Green Lawns... Not Green Lakes!
How you care for your lawn can have a big effect on the nearby lakes. Is a green, weedfree lawn really worth a green, weedy lake? Some lake management firms say just one application of summer fertilizer can cause an algae bloom in a lake.
Reducing the amount of phosphorus entering the lakes is the most important step you can take for keeping the lakes healthy. Here are four things you can do today to stop the flow of phosphorus.
- Practice Lake-Friendly Lawn Care
- Pump Out Your Septic System Regularly
- Grow a Native Plant Buffer
- Use Phosphorus-free Dishwashing Detergent
1. Practice Lake-Friendly Lawn Care (and make sure your landscaper does too!)
Don’t fertilize. The best way to reduce phosphorous is to eliminate fertilizers, which are generally rich in phosphate. To give you an idea of the magnitude of the impact, if all other nutrients are present, as they are in our lakes:
a pound of phosphorous can generate 500 -1100 pounds of algae or lake weeds.
Test soil. If your heart is set on fertilizing, have your soil tested to determine if it is really necessary, and if it is, how much to apply. The Cornell Cooperative Extension will test your soil. Just send a note requesting a soil analysis kit along with a check for $15.60 to:
CCE – Westchester
26 Legion Drive
Valhalla, NY 10595
You will receive a kit and a bag in which to mail your soil sample for a full analysis. (Call 914-285-4640 for more information).
Use phosphate-free fertilizers. Soils in our area generally contain sufficient phosphate, so choose fertilizers that are phosphate-free. If you hire a lawn maintenance company, insist that they use a phosphate-free fertilizer.
Young’s Feed & Grain located at 91 Danbury Road (Route 35) in Ridgefield, stocks Green View Spring Fertilizer, Fairway formula 27–0–12. (The middle number denotes the amount of phosphorus). Young’s phone number is 203–438–6760.
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Water the lawn with lake water. If you live on a lake, then use lake water to water your lawn. It contains all the nutrients your lawn needs, and some of the water will return to the lake with the phosphorous filtered out.
Leave the leaves. Originally our lakes were surrounded by forests, and the leaves on the forest floor protected the lakes. The decomposed leaves formed humus that reduced erosion, absorbed water, and also filtered out much of the phosphate before rain runoff reached the lakes. Development has replaced much of the forest, making the benefits that leaves provide all the more important. Where you can, leave leaves on the ground, especially on lake front property. But don't let the leaves get into the lakes.
Control weeds without chemicals. The best form of weed control is through proper lawn care. That’s how you give grass a competitive advantage over weeds.
Cut lawns to a length of 3 to 4 inches. This longer length enables the grass to develop a healthier root system, which, in turn, helps the grass survive drought, disease, and insect damage. The deeper roots also do a better job of removing nutrients.
Mow often. No more than 1/3 of the grass blade should be cut off at a time. Grass adjusts better to frequent cutting than to infrequent mowing that cuts back more severely.
Leave the clippings on the lawn. They contain valuable nutrients that feed the healthy grass. Frequent cutting reduces the length of the clippings and they will sift down through the grass more easily and then decay, fertilizing the soil.
Sharpen the blade on your mower. This way, the grass is cut clean. Damaged ends allow diseases to enter and also result in a more rapid loss of moisture.
2. Pump Out Your Septic System Regularly
Our septic systems and holding tanks arguably contribute more nitrates and phosphates to the lakes than any other source. It is important to keep these systems well maintained. If you haven’t had your septic tank pumped in the last two years, you should do so. When you have the tank pumped, have the pumping service assess the condition of your tank and need for pumping more frequently, and inspect the input and output baffles.
Other environmentally-friendly tips include:
- Install low flush, incinerating or composting toilets.
- Use low flow pressure devices to reduce the volume entering your tank.
- Use a garbage can, NOT a garbage disposal unit. A garbage disposal typically cuts the time between pump outs in half.
3. Grow A Native Plant Buffer
A vegetative buffer planted along the lakeshore filters out the nutrients that contribute to lake eutrophication.
A minimum buffer width of 5-10 feet is recommended. However, greater buffer widths provide both increased filtration and a wildlife habitat benefit.
The easiest way to establish a buffer is to let the area along your lake shore go unmowed, and let nature take its course. A quicker method is to plant native plants with deep root systems that can capture the nutrients. Grassroots typically extend down only a few inches, so other plants are preferable.
To learn more, go to www.nativeplantcenter.org
4. Use Phosphate-Free Dishwashing Detergent
State law has banned the use of phosphates in laundry detergent, but automatic dishwashing detergents still contain phosphates. Trader Joe’s (Route 6 in Danbury) and Seventh Generation (www.seventhgeneration.com) sell phosphate-free formulations.
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Fall Stewardship Postcard
Fall Stewardship Flyer
Septic Postcard
Invasives Postcard