CONSERVATION FOR LAWNOWNERS
            Rainfall seems to be keeping pace with average annual amounts. The grass is growing and the season of ‘pride in your lawn’ is upon us.  As you seek the best care for your lawn, remember your watershed by answering these tough questions:
            What is the most environmentally friendly way to dispose of grass clippings? Leave them on the lawn.  Grass clippings contain nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen. If the grass is raked to the curb, clippings can clog storm sewers and the nutrients they contain can end up in a water body. Bagging clippings adds an unnecessary burden to landfills. Burning clippings releases air pollutants and can pollute lakes and streams when ashes are carried away by runoff. The best way is to mow often enough so you can leave them on your lawn where soil organisms will return the nutrients to the soil in a very efficient recycling process.
            If you think you need to fertilize, what is the best way? Get a soil test and apply nutrients according to the results. Always follow the directions on fertilizer containers. Keep in mind that many label rates are liberal – designed so the fertilizer will work even under less than optimal conditions. Excessive amounts end up in a water body.
            What can I do about insect and weed pests? Use alternatives to pesticides. Insecticides kill insects, herbicides kill plants, and fungicides kill fungus species.  Pesticides sometimes kill living things other than their targets – including beneficial insects such as ladybugs (the native kind) and honeybees and even fish. Besides simply tolerating a few pests, prevention and control programs are available that can help the environment and your watershed.
            What can I do when there is not enough rain? Despite the brown color of dry grass, a few weeks of no water and the resulting dormancy will not hurt the roots of a healthy lawn. You can save water by mowing grass no shorter that two or three inches. Longer grass promotes deep rooting and helps lawns tolerate dry conditions.  In addition, taller grass shades the soil surface, thus reducing evaporation and sprouting of weed seeds. If you must water your lawn, water only when footprints across the lawn remain visible, apply large droplets of water (fine drops evaporate quickly), water deeply until an empty 6-oz tuna can is full of water. Frequent, light waterings favor shallow roots and plants unable to tolerate dry periods.
            Keep in mind that runoff from your yard joins that from your neighbors’ yards and ends up in the creek, stream, or lake of your watershed. You share the environment in your watershed with all the living things in it.
This article was originally published in July 2004. Information is from the Conservation and Information Technology Center (CTIC), “Quiz Topics,” www.ctic.purdue.edu.
Della Moen, Earth Team Volunteer, NRCS/Stephenson Soil and Water
Conservation District, an equal opportunity provider and employer, 06/17/09 (for publication on 06/27/09 in the Journal-Standard, Freeport, Illinois).
Della can be reached at info@stephensonswcd.org