The lawn on the left is heavily fertilized, herbacided, and watered daily. My lawn on the right gets one treatment of organic fertilizer in early spring, no herbicide, and rainwater only. It hasn't rained for a month and has been over 90 degrees for three weeks.
So how come my lawn looks greener?
So how come my lawn looks greener?
I think my grass is greener because...
1. Summer fertilizer grows grass blades, not roots. Summer fertilizer actually weakens the plant.
2. Much of the green in my lawn is "weed". Many weeds, such as crabgrass, thrive in the warm season. Neighbor uses a selective herbicide that kill everything except for the cold season turfgrass. Cold season turfgrass prefers to go dormant in the summer.
3. I overseeded last winter with red fescue. Compared to rye, fescue is more drought tolerant (deeper roots).
4. They rake their clippings, I mulch mine.
5. They cut low, I cut high.
6. I have more shade trees.
7. My soil holds water better and cycles nutrients more efficiently because it is not dead.
Sometimes less is more.
1. Summer fertilizer grows grass blades, not roots. Summer fertilizer actually weakens the plant.
2. Much of the green in my lawn is "weed". Many weeds, such as crabgrass, thrive in the warm season. Neighbor uses a selective herbicide that kill everything except for the cold season turfgrass. Cold season turfgrass prefers to go dormant in the summer.
3. I overseeded last winter with red fescue. Compared to rye, fescue is more drought tolerant (deeper roots).
4. They rake their clippings, I mulch mine.
5. They cut low, I cut high.
6. I have more shade trees.
7. My soil holds water better and cycles nutrients more efficiently because it is not dead.
Sometimes less is more.
