Don't Weed & Feed- Go Green For Spring

According to Patty Kleinberg, Queens Botanical Garden's director of education, people have been brainwashed by 50 years of television advertising to think spring is the time to seed, weed, and feed the lawn. Actually some commercial fertilizes may contain ingredients that are not eco-friendly.

Fertilizing before Memorial Day just may be the worst thing one can do for the lawn. Grasses love wet, cool weather and fertilizers force the plant to feed on stored energy so that by July and August, they're stressed and won't have energy to draw on. The best thing to do in spring is to have your lawn's pH balance tested. Spring fertilizing accelerates growth unnaturally, resulting in more frequent mowing.

Healthier lawns can be had with much less effort- cooperate with nature and don't mow the lawn every weekend, don't water the lawn until outdoor temperatures reach the 80's and don't water it constantly.

Most homeowners cut the grass too short, lawns should be no shorter than three-and-one-half inches, a short lawn is vulnerable to disease, insects and weeds. Long grass is beneficial, it shades the weed seeds so they can't grow, especially crabgrass. A good rule of thumb is to never cut more than one-third of a grass blade.

To discourage "pre-emergent" weeds in the spring, Kleinberg recommends nontoxic corn gluten available in several commercial products. This is best done from mid-April to mid-May.

Kleinberg believes strongly in mulching grass clippings. "Recycle lawn clippings by using a mulch[ing] mower. Green grass clippings are 85 percent water and full of nitrogen, so when you mulch your lawn, you're watering and feeding at the same time."

The best treatment for a lawn is to replenish the soil with compost. In three to seven days the compost disappears but its benefits will last all season. Compost can include garden cuttings, leaves and "organic" waste from the kitchen such as coffee grounds, eggshells, fruit and vegetable scraps but never use anything with animal fat.

The Queens Botanical Garden sells an easy-to-use, round compost bin called the Earth Machine for $20 that normally retails for $50 to $60. They can pass along this savings because of a grant from DSNY (Department of Sanitation New York City).

To get an Earth Machine or for more information on composting, lawn and garden care, or to just visit the Garden, call 718-539-5296.