Anchorage Daily News

Last week's column hit a (good) nerve the likes of which I haven't seen in a while. Lots of comments, all positive, on making the lawn a canvas and using the mower as a brush. Not only am I getting lots of comments about the practice, but I have been seeing some really neat mowing patterns on lawns as I ride around town checking things out.

More than a few folks, however, are still not satisfied with their organic lawn. They want their lawn to be greener and fuller.

First, it is possible to green up more without resorting to the chemical solution of using a very high nitrogen fertilizer. You need to add organic matter and get the microbes to cycle it. It isn't hard. It does, however, take a couple of weeks longer than when you use chemicals.

Unfortunately, too many believe all you have to do these days is leave the grass clippings on the lawn to feed the microbes and the lawn will be nice and green and healthy. While helpful, this does not provide enough organic matter to keep the microbes feeding the plants fully active. If you mowed in your leaves last fall, you may have enough organic matter. But in general, it helps to put down a bit more once a season. This is a good time, from my organic perspective.

My choice of "fertilizers" (remember, when organic it is actually "microbe food," but laws and regulations make us call it fertilizer), is soybean meal. You can also buy specialty mixes like Arctic Grow Natural or Down to Earth fertilizers that are organic mixtures specifically designed as lawn foods. These all have low "nitrogen- phosphorous-potassium" (NPK) numbers, usually under 10-10-10, which is necessary in order not to harm the soil food web.

It is also a good practice to help in the cycling of these and the nutrients that already exist in your lawn. Who knows when our lawns will stop growing? It may be late in the season to enjoy the results, but action now will also ensure cycling occurs early next spring when things thaw out.

First, put down the organic food for the microbes. If it is dry, water. Consider watering with compost tea immediately afterward. At the same time fill a five-gallon bucket with water and let it sit for 24 hours to de-chlorinate. Then fill it with a few handfuls of tall grass -- say one foot or taller. Straw or hay works even better. This stuff is covered with protozoa. Stop by the side of the road and pull up some of the tall, wild stuff that grows there if you don't have an area that hasn't been mowed for a month or so.

Toss the grass in the water and let it sit for three or four days. Stir it several times a day to keep it aerobic or, better yet, bubble it with an aquarium or larger pump. Protozoa, mostly paramecium, will flourish.

When this mix is applied to lawns with a sprayer (make sure it is clean and free of chemicals) or a watering can (it doesn't have to be so exact as not every blade needs to be hit), the protozoa start eating bacteria and release nutrients, including lots of nitrogen.

This will green up your lawn.

Applied this time of year, many of the protozoa will go dormant because of the temperature. They will awake next spring when you water and do their thing.

Aeration also helps. It is amazing that more of us don't consider that grass has a really hard time growing well in compacted soil. Consider playgrounds and sports fields, however. If they are not aerated, they develop dead zones or zones of poor growth. The same applies to lawns.

Fall is a great time to aerate. When you mow your leaves up, debris falls into the root zone and organic matter is stored. And, of course, air is again circulating in the soil.

If you are still playing with (dangerous) chemicals on your lawn, stop. If you can't, and want that green lawn, apply at one-quarter strength now to take care of this season. (Ouch, I wish you wouldn't.)

I do not think it makes sense to apply chemical fertilizers after the grass stops growing as is the current advice. This practice leads to serious leaching into our water systems, creeks and streams. Wait until next spring to apply high nitrogen fertilizers. (Maybe by then you will be convinced it is a silly and unhealthy thing to do).

Finally, several folks, admittedly all male readers, want to have a contest to show off their lawn mowing art. Actually, I don't think it is a bad idea at all, but it will take a bit of thought. Maybe we could have neighborhood walks to show off lawn art, sort of like they do for art in most cities. Instead, we could have First Wednesday lawn walks in Turnagain, Last Thursday in Oceanview, etc. Anyone want to take it on? My garden is full.

Jeff Lowenfels is a member of the Garden Writers Hall of Fame. You can reach him at teamingwithmicrobes.com or by calling 274-5297 during "The Garden Party" radio show from 10 a.m. to noon Saturdays on KBYR AM-700.

ADVERTISEMENT