CARING FOR YOUR LAWN WHILE CARING FOR THE ISLAND

by Chuck Wiley

Hopefully caring for your Vineyard lawn is as much about taking care of our local environment as it is about having a nice lawn. With a little knowledge you can do both. Our main concern is protecting our ponds, steams and aquifer by preventing fertilizer from getting into them. This can happen to a pond or stream by run off when the fertilizer washes into them over the ground or leaching when fertilizer is dissolved and rain or excessive irrigation carries the fertilizer past the roots into the ground. One of the best ways to prevent both of these is to have a dense healthy lawn which captures the fertilizer before it can runoff or leach. Using a slow release fertilizer is another way to make sure the nutrients are taken up by the grass and not lost.

Steps to achieve this healthy lawn in the spring:
1. Seed any bare spots starting in mid April using seed that matches the area: sun, shade or a mix of the two. Keep the seed lightly moist for two weeks in order for it to germinate.
2. Don’t fertilize before Mid April. Use a slow release fertilizer and don’t over apply. I recommend using it below the recommended rate the bag shows and doing a second light application 6-8 weeks later if needed.
3. Make sure the ph of your soil is around 6.5, this improves the grasses ability to take up the fertilizer which reduces the chance of leaching.
4. Mow regularly at a minimum of 2 inches with a sharp blade
5. If you water, do so deeply to encourage the roots to go deep once or twice a week. Never water daily other than when your seeding.
6. Remember grass loves sun so if your area is too shady you may want to try a shade loving ground cover or let nature do its thing. If you have a lot of moss don’t fight it as it’s green and never needs fertilizer or mowing.