BESTPRACTICES

It is the mission of Stream Team to protect and enhance water resources and associated habitats and wildlife in Thurston County through citizen action and education. Stream Team is funded and jointly managed by the stormwater utilities of the Cities of Lacey, Olympia and Tumwater and Thurston County. www.streamteam.info

Springisfinallyhere!Ourlawnsarewakingupand,sotoo,areweeds.Weedsandmossoftenoutcompetethegrassinourlawnsbecausetheycansurviveinsoilconditionsthatarestressfulforourlawns.Tocreateconditionsthatcreatehealthygrass,followthesetips:1. TestYourSoilAbasicsoiltestwillhelpyoudeterminetheamountoflime,nitrogen,

potassiumandmicro-nutrientsyourlawnneeds.Itcanalsohelpyouknowhowmuchwaterisappropriateforyourlandscape.Tip:ThurstonConservationDistrictprovidessoiltestingforanominalfee.Formoreinformation,call360-754-3588orgotowww.thurstoncd.com/working-lands/soil-testing

2. AerateYourLawnManyweedsthriveincompactedsoilandwilloutcompetegrassunder

theseconditions.Aeratingyourlawnremovessmall“plugs”ofsoil,whichimprovesrootdevelopmentofgrassbyallowingairandwatertosoakintothesoil.Tip:Youcanhirealawncareservicetoaerateforyouorrentanaerator.Tosavemoney,youcouldsharetherentalofanaeratorwithyourneighbors!

3. OverseedandTopDresswithCompostOverseedingyourlawnwillhelpgrasstakerootinbareandthinning

areasinsteadofopportunisticweeds!Ifyouaregoingtoaerate,applyseedafterwardusingaperennialrye/finefescuegrassseedmixthatisdesignedforgrowingconditionsinthePacificNorthwest.Then,lightlyrakein¼inchto½inchoffinecompost.Thecompostwillcovertheseedandaddnutrientsandmicro-organismstothesoilthatwillhelpyourlawnthrive!4. AddLimePacificNorthwestsoilstendtobeacidic(lowpH).Mossflourishesin

acidicsoils.WashingtonStateUniversityrecommendsasoilpHof5.5to6.5forlawns.IfyoursoilpHislessthan6.5,itwilltakemultipleapplicationsoflimeovertimetohelpincreasethepH.Tip:Applyupto35lbs/1,000sq.ft.ofpellitizeddolomitelimeuptofourtimesperyeartohelpincreaseyoursoilpHovertime.

5SpringTipsforHealthyLawns

NOTE:Ourlocalsoilsarenaturallyhighinphosphorus,soitrarelyneedstobeadded.Duetoitsadverseeffectson

aquaticenvironments,phosphorusisnowbannedfromfertilizersinourarea.Theremaystillbesomeonstore

shelvesorinyourgarage.Itsuseisnotrecommendedunlessyouareestablishingabrandnewlawn.PleasedisposeofanyunusedfertilizeratHazoHouse.(Seepg.4forlocationinfo.).

BESTPRACTICES:5SpringTipsforHealthyLawns 2of2

It is the mission of Stream Team to protect and enhance water resources and associated habitats and wildlife in Thurston County through citizen action and education. Stream Team is funded and jointly managed by the stormwater utilities of the Cities of Lacey, Olympia and Tumwater and Thurston County. www.streamteam.info

5. UseaSlow-ReleaseFertilizerWhenapplyingfertilizer,useaslow-releasenatural organic fertilizer.

Slow-release fertilizersrelyonsoilorganismsandotherprocessesto“release”nutrientsatarateatwhichplantscanusethem,makingitlesslikelythatthenutrientswillwashawayandbewasted.Useacalibratedfertilizerspreader,andfollowpackageinstructions

carefully.Moreisnotbetter!Tip:Forbestresults,waitabouttwoweeksafteryouapplylimebeforeyoufertilize.

Source:StreamTeamNews,Spring2016 3ReasonstoStayawayfromFertilizersthatIncludeInsect,DiseaseorWeed“Control”

• Spreadsharmfulchemicalsthroughoutyourlawn(evenwhereitisnotneeded).

• OftencontainherbicidesorpesticidesthattargetspecieswhicharenotevenpresentinthePacificNorthwest.

• Killsthebeneficialmicro-organismsinyoursoilthathelpyourgrasstogrowgreenandhealthy!

Formoreinformation,gototheGrowSmartGrowSafewebsiteatwww.growsmartgrowsafe.org