Synthetic fertilizer is so last century
According to a USDA study in 2001, approximately 70 – 80% of the fertilizer we put on our lawns runs off into the storm drains – and then into the Truckee River, causing problems downstream. Of the part that stays, about 10% over-feeds certain micro-organisms in the soil, which actually can harm your lawn if the soil isn’t rich in organic material, known as humus, according to Toby Hemenway, the author of Gaia’s Garden. The soil in most yards is very low in organic matter, and thus susceptible to nutritional deficiencies and disease.
This chemical approach to lawn care is expensive, environmentally unsound, requires fossil fuels to manufacture, and is wasteful. There are many alternatives available. The easiest method is probably mulching. Using a specialized mulching lawnmower and leaving the trimmings on the lawn will provide between 25% and 50% of your lawn’s nutrient needs, supplying nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
Another easy method to replace chemical fertilizer is to add clover to your lawn. The clover is a legume, a nitrogen fixer. As such, it pulls atmospheric nitrogen into its roots, where it is available to feed the grass. A lawn consisting of 5 percent clover can create up to half of its own nitrogen needs per year.
We are available to analyze and remedy your lawn and garden’s nutritional deficiencies and to help you maintain a healthy lawn and garden. Call Dan at 775-742-3376 or email him at Dan@HeirloomGardensReno.com for a free quote.
Photo credit: Day 199 – Leon Playing by DaGoaty from Flickr via Creative Commons license.