municipal water in the Northeast goes to irrigating lawns“. If you improve the soil, your grass will develop deep roots and you will need to water less often. I have previously mentioned my “do or die” philosophy for my flowerbeds, and it goes double for our lawn. However, if you have a smaller yard, water in the morning (to reduce evaporation), until the soil is soaked about 6 inches down.

Option #2: Lose the Lawn!

This is my preferred option because you can create something beautiful, low-maintenance and environmentally friendly.

1. Now before I say it, open your mind, wide! FAKE GRASS. Yes, that’s what I said and before your groan, you need to check it out. It’s not the indoor/outdoor carpeting of yesteryear anymore. This industry is really responding to the increased drought in the U.S. and the growing environmental concerns regarding lawn care. True, it’s not for everyone and it won’t work in all situations, but it may work for you (particularly if you live in dry areas, have large play areas for your kids, dogs, etc). At least look into it. Envylawn.com and Astrolawn.com are decent places to start.


2. There is a great website called LessLawn.com that provides a ton of ideas for getting rid of your lawn. They cover such things as, where to start shrinking your lawn, "lawnless" landscapes and low maintenance lawn alternatives. It’s worth checking out.


3. A number of companies have created lawn mixes. They are a blend of short grasses, herbs, wildflowers, clovers etc. Once they are established, they require very little mowing, feeding and watering. They are pretty to look at and feel great underfoot. Nicholsgardennursery.com offers, “ecology lawn mixes”. The mixes are blended for success in a particular region of the country. Protimelawnseed.com offers a mix called Fleur de Lawn, which is a combination of small flowers, low growing strawberry clover and perennial rye grass. When shopping for a blend, ensure you are choosing one that is appropriate for your area.
   
4. Eartheasy.com has several ideas on how to reduce the size of your lawn and if you require more incentive to do so, here are their reasons:
   reduced water consumption
   saves time and energy on lawn maintenance
   less yard waste to be composted or taken to a landfill - a 2000 sq ft lawn produces 600-800 pounds of clippings per summer on average
   reduction in use of herbicides, pesticides and synthetic fertilizers
   reduction in air and noise pollution caused by gas mowers - lawns cover 20 million acres of residential land in the US, and lawnmowers account for 5% of the air pollution. A 3.5 hp lawnmower pollutes as much in one hour as an automobile driving 350 miles.
   enhanced biodiversity - varied plantings offer shelter and feeding opportunities for wildlife
   increased property values - attractive, low-maintenance landscaping adds value to the home.

I realize for some of us striving for a green, plush, weed free lawn is almost as American as apple pie. So if you choose to keep it that’s fine, just opt for environmentally friendly ways of maintaining it. If you choose to lose it (or at least some of it), know this involves an initial investment of time and patience. Sure, you can put new beds in or plant trees over a weekend, but it will take longer to see the results from over planting your lawn with a blended mix. Remember the adage, “anything worth having, is worth waiting for”. In the meantime, start thinking about what you will do with your time when lawn care isn’t eating into your summer weekends!