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The
Martha's Vineyard Times is a weekly publication.
March 24 - March 30, 2005 Edition
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GARDEN
NOTES
Hazards to health Although many gardeners will be planting food crops in celebration of spring, current polls by green industry groups show that lawn-care-as-garden-activity is the preferred choice of a majority of Americans. I want to write a few words here about combining the celebration of spring with healthy lawn-care that everyone can live with. What has really made me think about this is a continuous stream of information about impacts going back many years. Private wells needing to be redrilled deeper. Nutrient loading and eutrification occurring in various bodies of Island water. Salt water intrusion increasing and groundwater containing substances it should not. Environmentally-related health issues in humans (and household pets) spiraling ever upward. Shallow bays and estuaries losing eelgrass habitat and micro-species needed to sustain economically important species. Massive die-off at local hatchery projects. Here on the Island we live, by definition, in a finite environment. While our environment receives poisons from air pollution and acid rain that we are unable to control, what we do in our own backyard is very much under our own direction. I am amazed at times that there can be so much disagreement about doing the things that will keep it as healthy and functioning as possible. It is not that the intention does not exist. It is that there exists a big gap of denial between actions and consequences. Is it possible to dislodge the bogus connections between a perfect lawn, civic virtue, and petrochemical addiction (what I would call Lawn Culture) that have been foisted on us over the years by an alliance of Madison Avenue advertising companies and the petrochemical industry? These messages work powerfully on our subliminal minds. Maybe not, when one considers that, nationally, lawn care and its associated businesses are estimated to be worth in excess of $30 billion dollars. On the other hand, many of us have now grown more aware that dependence on petroleum requires us to fight and die in foreign wars; that along with receiving many products for better living, we are caring for family members and pets with increasing malignancies, chronic pulmonary insufficiency, and neurological damage such as Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease). We now know we should have our drinking water tested. Do we know that perhaps we should not play on the lawn? Tell that to the dog. Start with good soil The very first connection that needs to be challenged is that a green lawn correctly grown requires petrochemical inputs of herbicides, pesticides, and mercury-based fungicides. There seems to be a great, irrational fear that without these products the goal of a nice lawn is unachievable. In an article many people saw in the Boston Globe magazine last summer, Tracy Mayor wrote the following: “In our quest for the perfect lawn, or even just a passable chunk of grass, Americans are putting far too many things on it…too many pesticides and herbicides, some of which are known carcinogens; too much fertilizer, which can run off into lakes, rivers, and bays; and too much water.” I have a feeling that I shall be unable to persuade the person who has uncritically accepted the dictate of Lawn Culture that these inputs are not necessary. Nonetheless, it is true that you need a healthy soil to grow a healthy lawn. If the lawn is not healthy, start by looking at the life of the soil. Is it over-fed with quick-acting fertilizer? Is it over-watered by an irrigation system set not by need but by “I love my lawn”? Send in a sample for testing; indicate that the use is “lawn.” Ask for a “standard soil test w/ organic matter.” (UMass, 1-413545-2311; http://www.umass.edu/plsoils/soiltest.) Many homeowners do not understand that the petrochemical inputs and irrigation they apply in order to have a nice lawn may actually impede the desired result by creating the conditions for disease in turf and soil. The test will come back to you with specific recommendations for that patch of ground. Resources and materials An area that has undergone excessive compaction due to construction surrounds new houses and additions. It may take a while (as long as seven years) for the soil to return to a semblance of natural biology and structure. Keep this in mind when caring for turf, whether natural or sodded. It is generally true that Island lawns need lime to unlock the soil's fertility: the underlying mineral soils formed from granite rock are acidic; the acid in our rainfall continuously acidifies our soils; and nitrogen in fertilizers tends to acidify soil. Nevertheless, test to be sure. Over-seeding a thin patch with high quality seed is simple: most seed has easy-to-follow instructions on the box or bag. Use shade mix for shaded areas. To green up a lawn and add organic matter, spread compost or fine leaf mould by raking into the lawn surface. Leave the clippings when mowing. Cut at three inches or more and use a sharp blade. If treating a lawn for grubs or nutgrass - be aware that these two problems are more frequent on patches that are warm/south-facing and sandy. It may not be necessary to treat the entire lawn. Go always for the non-chemical solution: beneficial nematodes for control of undesirable insect infestations or beneficial soil organisms that can be applied as a soil drench or spray. It is not unreasonable to ask oneself: am I applying something my child's (or pet's) liver is going to have to work overtime to detoxify? Inputs can only be effective when the roots of the lawn grass are already in a healthy state. Learn to look at the fine print on the fertilizer bag. Use low number “soil food” fertilizers or ones that tell what percentage of nitrogen is Water Soluble Nitrogen (WSN - quickly available nitrogen) and what percentage Water Insoluble Nitrogen (WIN or SRN -slowly available nitrogen.) While WSN greens up a lawn quickly, it has the potential to leach out into the water table or “burn” the grass. WSN can cause overly lush top growth unsupported by proper root development and thus leave the lawn vulnerable to a number of disease conditions. Lawns are not the only element of our landscape needing attention; after the rigors of the past winter, our trees and shrubs will be showing a great deal of wear and tear as well. Join Steve Masterson at the Polly Hill Arboretum (PHA) Tuesday, March 29, from 2 to 4 pm for a first-hand assessment of winter damage to the PHA woody plant collection; receive useful pruning and structure advice to minimize future problems. Call 508-693-9426 or visit www.pollyhillarboretum.org for further information. |
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