Here’s Organic Gardening editor Scott Meyer in his April 2008 column, titled "High on Grass":
I’m not declaring a War on Lawns. I have a lawn, and I live in the suburbs, where the most hard-core grass growers congregate. I don’t even want to get rid of my lawn, because grass is the most reliable and easiest-to-maintain (yes, I mean easiest) groundcover for large sunny areas. Lawns are also the ideal setting for baseball, soccer, tag, and other games that break out where kids gather. And in the case of my lawn, the clover and onion grass that spring up amid the turfgrass feed fast-growing (and fat-growing) baby bunnies spring to fall. [Bolding added.]
I am, however, advocating an intervention.
He goes on to enthusiastically endorse the SafeLawns.org campaign, saying you don’t even have to write a check to help. "You just have to quit using the chemicals. Go cold turkey."
Well said, Scott! Now when I tell people that lawns CAN be low-maintenance - if grown organically - and I get the inevitable look, I’ll just quote you.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
commonweeder 03.26.08 at 2:54 pm
We’ve lived at the End of the Road for 27 years and have never used anything other than occasional applications of lime on our lawn. And left lots of fine mown grass on the lawn. Even before SafeLawns, which I applaud, my Mass. Extension Service told me that lawn mowings were the only fertilizer my lawn needed. My lawn is mostly green, but I tend to think of it as a flowery mead with dandelions,clover, ground ivy, hawkweed, blue eyed grass and a few other things. I think it is beautiful and perfect for playing tag and turning cartwheels.
Rob 03.27.08 at 3:28 pm
Robs advice from the left field of ethical gardening:
Organic lawns work!
Raise those mower blades - the thicker sward retains moisture, combats drought and out-competes many broad leaved weeds.
Never use chemicals!
I have moved back to using a push mower - electric mowers have encouraged people to have large lawns which then need to use energy to cut.
Cheers
Rob
Scott Meyer 03.28.08 at 7:29 am
Thanks for the shout-out, Susan. And please feel free to quote me whenever you get that look. Just don’t send an army of enraged Chem-Lawn poison pushers to my house.
Scott Meyer
Editor
Organic Gardening magazine
OrganicGardening.com
Kathy J, Washington Gardener 04.08.08 at 10:59 am
Lawns serve a purpose and can be grown organically, but “easiest-to-maintain”?! C’mon. My fussiest flowers and shrubs don’t take 1/10 the weekly attention and watering that an expanse of lawn does.
Andrew Semprebon 04.13.08 at 5:43 am
What amazes me is that most of these techniques aren’t new. I remember a talk one of my professor’s gave almost 30 years ago about leaving clippings on the lawn, reducing the size of lawns, etc. I’ve never used chemicals or weekly watering on my lawn, and it has survived just fine.
Unfortunately, I’ve found it very difficult to convince some people about this. They just go by the advice put out by the fertilizer companies. Even pamphlets from the Virginia Cooperative Extension didn’t help (they still push fertilizer, but at a lower rate than the chemical companies and based on a soil test).
dg 12.03.08 at 5:33 pm
hello……..i haven’t used chemicals on my lawn for over 7 years……i think, now, tho, that it should be more closely attended to……there is quite a bit of crab grass around……….
along with the flower and shrub beds i wonder if you would give me any tips on the maintenance of my property…….wish i could afford going to the store and using their products….would you have home made tips on information of this sort…….thanks, for any help……dg
susan harris 12.03.08 at 5:41 pm
Yes, DJ, I suggest you read everything on my website http://www.sustainable-gardening.com, especially the introductory articles about Low Maintenance Gardening, Sustainable Gardening, and Organic Gardening. One tip for here : the really important “products” are just some compost and mulch (maybe even making your own). This kind of gardening is perfect for the small of budget.