Because I've spent a lot of time this week in my yard, the subject of grass is much on my mind right now. A lot of the yard is not what could technically be called "grass." There's a good deal of clover, a large contingent of dandelions - though far fewer than other years - many violets, some wild strawberries that will never give up their domain, and, indeed, some grass. We've lived here going on eight years now, and nary a chemical pesticide or fertilizer has touched the yard or the gardens during that time. It all looks much better than it did when we bought it; many of the weeds have been choked out by the grass, which is thicker and stays greener through the summer than it did the first couple of years. I mow with a plug-in battery-operated electric mulching mower, leaving the clippings to mulch into the lawn. In the fall I also mulch most of the leaves in situ, and they too go to fertilize the ground.
I'd like to share some good information about organic lawn care with you, from some of my favorite sites. NRDC publishes a monthly bulletin called "This Green Life," and the current one is about green lawn care. Here's the basics from that bulletin:
EIGHT STEPS TO A SAFE AND NATURAL LAWN
1) Check your soil's pH. It should be 6.5 to 7. If it's too acidic, add lime; too alkaline, add sulfur.
2) If the soil's too compact, aerate it to ensure good air and water penetration. An aerating machine can be rented from many garden stores, or use a hand aerator if your lawn is small.
3) Apply compost to condition and fertilize the soil before planting. If you plan to buy, rather than make, your compost, check the composting guide in the links for tips on how to tell good from bad.
4) Apply natural fertilizer as well (since compost only has low levels of nutrients). You only need to fertilize your lawn once or twice a year. Fall and early spring are the recommended times.
5) When you mow, leave the clippings on the grass to condition and fertilize the soil further. The clippings will provide organic matter and half your lawn's nitrogen needs. It's helpful, though not necessary, to use a mulch-mower.
6) Mow frequently, but don't cut too much off. Most grass varieties do best at 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 inches high. Mow often enough that you never have to cut off more than the top third of the grass.
7) Water infrequently, but deeply. Early morning is the best time of day. Midday watering results in water loss from evaporation. Evening watering leaves your lawn soggy at nightfall, which puts grass at risk of disease.
8) Don't let the layer of thatch get deeper than half an inch. (Thatch is the dead plant material between the soil and blades of grass.) Remove the excess by raking.
If the lawn you currently have is looking puny after a long mean winter, Organic Gardening online has a wealth of tips on how to solve problems and have a greener, healthier, happier lawn.
Maybe you practice Safe Lawn Care, but you are surrounded by neighbors who get out the poisons as often as possible. Chances are those poisons are not staying neatly in the neighbor's yard and air space. If you have children or pets, or just like to enjoy your own grass by sitting on it, walking barefoot in it, or occasionally rolling around in it after a few still drinks - here's a site (Washington Toxics Organization) that will give you information you can share with those neighbors about just what they're doing to the world with all those wonderful chemicals. You can also order the sign with which I begin this entry from these folks. I'm getting two, one for the front and one for the back yards.
And then, if your yard is really not at all suited for a green stretch of Victorian lawn (those buggers started all this, there was no such thing as "lawns" pre Victorian days), if it's wild and wooly and wants to be a jungle of sorts - why not think of turning it into an offical backyard wildlife habitat? Part of my backyard is just that, and it's full of rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, tons of birds, and I may not know exactly what all else. The National Wildlife Federation has instructions and helpful stuff to get you started, and they will even certify you when you get it done.
As I said in my Compost entry, we are all caretakers of some small piece of the environment. Let's do it consciously.
3 comments:
LOL---your yard sounds like ours:) I figure anyone who spends their life obsessing about dandelions has too much time on their hands :)
Hey my compost heap is almost finished. I had to build a little fence around it, to hide the pile. I don't use pestides, but I do use citronella candles. Are they okay?
Peace love and a healthy environment,
tank gurl
Around these parts, grass thrives everywhere you DON'T want it, and won't grow where you DO. It grows by leaps and bounds in the spring when it rains too much to mow it, and turns brown in the summer when it doesn't rain, unless you water the snot out of it. If I had my druthers, by yard would contain NO grass at all. It's too high maintenance and never looks good enough to be worth all the bother. Lisa :-]
Post a Comment