There are few things more pleasing to the eye and bare feet than a well-trimmed, well-fed, blue grass lawn in the summer.
When we stop and consider what it takes to keep up this beauty and consider its impact on the environment and our local streams, we can see a lawn that has a diversity of plant types is more sustainable on many levels.
Overseeding with blends of perennial ryegrass and fine blade fescues will improve the lawn’s ability to fight back against lawn-damaging insects and reduce thatch build-up.
These grasses can contain beneficial fungi called endophytes. Endophytes do not cause any disease in the grass and, under most circumstances, they are beneficial to the growth and survival of infected grasses. They provide several benefits, such as enhanced drought tolerance, summer survival and insect resistance.
Choosing specific varieties that grow better in poor soils or shade should be discussed with your lawn care company or seed supplier. If you want to overseed your lawn to create a more diverse mix of grasses, early September would be the best time.
Before seeding, take a soil sample and submit it through the Fairfield County Extension Office of The Ohio State University. For a small fee, you can learn which fertilizers, such as phosphorus or nitrogen, are needed before seeding.
Phosphorus has been in the news a lot over the past few years because of its influence on water quality. Once deep roots are developed, its need could be reduced, helping minimize its contribution to poor water quality. You can help by asking for zero phosphorus fertilizers; we often see lawn soil samples that can grow several bushels of corn from years of over-application of fertilizers.
Once you understand your own soils through a soil test and realize lawns that are 100 percent blue grass demand more intense management, you have taken the first steps to a more sustainable lawn during drought conditions and insect infestation, and cut down on its impact on your wallet.
Diversity reduces the need for watering, but if you must water, remember early morning is best. One good, long watering is better than frequent short waterings.
Monitor your sidewalks and street gutters for runoff during watering. This is carrying away your nutrients to the stream, and it usually means you are wasting water.
To learn more on these issues, please visit our website at www.fairfieldswcd.org or contact the Fairfield County OSU Extension Office at 740-653-5419.
By Chad M. Lucht, CPESC, Fairfield Soil and Water Conservation District
