Green practices can produce green lawns

Lush, green, immaculate lawns.

Many homeowners fightoff weeds, thistles and bugs or just reseed their lawns, and fall isthe right time to give your yard a face-lift.

But just aschemicals can run off from farm fields into local rivers and streamswhen not properly administered, the same thing can happen onresidential lawns. While there are state regulations for chemicalapplication on lawns, there are no city regulations in Fort Dodge.

Local drinking water is not affected by runoff, according to John W. Pray Water Facility Superintendent John Horrell.

"Thewater for the city of Fort Dodge does not come from surface water,"Horrell said. "Our water comes from deep wells created by clayformations. Runoff can't contaminate those aquifers."

But that doesn't mean chemicals can't make it into area streams, like the Des Moines River.

LesWilshusen, general manager of Mike's Lawn Service in Storm Lake,offered some tips to keep your lawn and the environment healthy.

Phosphorus

Phosphorusis one problem plaguing waterways. Wilshusen said homeowners withestablished lawns do not need to use fertilizers that contain thechemical. If introducing seed or sod on the lawn, use a slow-releasefertilizer with phosphorus.

Granular fertilizer

If applyinggranular fertilizer, sweep or blow grains back onto the lawn. The straychemicals will run off into rivers and ponds if left on sidewalks anddriveways.

"When we fertilize lawns, our employees have hand-heldblowers they use to send everything back into the grass. It's just oneway to be a good steward," Wilshusen said. "Once the chemicals are onthe lawn, they won't move."

Chemicals decompose

Everychemical eventually decomposes, no matter how much is used. So when oneis tackling crab grass or grubs, know that after three to four monthsthe chemical breaks down.

"If homeowners follow the label'sinstructions, there should never be a problem with anything leeching orwashing away," Wilshusen said.

Herbicides

Herbicides arenot preventative. So spraying chemicals on a lawn when no weeds arevisible is a waste. However, if a lawn is riddled with weeds, spray aherbicide directly on leaves and it should die in a few days.

Grass clippings

Keep grass on lawns. This may sound silly, but there are all kinds of elements in grass clippings.

"Theworst runoff pollution happens when people mow and blow their grassclippings into driveways, streets, or right into ponds," Wilshusen said.

Bykeeping grass clippings on lawns, homeowners can spare themselves thework of one lawn application per year because nutrients in theclippings are returned to the soil.

For those with the budget, organic lawn treatments are available.

Manure as fertilizer

Chickenmanure is one organic option. Since the manure has low nitrogencontent, homeowners need to apply more than if they use synthetic.

"Withchicken manure people need to use 50 to 60 pounds per 1,000 squarefeet," Wilshusen said. "Three pounds of synthetic fertilizer producesthe same outcome."

Weed control

Corn gluten meal can beused to rid lawns of crab grass. It offers 50 percent control and coststwice as much as synthetic weed applications that offer 98 percentcontrol. Homeowners can also manually dig out weeds or mix a solutionof Mule Team Borax and apply to yard. Be careful not to apply too muchor the solution will kill patches of grass.

Bugs

Wilshusen said the only realistic organic solution for bugs is soapy water.

"It doesn't kill them," he said, "it just irritates them so they'll travel to your neighbor's yard."

Contact Lindsey Ory at (515) 573-2141 or lindsey@messengernews.net