Reduce your Lawn & Save Money

This year, I was lucky to attend the Suffolk County CCE “Spring Gardening School” program that was offered virtually a few weeks ago. The focus seemed to be on native plants which was great to see. All the lectures were jam packed with information but one lecture really stood out for me and I thought it would be particularly helpful to those who are looking for ways to reduce their lawn. The lecture was titled, ‘Reduce the Lawn’ and was presented by Turf Specialist, Dr. Tamson Yeh from the Suffolk County CCE.

First thing’s first, here are some benefits of reducing your lawn:

• You will be using less water.
• You will be using less chemicals.
• You will be mowing less.
• You will be saving money.
• You will be creating a friendly environment for pollinators and other wildlife.
• If you live in a metropolitan area, you will be reducing the Urban Heat Island Effect created by so much hardscaping (i.e. concrete) that absorbs and radiates heat and causes air and water pollution. (More about this topic coming soon!)
• You will be restoring some of the land back to a natural situation, which is good for the environment and your own wellbeing.

Shrinking the lawn, what to shrink first?

Struggling turf:

If your grass is struggling in an area, you may not have the right amount of light required for that type of grass. Maybe you have a large tree in your yard creating a shady situation. In that case, no amount of watering or chemicals will make it grow right. The best option would be to remove the turf in that area and replace it with shade loving (native) perennial plants. There are many native groundcover options that appreciate the shade. Tamson notes that you shouldn’t plant right up against any tree but the newspaper/mulch method (mentioned below) can be used and plants can be put in towards the drip line, under the edges of the tree canopy (diagram below). Many (most?) non-grass groundcovers do not tolerate prolonged foot traffic, so in high traffic areas consider leaving the grass or if the grass is in bad shape, consider installing some type of hardscaping (pavers, concrete, etc) path. Tamson does not recommend grass in any high traffic areas!

Borders:

Another situation where your grass might struggle is at the edges where the grass meets the concrete. Apparently, the concrete and other hardscaping, heats up and reflects heat onto the grass and can damage the grass, particularly cool season grass. But even if the grass is not damaged Tamson recommends planting that edge area with a border of ornamental grasses and low-maintenance plants. Pictured below is a beautiful border planting. I wouldn’t recommend something so tall in a front garden unless it’s towards the middle or back. Shorter native ornamental grasses like prairie dropseed (sporobulus heterolepis ) and little bluestem (schizachyrium scoparium) would be better there.

Areas that you want to see bursting with life ASAP:

Tamson recommends doing things in sections instead of all at once, especially in the spring when a new conversion will be more prone to weed invasion. It’s better to smother a small section of turf and plant a few things in the spring, and then repeat that process in the fall instead of smothering your entire front lawn and installing a bunch of new plants. I can vouch for this because the main issue in a full conversion is the emergence of weeds. Also, your lawn-ophile neighbors may become upset with a drastic change and start complaining to your town. Sometimes, I wish I had done things little by little instead of all at once because it has been challenging at times to maintain and I have lost some plants through the years, plants that may have not been in a great place to begin with. If I had done things gradually, I might have noticed what was not doing well in a particular area. But don’t let me discourage you. If you have a good understanding of plants and common weeds along with a strong planting plan and the time and ability to stay on top of weeds, then full conversion can be a good option. If you are still learning, then one section at a time is better.

Recommended Methods for Killing the Lawn:

Your first instinct may be to dig the lawn up and rototill the area to prep it for planting natives. This is not necessary and will cause weed seeds that were dormant in the soil to sprout and become a problem. The simplest method of smothering the lawn, according to Tamson, is to cover the site with newspapers about 14+ pages thick (or a layer of uncoated cardboard) and top that with course mulch like woodchips, and then plant directly through that. Another method would be to rent a sod cutter to shave off the turf and then plant directly and add mulch. Mulch should never be right up against a plant—leave a few inches of breathing room around a plant. The best time to smother the lawn is before it breaks dormancy, so early spring is a good time. However, Tamson does not recommend working on wet soil because it can become compacted.

Tip: Adding a thick layer of compost to a site without a newspaper barrier underneath and planting through that is also okay, but Tamson recommends adding a layer of mulch on top to keep the weeds out.

Know Something about your Soil:

Here on Long Island, the soil tends to be sandy. In other areas, the soil is more clay-like. The type of soil you are working with will determine how well the water drains and how well the plants will grow. Areas with “crappy” soil can be enriched with the newspapers and mulch method because eventually the mulch will break down and add nutrients to the soil.

In situations where the soil is compacted (hard), you can use shallow rooted groundcovers that creep along the surface and you can also plant closer than suggested to compensate for poor growth. You can also use raised beds. Tamson recommends raised beds that are 8-16” tall for annuals and perennials, 2’ tall for shrubs, and 3’ tall for trees. So how do you know if your soil is compacted? Tamson recommends taking an irrigation flag and poking it down into the soil. If you meet resistance at about 2” the soil is probably compacted. You can also use a shovel to look at any layering in the soil.

Groundcovers: why they’re good

Tamson explained that “once established, [groundcovers] shut light out from weeds. Weeds have one Achilles heel and that is their leaves have very little stored carbohydrate, so they have to succeed by germinating and getting up above the canopy as fast as they can so they can spread out and start generating more food.” Groundcovers create a permanent shade above these tiny weed seedlings and they also help retain moisture and control soil temperature, so don’t skimp on groundcovers!

According to Tamson, the four qualities of a good groundcover are:

• fast growth rate
• overwinters
• forms a dense canopy
• is drought tolerant

I have had success with creeping phlox as a groundcover. My only issue now is finding the time to divide it because it has spread so well! Tamson mentioned horny goat weed (not native) as great groundcover near trees. There are many other groundcovers to suit sunny and shady needs. Check out the Native Plant Lists to see what groundcovers are native to your area.

Source Plants Locally:

Buy plants from less than a 300 mile radius from your location and preferably, much less. Local is best! This is important because plants that are grown far away are not adapted to our climate and soil. Sometimes plants purchased from a different area can have a clay covered root ball. In that case, it’s a good idea to remove that clay before planting to prevent root rot.

Here on Long Island it’s a little tough to buy local because most nurseries are not growing natives. Luckily, there are more and more native plant sales each year and many native plants are also available online from nurseries in nearby states. Check your local nature preserves, parks, botanical gardens, and other places for native plant sales through the year. Rewild Long Island, LINPI, Garvies Point Museum, Dropseed Landscaping, KMS Nursery, and your local Audubon Society chapter are good places to check out here on Long Island.

Some other great tips From Tamson Yeh:

– Be wary of no-mow seed mixes because many of the plants in there are annuals and many of the grasses will disappear over time if they are not heat and drought tolerant. Personally, I think you should also be wary of these mixes in the front garden or hellstrip areas (on sidewalk) because a nonuniform grassy area in these location may open you up to a fine since it will look like tall, unkempt grass.

– edging a border exposes plants to heat, dryness, and salt spray, and it promotes the germination of annoying grasses like crabgrass, so even though most people prefer that clean edge between the grass and the sidewalk, it’s really detrimental in the long run. The best option is to plant ornamental grasses and low-maintenance plants in those areas.

– Newly installed native plants need 2 years of consistent watering so installing an irrigation system can be helpful, especially in areas prone to drought. After 2 years, the established plants will live off the rain and need little to no care beyond weeding.

– A great way to soak trees and bare root perennials before planting is the pot in pot method in which you fill a large bucket with water and dunk the potted plant into the bucket. Once the air bubbles stop, you know the soil and roots of the potted plant have been completely saturated. Soak for 24 hours.

Reducing your lawn is not rocket science, but it does take a little bit of labor and planning. The results are well worth it for the environment, animals (especially birds and pollinators), and for you since you will save money and time in the long run!

Did you enjoy this article? Like and Share!