A simple way to help the planet

1. Cooperate with Nature

In many areas of New Jersey, the soil is acidic and one can only achieve a "turf" lawn by adding lime and using chemical fertilizers and herbicides. Unfortunately, that leads to a change in the character of the native soil, contaminates ground water (South Jersey's source of drinking water), and pollutes the lakes and bays with runoff. Even "natural" methods, like mulching mowers and non-toxic fertilizers, create nitrogen-rich runoff that pollutes our estuaries. Ground covers, stones, pine needles are better for many New Jersey areas, and are lower maintenance. They provide interesting textures and colors for Pinelands and coastal areas. A turf lawn in sandy coastal soil can only be maintained at great cost to the environment!

2. Not sure about your soil's character? Test it BEFORE choosing plants or adding substances to your soil. Your county's Agricultural Extension Service provides soil testing for a fee. Many garden centers and catalog retailers sell home testing kits.

3. Live in an area where turf is possible, or want a small area of green lawn?

- Choose the appropriate grass. Do your homework. Choose grass varieties that are appropriate for your heat and rainfall level. Seed heavily in the fall and hand-pull weeds that may emerge. Nature does not like a vacuum. Bare spots beckon weed seeds.

- Plant appropriately - don't persist in trying to grow grass where it is impossible, as on sandy slopes and in deep shade. Use plants and ground covers that grow in those environments. For instance, lilies-of-the-valley love deep shade, do not require excessive moisture, and form a tight root system that blocks weeds. At the same time, they are slow-spreading via their roots, so that they do not "throw" seeds and will not become nuisances.

- Instead of chemical fertilizers, use a mulching mower. Rake up leaves and debris that will kill grass.

- Water appropriately.

If there has been an inch of rainfall in a week, watering should not be necessary. If you do supplementary watering, water once a week, and allow the water to penetrate deeply (at least one hour). Short periods of watering causes grass roots to remain shallow. Avoid overwatering, as that leads to soil compaction and pests. If you have areas that are bare, dark, with a peeling top layer of soil, the soil is overwatered and compacted.

Water in early morning so that the grass dries during the day. This helps to prevent pest infestations. Watering during mid-day is inefficient, as more water evaporates without reaching the roots of the grass.

Investigate using "gray water." Called "beneficial re-use," this is a method of using water from cooking, rinsing, or other activities that have used, but not polluted water with toxins. This is now in use at some golf courses, resorts, and residential developments. In the home, this may be as basic and low-tech as catching water in a pail as you wait for the shower or sink faucet water to "heat up," or reusing that water that is caught in a plant saucer!

4. Mow properly - set your mower at least at the 3-4 inch setting. This may require more frequent mowing, but it creates a healthier lawn by blocking out airborne weed seeds. Let the grass produce seeds (those feathery, whitish tips on the grass) for "self seeding" and a thicker lawn that doesn't leave room for weeds.

5. Aerate

- Rake up debris and leaves

- Rent or buy an aerator, or, as an inexpensive, low-tech alternative, stroll around you lawn in golf spikes or those old 3-inch high heels that are in the back of your closet. Aeration has been reported to be the most effective means of safe grub-control

6. Avoid dependence upon chemical fertilizers and herbicides - Aside from harming the water table and possibly your own health, chemical fertilizers and herbicides create a "monoculture" that becomes dependent upon them

- Herbicides and pesticides kill beneficial insects, birds, and earthworms
o Earthworms enrich and aerate the soil
o Birds and beneficial insects feed on pests

- Consult the yellow pages and the internet for garden centers and catalog retailers that sell traps, insecticidal soaps, and beneficial parasites like "milky spore" for grub control; some traditional retailers are beginning to stock these products, also.

Click below to see beautiful natural NJ areas which are pesticide-free!