Life of a Lawn

Adopting an ecological approach to lawn care helps in understanding the nature and role of various elements in the lawn environment and how these elements interact.

The Soil Element:  Cutting a deep vertical slice out of your lawn will reveal at least two soil layers wilth different colors and textures.

Topsoil, or the top layer, contains more organic matter, usually making it darker and looser than the deeper layers.

Subsoil, or the lower level, is ually of a ligheter color and is often hard and poor in nutrients.

Soil is composed of mineral particles and organic material.  The texture of soil depends on the proportion and distribution of mineral particles - sand, silt and clay, from largest to smallest.  The best soil is a loamy soil contailning all three in ideal proportion.  A sandy loam supports plant growth the best.  Loam naturally contains a good proportion of air spaces.  Loam also absorbs water easily and quickly, yet allows water, air, nutrients and organisms to circulate freely and roots to penetrate easily.

You can tell what type of soil your have by squeezing some of it in a ball.  Sandy soil doesn't hold its shape when pressed.  Clay soil forms a lumpthat holds it shape.  Loam forms a ball of soil but breaks easily.

pH:  pH represents the level of acidity or alkalinilty of your soil.  pH is measured on a scale of 0 to 14 with values below 7 beind acidic, those above 7 being alkaline and 7 being neutral.  Slightly acidc soil (pH 6 to 6.5) allows the soil to release the optimum amount of nutrients.  Acidic soils are typically found in areas of high rainfall.  Lime can be applied to raise the pH.  Sulphur can be added to lower the pH, an occurrence often when the bedrock is limestone.  Soil analysis by a professional lab is necessary to know the appropriate corrective action.

The Soil Environment:   Soil is home to a large number of insects, spiders, mites, worms and microorganisms.  These organisms form the soil's food-web and play an important role in maintaining soil health and in supporting plant growth.Soil organisms benefit lawn by 1) decomposing lawn clippings and thatch, 2) helping to mix organic material with mineral matter throughout the soil, while creating pockets and channels for water and air to move, and 3) digesting organic material, helping to provide nutrients to plants and retaining nutrients in the root zone.

Lawn maintenance practices affect mroe than just the grass on the surface.  Avoid excessive watering as the water fills up air spaces and reduces the oxygen supply in the soil.  Avoid over fertilizing as it disrupts the nutrient balance and may decrease the amount of organisms in the soil.  Protect beneficial insects and earthworms by reducing the use of pesticides. 

What is Grass?  Like other vegetation, grass consists of leaves, stems and roots.  Blades of grass are leaves that extend out of a sheath at the base where they wrap around the plant stem.  The stem and blades grow upwards from a crown found at or near the soil surface.  This type of growth allows the grass to tolerate and recover from repeated mowing.  A grass plant can recover when it loses roots, leaves or stems, but not when the crown dies.  A dense, deep root system is important to support top growth in grass.  Grass reproduce by seed and by stolons (above-ground lateral stems) or rhizomes (unerground lateral stems).  They also form new shoots known as tillers that are attached to the original plant and that add to the fullness of the lawn.

Promote biodiversity by including a variety of plants and grass species in the landscape.  A diverse landscape is better for the environment because it attracts birds, butterflies, and other wildlife, and it can be easier to maintain when the right plants are chosen to suit the conditions.

Healthy lawns are also less susceptible to pest problems.  Keep your lawn healthy using good lawn maintenance practices.  Healthy lawn will better tolerate drought, temperature extremes and general wear and tear.  healthy, vigorous, deep-rooted lawns are less susceptible to pest damage and do not usually require pesticides to control pests.  Longer, thicker grass also prevents many pests from invading lawn.

Health Canada