STORMWATER PRACTICES |
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In the interest of full disclosure, I should tell you up front that my expertise is not in lawn care or lawn maintenance. I do know, however, that one of the easiest ways to keep your lawn green and lush is to make sure it gets regular and prolonged drinks of water throughout the summer months. An easy way to do that is to take some simple steps to give your lawn the full benefit of rainwater. As we enter the lawn care season, take a look at the gutters and downspouts around your home. By directing the downspouts towards your lawn, you are supplying the grass with regular doses of clean non-chlorinated water. Rainwater can also be captured in rain barrels and used to water your lawn in between rain events. On some lawns with good soil and taller grass, nearly all the water will stay on the lawn. When rain that runs off the roofs is directed to and detained on the lawn, it adds to the amount of water that is recharging the ground and naturally available to the lawn’s grass roots. The more water we can keep on the lawn the less there is to rush down into the storm drains and out to the creeks and waterways where they may cause flooding. Another strategy you can use to get the most out of Mother Nature’s natural lawn service is to add compost or organic material to your soil. The additional half inch or so per year will help the soil to hold more water, which benefits your entire lawn. The addition of some lawn fertilizer can be good for the lawn, but feeding the lawn more than it uses each year can result in fertilizer being washed off the lawn into the storm drains and out to the creeks and waterways where it causes algae and weeds to grow and clog the streams. Such excess fertilizer runoff is actually being washed all the way down the Ohio and the Mississippi rivers into the Gulf of Mexico where it is causing an “anoxic zone” of death. A similar phenomenon out east has caused huge dead zones in the Chesapeake Bay. The EPA is very worried about both of these dead zones. The fishing industries have been seriously hurt by both of these over fertilized areas. For that reason, it is wise to be skeptical of the lawn feeding rates recommended by the fertilizer manufacturers. The more they can convince you to put on the lawn, the more they sell. Another tip to pass along involves your lawn mower setting. The experts say it’s best to mow high. Set your mower blade at three inches or higher. Tall, thick grass helps prevent weed growth. Be sure your mower blades are sharpened to reduce water loss from your lawn. Also, aerate your lawn once a year. Aerating is a simple process that removes cores of soil to stimulate grass root growth, enhances oxygen levels in soil and loosens compact soil to increase the availability of water and nutrients. Aerators can be rented at lawn and hardware stores. Finally, minimize the use of fertilizers and pesticides. Extra fertilizer increases water consumption and phosphorous-containing products that run off into the storm drains feed the weeds in our lakes and rivers. Consider adding some clover to the lawn areas; clover naturally puts nitrogen into the ground right at the roots of the grass. By following these simple tips, you can cost effectively help to keep your lawn looking great all year long. Development and Engineering Services |
City Engineer Bob Galvin is responsible for helping to educate Vandalia on environmental issues that the public can impact through simple conservation measures.
