BC Living
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Holding out for that classic lush lawn that really does offset the perennials so nicely? For some great tips on how to achieve this organically, explore the GardenSmart website. GardenSmart, which is administered by the North Shore Recycling Program, is an initiative of the City of North Vancouver and the districts of West Vancouver and North Vancouver. The District of North Vancouver is a PlantHealthBC partner. Here is a sampling of the helpful hints you’ll find through GardenSmart: Common Challenges • A strong, dense lawn helps prevent weeds from getting established. Thatch occurs when dead plant material builds up in a lawn and doesn’t decompose. Lawns treated with chemical fertilizers and pesticides are more susceptible to thatch. Why? Because pesticides often destroy earthworms and other organisms that keep a lawn’s soil healthy. Encourage these good bugs by spreading a thin layer of compost over the grass once or twice a year. • Clover is not a weed but an important companion plant. It takes nitrogen from the air and transfers it to the soil where grass can use it. It’s a good thing! • When removing occasional weeds by hand, add a sprinkle of grass seed mix to any patches of bare earth. It’s also a good idea to overseed your lawn after aeration or fertilizing. • Mow regularly and never remove more than 1/3 of the grass blade at one time (mowing too short stresses the grass) • Midday watering wastes water, as most of the moisture is lost to evaporation. The best time to water is in the early morning. So, if rock gardens aren’t the answer for you, take a look at how you can achieve a good-looking lawn without using pesticides. Happy mowing!