Do you need to kill the lawn with herbicides before re-seeding?
A customer recently asked us this question. Here's our reply.
Hi. We would like to plan to do your lawn renovation next week. As to the question about clover. Since we are not stripping your existing sod, but plan to seed on top of the existing lawn, the lawn that comes in will not be a pristine, clover/weed free lawn. It WILL be lush, much more thick than what is there now. Grass will be the overwhelmingly dominant species in the lawn.
Actually, if we stripped your existing sod, and installed brand new sod, it would soon start being colonized by clover, and worse things like crab grass, dandelions, etc. This happens to ALL lawns. The only ones that are 'weed free' are the ones that are sprayed regularly with broadleaf herbicides and whatever they are using on crab grass these days.
How we renovate old lawns.
Step 1 - We mow down the existing grass very low and rake heavily.
Step 2 - we spread a compost mix on top to create a seed bed and We fertilize with organic fertilizer and lime.
Step 3 - we seed, and mulch that seed with a thin layer.
Because we have given the grass everything it needs to be successful, it takes off and out-competes most of the weeds. The patches of clover will become much smaller and less visible. Other weeds will have to compete with the new grass. If you mow your lawn at a high setting, and fertilize with slow-release organic fertilizer, you will control weeds without using chemicals.Clover itself is beneficial to lawns. It can be mowed like grass, doesn't die-off like annual rye grass (why lawns go brown), and it puts nitrogen back into the soil, which grass species need. It is symbiotic in a good lawn. When it becomes too noticeable, it is because the grass species do not have adequate nutrition and proper soil. Which is what we will be fixing.
Rivers Begin in your Driveway
If you haven't checked out the East Multnomah County Soil and Water Conservation District - www.emcswcd.org - you should! The web site is filled with eco-friendly ideas for taking care of your land - whether it's a condo back yard or a ten acre horse farm. The Soil and Water Conservation District is charged with helping to reduce water pollution from storm run off, the rain water that pours off our roofs, driveways and streets, picking up every pollutant in its path, before dumping itself into storm drains, and into our rivers. They also work with land caretakers to keep the soil in place, reduce invasive plants and re-introduce Native species, with all their benefits for wildlife. A great web site (check out their manure connection) and an even more interesting physical location at 5211 N Williams Ave.
The EMCSWCD office is a renovated home on N Williams. The large lot is designed with pervious concrete driveways to let rain water sink in. The gutters flow into landscaped rain gardens that re-introduce roof water back into the underground, instead of letting it flash flood into the street. Their snazzy 'Gutter Tree' is a work of art, as is the 'green roof', and the indoor compost toilet! This is a great place to visit, and realize that government can work for positive change.
And positive change is surely what is needed. In December, after attending an all-day workshop at EMSWCD on rain gardens and storm water diversion, during a day of constant down pouring, I drove off the site, turned the corner onto Killingsworth and right smack into a flooded street scene. Car were stalled while thousands of gallons of urban water run off, picking up every oil spot and whatever else is on the pavement, coursed through the city drains, and ultimately into the river where the last remaining salmon were surely wondering when us humans would finally get on the job.
What are Rain Gardens?
Water is a Gift!
Gardenworks would love to help you design and construct a rain garden.
A rain garden is a site that collects water run off (from a roof or other hard surface) in order to let it percolate back into the soil. Rain gardens help to replenish the ground water that feeds local streams. A selection of water-loving plants and grasses, and the use of boulders and grading can give the appearance of a mini-wet land or stream bed, integrated right into your yard. Rain gardens can reduce the need for irrigation, and can be designed to attract pollinators like butterflies and hummingbirds. It is a simple way to restore a bit of nature around your home.
