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<br />Toward a Low Input Lawn
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<br />By: Carole Ann Barth, Center for Watershed Protection
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<br />While many hom~owncrs <.In.: I;oncerncd with
<br />stretlm quality, many also have a funda-
<br />mental self-interest in retaining an ::J.ltmc-
<br />tive, densc and green lawn-regardless of the inputs of
<br />lime, money, fertilizer. pesticides and water needed 10
<br />.sustain it. Afterall. a well-manicured l~wn has undeni~
<br />able aesthetic appeal 10 mi.1ny residents. Thercforc. on~
<br />ur the key challenges of any public outreach progmm
<br />is to convince roughly h.)lf of our homeowners that it
<br />is possble to grow asharp looking lnwn with low inpuls
<br />(and not greatly increase the amount
<br />of labor expended to maintain it).
<br />This article sets forth some braod
<br />principles to guide homeowners to-
<br />ward a low input lawn. Togehter with
<br />the accompanying Lawn Care Field
<br />Guide found at the end of this issue, it
<br />provides a starting point fordesigning a more effective
<br />outreach program to achieve this goal.
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<br />The most important input to the low input lawn is
<br />knowledge. Efficient management is based on a rudi-
<br />memary understanding of soil properties, local cli-
<br />mate, and the growing requirements, of selected grass
<br />species. With this understanding of region;)1 condi-
<br />tions, it is relatively simple to'select ilppropriate grass
<br />species and lo give the lawn what it needs at (he proper
<br />time. Without [his understanding, large amounts of
<br />grass st:cd, !"t:rtiliz~r. p~sticiLies, water, and time: may
<br />he wasted. This article presents the management tech-
<br />niques ncedcd for a low input lawn in eight key steps:
<br />
<br />rr-"_;>:"<7:~~h,:::i:1h..~:..li.~
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<br />Traditional lawn care sharply
<br />increases demands on water
<br />supply and landfill capacity.
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<br />.m::-:...s,,~".."'*~~~~1JfI~~
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<br />Step 1. Lawn conversion
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<br />Step 2. SDil building
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<br />Step~. Grass selection
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<br />Step 4. Mowing and th~lh:h management
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<br />Step 5. Minimal fcrtiliz:ltion
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<br />Step 6. W~~d conlrol and tolerance
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<br />SLep 7. Int~grateJ pest ll1anagemL~nt
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<br />Step~. S~nsihlc: irrigati{ln
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<br />Tht.:'sL: slLps. Sllllllllariz~d in Tahk' I, :1're inlcndcd (ll
<br />pmvid~ a framcwork fnr Lh.... homeowner inll.:rcstct! in
<br />rL:dLlcillg I;IWII inpuls. ^ C~)IltillllUlll of managelllenL
<br />opliolls is prt'SClllcd within C~lt;h st~p, :llIowing Ihe
<br />JIOlllCIIWllCf lPIlI:lh' [ht..: trallsililJlllu :1 low illjHll lawll
<br />hy gr;ldll,ll st:I~t:S. This arlid\.' (:llld lhe aCl.olllp:lIlying
<br />LIWII Car~ FiL'ld (;llidt:) c:H1 ;llsn he u-scd as;\ s[;lrljJ1~
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<br />point ror designing :a bcltcr Clllllll1Ullity ollln:;IL'h'l'r\!-
<br />gram to promote the low input lJWI1,
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<br />Community benefits of the low,input lawn
<br />
<br />Armt from th~ir presumed hendll in r~dlh.:iflg
<br />nutrient and peslicide runoff, low input lawns prm id\.'
<br />other ecollomic henefits (0 a communily-in\"'luJIllg-:
<br />
<br />. Reduced summer waler dem;]nJ
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<br />. Preservation of landfill capJcity
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<br />. Reduced cost for management of public lands.
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<br />Some of these benefits have been quantified, others
<br />are a matter of common sense.
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<br />Reduced summer water demand
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<br />Low input lawns that use waler con5~rv:J.lion tc-ch.
<br />niques, can sharply reduce demands on water fC--
<br />sourL.es during pl.:riods of drought. During a rc-,....t:'nt
<br />California water shortage. it \\ias estimated thaI 30-
<br />50% of all residential wmer use- went ru lanJs....:lping
<br />(Foster 1994). Lawn wJtcring was es(imLll~J Iv a;,:-
<br />count for 60% of summt;r water use in Dalbs. Tcxas
<br />(Jenkins 1994). As a result. mnny WestC"rn munil;'ipali-
<br />ries now offer rate rebmes to homeowne-rs imph:mcnt-
<br />ing walL::r c:fficient lands~:1ping (.'(,cr.is....~lpingl.
<br />
<br />Changing w~lcring t~dlnil]U!:s and rcpth..ing W;l-
<br />ler-Jel1l~lnJjl1g plallt~ with Will~r-etTi(lC'nl anu IUL:ally
<br />adapted DnL$ can rcdu1.:e water use by :O-43'.~;' ,Ftl$[a
<br />(994), Even in humid Atlant;l. Georgia, cakubtiulls
<br />showecJ that mainlcnam:c :mJ wah:r.sayings \\'~lLlIJ pal
<br />for thL::' cost of slIch rctfillitting in only llm:c yt:'~lr..;
<br />(Foster 1994). Full cunv~rsion 10 x~ri$C:lrin~ li.c..
<br />growing turf solely with [h~ a\':1il~lhk r~linr;lll supply)
<br />can easily 1,;ut water use by 50.00% (Elster 19'-)--t and
<br />Ellcsfon 1992),
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<br />Onc of the lirs[ prinL'ipks of x...'riscaping i;-; hl
<br />reJuce turf coverage on the lawn. ^~ ;\ gClh:r;ll ruk.
<br />grass consulTles eight units of watcr. Irl.'cs ,,-.\lll~Ull1':
<br />fj Vl.: unit:.; or wa{e[, and shruhs ;1IHI ~nHlI\d \:pVI.'r;o;
<br />CIIJlSlll1ll.: l"iHlrunits Il!"willl'rt!-\lsl....r Iq,q)..\ ,)11': :l<':l~'
<br />lawll CllnSUlllCS lip In a h~dr llIi1Jilln g~1I1'i11s ,ll" w;lh:f ~I
<br />SlIIIIIJll'l' in SlIlIlC rqdlll1s 01"111.... ~'\lulltr~ ~.kllk ill.'; I 1}ln)
<br />A well,~h;ltkd bwn, hll\\"'\'l'r, uscs lip llIudl 10,"
<br />....IlILll.l' \V;llL'r Oll :l hll[. Sllllll,\ ,I." tl1.m ;11I IlII."lJ;ld,.,1
<br />[;lWlI (Fns[\."r 19\).1).
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