It’s Still Just Dirt, The Tillsonburg Norfolk News – September 2020
by Angela Lassam
It is the time of year to take a look at our lawns and decide if we can make a change. We have drier summers needing constant watering and grubs ‘munching’ away on the roots of grass. Every year we struggle with brown, patchy lawns. Racoons and skunks are no help as they dig holes in our lawns searching for the white grubs to eat giving us many hours of repair work.
The common treatment for this in the fall has been to use nematodes to kill the larvae of the beetles laid in the grass and needs to be repeated every year. For full information look online www.heemans.ca/garden-guides/nematodes .
New seed mixtures are becoming more available for the average gardener and worth considering whether you are redoing a lawn or over seeding.
Micro clover and tall fescue as a mixture is an ideal replacement for lawns. Micro clover is a legume which fixes the nitrogen in the soil, naturally fertilizing it. It gives the lawn a richer colour and needs less watering. It is not a tiny version of regular clover as when mowed the leaves grow smaller and generally multiply with fewer flowers. It is hardy to zone 3 so ideal for our winter. Tall fescue (turf type) is a perennial grass, hardy to zone 4 which does not create a thatch bottom and is complimentary to micro clover. It is a good alternative for reseeding. It should be done in the fall 2 weeks before frost to allow some growth.
Japanese beetles and chafer beetles in the white grub stage are the ones that feed on the roots of grass and kill it but they will not eat legumes and do not like the open growth of the tall fescue. An added bonus of micro clover is that it is not affected by pet urine (white patches).
Other alternatives to grass can be easily listed:
- Stones laid in a mosaic in a small area can be very effective using a variety of coloured stones and various sizes.
- Large river rock interspersed with ornamental grasses can create a privacy curtain and would have low maintenance.
- Paving stones spaced apart with stepable plants – red creeping thyme, Irish /Scotch moss, New Zealand brass buttons, blue star creeper, creeping speedwell to name a few create interest.
There is always new ideas worth considering and now is the time to think of next summer when you will be enjoying your revamped space.
The Tillsonburg Horticultural Society will not have any meetings for this year, please check the website www.tillsonburghorticultural.ca and Facebook – Tillsonburghorticultural for any updates. Stay well and stay safe.