You CAN Grow Grass Naturally!

Last Wednesday evening, Chip Osborne of Osborne Organics LLC gave a talk in town on natural approaches to growing a lawn.  For those who have read my blog before, you know I am not a big fan of a high maintenance, uniform, sterile grass oasis.  However, it’s not the grass I am opposed to, but its synthetic upkeep and all that entails.  Chip, a former pesticide user, has successfully grown weed-free and healthy lawns and sports turf fields using non-synthetic methods, so it can be done.  So, for those who did not attend the talk but are already growing weary of the demands of this cultural obligation, I am reducing his talk down to five key points.

1. Feed the soil, not the grass.   Soil is alive, full of beneficial bacteria, fungi, earthworms, and others - that allow soil to support plant life.  These organisms break down dead plant matter so that its nutrients can be absorbed by living plants.  Some organisms can “fix” nitrogen from the atmosphere into a form (ammonia) that is usable by living plants.  Others tunnel through the soil structure, allowing air and water into the root zone of the plants.  Healthy soil, filled with native organisms, can support healthy plant life without much effort.

Most synthetic lawn products add nothing to the health of the soil.  Fast-acting, water-soluble fertilizers drain through the soil so quickly, that whatever the grass can’t take up immediately gets drained away into groundwater or nearby water bodies.  Fertilizers that provide just nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are missing the many microelements that are essential for plant growth.  So if your grass is depending on these types of fertilizers to grow, it’s going to need dosing on a regular basis.  However, if your soil is nutrient-rich, you don’t need to be a slave to your grass’s hunger. 

A simple way to feed your soil: add compost as a top dressing to the grass.  Just dump it on the grass, rake it to a one-quarter inch layer and, voilá!, your soil is improved.  Do this a few times and you will have rich, healthy soil that will attract beneficial organisms.  You can get large bags of compost for little money at any gardening center.  If you want the primo stuff, look into Earth Care Farm in Charlestown.  Another way to feed your soil: leave the nutrient-rich grass cuttings in place (now that’s ridiculously easy).  If you really want to be meticulous about it, send samples of your soil to the UMass Amherst soil testing lab and for $10 or $15, you can get more information on the quality of your soil and what it needs than you’ll know what to do with.

2. Stop the assault.   Insecticides kill not only the target insect, but other beneficial insects that keep your soil alive.  Chemicals used for lawn grub control  may indeed control lawn grubs, but are also toxic to earthworms and bees and other beneficial organisms.  Soil deficient in insect organisms cannot break down organic matter that your grass needs.  This forces you to use artificial nutrients to sustain plant growth. 

Herbicides used to control or kill lawn weeds typically contain 2,4-D, which has demonstrated toxic effects on the thyroid and gonads and has been linked with the occurrence of non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Glyphosate, the active ingredient in RoundUp, is an endocrine disruptor and has been linked to “symmetrical parkinsonian syndrome” and Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder.  Weeds are also fast becoming immune to its effects. 

I’ve honked this horn before but it bears repeating -- lawn pesticides are designed to kill insect, plant, or fungal life and work against a healthy lawn.  Since we are all biologically related, it stands to reason that these chemicals are going to affect other living systems, as well.  Do you really want your kids playing on these chemicals?

3. Use the buddy system.  A monoculture of any plant, including grass, is not natural and is more susceptible to disease.  So, consider adding white clover to your lawn.  White clover can “fix” nitrogen from the atmosphere and release it into the soil, serving as a natural fertilizer.  It also stays green when grass goes naturally dormant in mid-summer.  If you’re more daring, let part of your lawn convert into a wildflower meadow by broadcasting native wildflower seeds. The bees will thank you.

4. Nature abhors a vacuum.  If your lawn has a bare spot because you dug out a weed or the grass died from your dog’s contribution, something will eventually fill that void with, most likely, another weed unless you put something else there.  So, overseed your lawn.  The best defense against colonization of your lawn by weeds is a thick stand of grass. 

5. Let it grow!  When you give your grass a buzz cut, you really stress it, particularly if too much leaf tissue is removed.  This leaves the grass more  susceptible to insects, disease, and drought.  Mowing also influences rooting depth; grass mowed at a higher mowing height will develop a deeper root system, which will give the grass greater tolerance to stress.  A grass mowing height of 3 to 3 ½ inches is optimal, and no more than one-third of the leaf surface should be removed at any one time.  And keep your blades sharp!

These are easy steps for changing your lawn from a chemical-dependent slave driver to a natural self-sufficient, diverse, and resilient companion.  Consider taking these steps this year and break the hold that the agrichemical industry has on you.  What do you have to lose?