Great Choices for Your Lawn:
Native Meadow
Native Grasses
Hybrid Bermuda
Zoysia
Fescue / Bluegrass
A recent NASA analysis of satellite imagery shows that nearly 50,000 square miles of turf are under cultivation in the United States, making grass the single largest irrigated crop in the country. The health of all that grass depends directly on the health of the soil in which it grows. Paul Tukey, author of The Organic Lawn Care Manual, suggests these ways to keep lawn soil in good shape.
Follow Directions – Home application of pesticides and fertilizers often vastly exceeds that of agricultural use in pounds per acre. If you choose to use lawn chemicals, make sure to apply the correct amount. More is not better–and can be harmful to plants, pets, and people.
Water Wisely – The best time to water is early morning. Watering at night may encourage mold growth or disease. Try to water once a week, rather than daily.
Plant Clover – Until a pesticide company started marketing it as a weed in the 1960s, clover–which is actually a legume–was an essential part of commercial grass seed mixtures. It still should be. Nodules on clover roots store nitrogen and deliver it to the soil around the plant more efficiently than synthetic nitrogen fertilizers.
Mow High – For most grass species, set mower blades to cut at a height of about three inches. Higher grass prevents weeds and helps soil retain moisture. And leave grass clippings on the lawn after mowing. They work as a natural fertilizer and will decompose within a few days.
This information above was taken from a recent National Geographic article.
