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Sustainable Lawn Care

Sustainable Lawn Care

So you want a nice looking yard, a green lawn, and pleasant landscaping. Are there ways to do this to minimize impacts to surface waters, wetlands, groundwater, and the environment?

You bet!

Limit or eliminate fertilizer use

Many well-maintained lawns do not need any fertilizer at all. Use the results of a soil test (Umass Soil Testing or Cape Cod Extension Testing) and the types of grass you have planted determine how much fertilizer you need. Time your applications carefully, and never apply fertilizers before heavy rain or when cold weather is expected. Only fertilize in the fall or early spring.

Limit or eliminate pesticide use

Ask yourself if you really care if there are a few dandelions or weeds on your lawn. Are grubs really at a density that they are affecting the appearance of your lawn? Use pesticide-containing products wisely and follow human health and environmental safety precautions. If you really don't need pesticides, use fertilizer only products lawn products.

Chemical pesticides and fertilizers contaminate surface and groundwater.

Lawn pesticides and fertilizers can contaminate surface and groundwater. This diminishes the quality of our drinking water as well as the quality of aquatic habitats and health of aquatic life forms. Many fish and aquatic insect species are highly sensitive to fertilizers and pesticides.

Chemical pesticides threaten the health of children.

Children are the most vulnerable segment of our population due to their small size and their underdeveloped physiology. Children are also often the most exposed to pesticides due to their behavior (putting contaminated grass, soil and toys into mouth, breathing close to the ground). Increased exposure puts children at an unacceptably high risk from lawn pesticides.

Chemical pesticides threaten the health of outdoor pets.

Outdoor pets are highly exposed to lawn chemicals due to their behavior (licking contaminated paws and coat, breathing close to the ground, eating contaminated grass, soil and toys) and are highly vulnerable due to their small size.

Chemical pesticides threaten the health of local wildlife.

Turf-dwelling and feeding species such as the American robin, Canada goose, American widgeon, European starling, common raccoon and eastern gray squirrel are highly exposed to lawn chemicals. Granular formulations pesticides can severely impact birds that mistake the granules for seed or other food items.

Chemical pesticides and fertilizers reduce the activity of beneficial organisms.

Healthy soil is alive with a variety of beneficial organisms that actually kill pest insects, decrease the spread of disease and help plants gather nutrients and water. For example, earthworms improve air and water circulation, decompose thatch, deposit nutrient-rich castings and help to neutralize soil (plants prefer this pH). Many of these beneficial organisms are highly exposed and highly sensitive to lawn chemicals. Pesticides and fertilizers reduce their activity levels, thereby reducing a lawn's natural ability to control pests and diseases, gather nutrients and water and maintain overall health.

Local wildlife needs safe places to live.

As more and more suburbs encroach upon natural habitats, wildlife are forced to flee or adapt to less ideal, often crowded habitats ripe with potential dangers. Exposure to lawn chemicals is one such danger. Direct exposure to these pesticides and fertilizers is dangerous, as are the effects of chemical use including decreased shelter and food opportunities. We can make our cities and towns more habitable for local wildlife by avoiding lawn and garden chemicals. You may even consider naturalizing a section of your yard to provide a greater diversity of shelter and food types.

Use Organic Fertilizers

Historically, organic lawn care has been practiced for much longer than chemical lawn care and it can easily be implemented on any lawn. Safe and effective alternatives exist for most chemical pesticides and fertilizers. There is no need to expose our families, communities and local wildlife to chemicals that are known or potential hazards.

Test your soil

A soil test identifies the nutrients already present in your soil, so you only apply the right amounts of what your soil needs. It will also tell you if you need to add lime. For more information, call the UMASS Soil Testing Lab at (413) 545-2311 or click here to visit their website.

Buildup your loam layer

If your area has sandy soils, lawns can easily dry out. Supplement your topsoil so you have at least 6 inches of loam (although 8 inches is better). A thick layer of loam will dramatically cut down your need for watering and fertilizing your lawn, and help reduce the spread of weeds.

Use the right grass

Native grasses (or drought and disease tolerant species) require less water, fertilizer, and pesticides that non-native species. In sandy soil areas, plant a mix of fine-leafed or red fescues and perennial rye grass. These seed mixtures are low maintenance, are easy to grow, are drought resistant, and require less fertilizer than other grasses. Local garden stores often sell this grass mixture as a "Native" seed mix. Other species like Kentucky Blue Grass may require twice as much water and fertilizer to keep green.

Handle lawn chemicals carefully

Many of the lawn products these days contain not only fertilizer, but insecticides, and herbicides. Neither fertilizer nor pesticides should ever be applied near surface waters, or where stormwater runoff discharges to surface water over land or through pipes. Collect any spilled pesticides or fertilizer. Don't apply chemicals to paved areas, it just gets washed to surface waters or gets added to the groundwater and where it could possibly affect drinking wells.

Mulch gardens and shrub areas

Mulching your gardens and shrub areas with 4 or more inches of mulch can greatly reduce or eliminate the need to water these areas, and will also reduce the need to weed these areas. Mulching also helps recycle construction demolition materials because old wood framing is now shredded and dyed and is one of the most popular mulch materials today.

Use more naturalized landscapes

Lawns are great for kids to play on and can be nice to look at. They can also cost a lot of money and time to maintain. Don't need or want a big lawn anymore? Have the kids grown up and you want a new look for your yard? Consider naturalizing more areas of your property with wildflowers, trees, or shrubs.

Maintain vegetation buffers Maintain a strip of natural vegetation betweens your lawn and any adjoining wetlands or surface waters. This vegetated buffer zone will help filter and trap nutrients before they are able to reach the water, as well as help prevent erosion.

Minimize Watering

In Massachusetts, there is generally sufficient rainfall so that watering of lawns is not necessary. If you wish to maintain your lawn's green appearance during a hot and dry summer periods, water your lawn once a week (twice if necessary) with 1 inch of water to avoid the onset of dormancy (set out a small tin can to measure how much you are really watering). Water early in the morning in an effort to minimize the spread of disease, and evaporation of water into the air.

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