Natural Solutions: Organic Lawn Care on Nantucket

Dave Huehner spreads healthy soil on a lawn.

This old Wisteria Vine feels right at home in the backyard of a historic home off of Main St.

Plum Earth Bytes: Organic Herbicide Solutions

Organic Land Care

The days are getting longer, plant buds are peaking their heads and the birds are making their voices heard.
Spring is here and now is the perfect time to plan your organic lawn care.

Nantucket’s marshes are home to a rich diversity of life. However,
nitrates from fertilizers used on our lawns are threatening these
important ecosystems.The Nantucket Land Council
watershed brochure provides a detailed description of the movement of
water from high elevations to low elevations on Nantucket. The brochure
explains how all water eventually flows into our harbors, marshes, or
groundwater (sole source aquifer).

The nutrient overload from the nitrates may cause large algal blooms in marshes and harbors, preventing
light penetration to bio-life and lowering levels of oxygen on the
water. The immediate effects can be seen in indicator species like
eelgrass, a primary source of food for many plants and animals.

Nantucket landscaper Chris Oberg spoke about the keys to organic lawn care. “You want to have good soil. The problem around here is it’s really
sandy," he said, "People add chemicals to make their grass green, but using
fertilizer is like an easy way out. The key to getting a good lawn is
to get your soil test, add the right stuff and compost.”

Learn some environmentally friendly ways to keep your grass healthy this spring (tips from the organiclandcare.net):

• Treat the soil, not the plant.
• Use long-release fertilizers to avoid repeat applications.
• Recycle your grass clippings. They are a natural fertilizer; return moisture to the soil, and provide shade from the sun.
• Aerate in the Spring to increase air flow and cultivate the soil.
• Mow high: 3 inches is recommended to promote good root development and shade weeds that require a lot of sun.
• Don't cut more than 1/3 of the blade of grass at once. If your grass is high, cut twice at a higher and then lower setting.
• Overseed once a year to keep lawns thick.
• Water heavily once a week in the mornings or early evenings.

For more on keeping the environment healthy, take a loot at our Earth Bytes features.