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Managing Lawns the Less Toxic Way
Using proper soil preparation and lawn maintenance practices helps build
healthy soil and vigorous, deep-rooted lawns. Healthy lawns are more
resistant to disease, tolerate some insect and drought damage, and will out
compete many weeds. The practices recommended here help make your lawn
healthier for your family, protect beneficial soil organisms, and protect
the health of the environment because less pesticides, fertilizers, or other
synthetic chemical products are used.
Healthy lawns grow on
healthy soil
Compost helps create a healthy, living soil from the sand, gravel, and clay
found in Kitsap County. Healthy soil serves as a home to beneficial insects,
earthworms, and valuable microorganisms. Their presence indicates that the
soil contains materials that are decomposed thus releasing nutrients back
into the soil. This helps keep lawn pests and diseases in check. Backyard
composting classes are available from
Kitsap County Public Works.
On established lawns, apply compost once a year in layers ¼ to ½ inch
thick. To prepare areas for new lawns, mix four inches of compost into the
top six inches of soil.
Easy-to-follow guides are available for
backyard composting and
worm bin composting.
Choosing the right grass
Grasses, like many plants, have tolerance limits. Some are suited to shade,
others to full sun, some to heavy traffic. Let your favorite nursery help
you pick the right blend for your needs. Here are some suggestions:
- Bentgrass - the Highland variety makes an attractive, knee high, red
topped stand for areas you don't want to mow or water. Otherwise,
bentgrasses produce thatch readily and are not as popular as other
varieties for home lawns.
- Fine-Leafed Fescue - the most shade tolerant lawn grass. It should
constitute about 50% of most western Washington lawns.
- Kentucky Bluegrass - often turns up in grass seed mixes sold in Kitsap
County. It doesn't grow well west of the Cascades so it should not
constitute more than 10% of the mix.
- Turf-Type Perennial Ryegrass - this variety germinates vigorously,
establishes itself quickly, and doesn't produce much thatch. To perform
well though it requires medium to high fertility. It should constitute
about 50% of western Washington lawns.
Kick the Weed-N-Feed Habit
Here are four good reasons to reduce the amount of pesticides and
fertilizers you use on your lawn:
- Weed-N-Feed products are overkill. Try spot killing weeds instead of a
broad application. Use corn gluten meal, a non-toxic food product that
prevents the germination of weed seeds before breaking down into 10%
nitrogen fertilizer. A flamer, a propane canister with an extra long pipe,
may be used to kill weeds. It heats their tops and destroys their food and
water conducting tissue. Weed diggers are also effective and easy to use.
- In a rain or during normal watering, weed-n-feed products are more
likely to wash into storm drains, streams, and Puget Sound.
- Children and pets playing on your lawn after treatment are exposed to
pesticides.
- Weed-n-feed products may actually damage your lawn by eliminating
beneficial organisms such as earthworms.
Cut It High, Let It Lie
Mow high, mow often, and leave the clippings. Set your mowing height
up to about 2" for most lawns. Remove only 1/3 of the grass length at each
mowing. Cutting off too much at once stresses the grass. Leave the clippings
on the lawn. Grasscycling provides free fertilizer (at least ¼ of
your lawn's needs), helps lawns grow greener and denser, and doesn't cause
thatch build up. A mulching mower is specially designed to recut clippings
and force them down into the turf.
After you reduce chemicals on your lawn…
You may find that you have unnecessary fertilizers, herbicides, and
pesticides. To dispose of unwanted or unused gardening supplies visit the
Kitsap County Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility.
[ HHW Facility ]
Helpful Hints
| Practice |
Explanations & Benefits |
| Plant appropriate grass species |
A 50/50 rye/fescue mix is appropriate for
sunny sites. For partially shaded areas, use a mix with more fescue. For
no-mow, no-water, knee-high, natural meadows consider hard or chewings
fescues or Highland bentgrass. |
| Use a mulching mower |
You'll never have to rake clippings. They
break down into nutrients saving you the labor and cost of a few
applications of fertilizer. Nutrients become available gradually,
meaning they won't leach into nearby bodies of water. |
| Mow higher |
Unless mowing is one of your chief joys in
life, don't treat your lawn like a fresh recruit. It doesn't need a crew
cut. Set your mower height to 2 or 2 ½" inches and find some new ways to
savor the time you'll save. Mowing higher can promote deeper rooting of
the grass and it can shade some of the less competitive weeds. |
| Use slow release fertilizer in September
and May |
Slow release fertilizer will cost you more
than standard lawn fertilizer, buy if you combine its use with a
mulching mower, you will save a few dollars. Slow release will save you
extra mows by eliminating the sudden flushes of fast growth you get with
quick release fertilizer and it's unlikely to leach into nearby waters. |
| Water weekly, water deeply |
Water your lawn once a week, in the early
morning if possible (less will be lost to evaporation then). Put on an
inch of water (empty tuna cans scattered on the grass will indicate when
you've applied enough). Once-a-week, deep watering develops strong
roots, saves on your water bill, and conserves water. |
| Aerate your lawn regularly |
Use a long handled, hollow tined aerator on
small lawns several times each year. For bigger lawns, rent a power
aerator. Both tools core plugs of soul out of your turf allowing air,
water, and nutrients to reach the grass roots. This basic operation can
make the difference between a healthy, luxuriant lawn and a diseased
eyesore. |
| Thatch as needed |
Over time lawns accumulate a layer of
thatch (dead crowns, roots, and runners) that prevents water, air, and
nutrients from reaching grass roots. Plan to thatch a rye-fescue lawn
every other year. There are thatching rakes that you could use on a very
small lawn. Rent a power thatcher for sizeable lawns. This practice
prevents disease and ensures that the nutrients, water, and labor you
invest aren't wasted. |
| Don't succumb to crane fly panic |
Bide your time…Most years starlings and
other birds get them under control by spring. You could also release
predatory nematodes on the lawn in late August or early September. They
are only effective when soil temperatures are above 55 degrees F.
Insecticides registered for control of crane flies kill non-target
creatures. |
| Fight weeds sensibly |
Maintain good fertility so grass
out-competes some of the weeds. Use diggers and flamers to control
individual weeds rather than fertilizer/herbicide combinations that
target the whole lawn. If weeds are widespread, use corn gluten meal, a
new product which is non-toxic to animals. This approach to weed control
eliminates or minimizes chemicals leaching off target. |
| Prevent disease with good management |
Planting appropriate grass species and
keeping your turf properly mowed, watered, fertilized, aerated, and
thatched can make disease control unnecessary. Disease, if it occurs at
all, is likely to be mild and temporary. You'll save money not buying
fungicides and you'll keep the materials out of nearby waters and off
your pets and family. |
Kitsap County Public Works
Solid Waste Division
(360) 337-5777 or (800) 825-4940
solidwaste@co.kitsap.wa.us |
Updated:
June 06, 2008
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