Organic lawn care growing
By Jan TenBruggencate
Advertiser Environment Writer
When Jeannie Hedberg works on her lawn in Wai'alae Iki, she admits her approach is more random than anything else.
Bruce Asato • The Honolulu Advertiser
"I am a complete, total amateur," she said. "I have no theory other than that rain makes everything grow. I throw fertilizer on it and I try to kill the nutgrass."
Manoa resident Jeff Overton, with his 4-month old beagle, Bailey, says he uses no chemicals on his lawn, except for fertilizer to get new sections of grass started.
Lawn-care professionals call that the "spray-and-pray" approach.
Manoa resident Jeff Overton uses no chemicals on his yard, except an initial dose of slow-release fertilizer to get a new section of lawn started.
"I remove weeds by hand," he said. "We like to use Menehune Magic (compost), which is made in Hawai'i."
There's a small but growing movement in Hawai'i toward lawn-care techniques that involve less chemical intervention — less herbicide, less insecticide and more compost-based products in place of chemical fertilizers.
"There's a lot more interest in nonchemical lawn-care products," said Lorra Naholowa'a, general manager of Hawaiian Earth Products, the firm that makes Overton's favorite compost. "A lot of the people seem to be retired folks who have the time to learn about it."
Although lawns are often criticized as a waste of water and a depository for hazardous chemicals, they can provide environmental benefits. Healthy grass provides a feeding ground for birds, reduces soil erosion and runoff, filters contaminants from rainwater, absorbs airborne pollutants such as dust and soot, and contributes to cooler home interiors.
Grass is also highly efficient at converting carbon dioxide to oxygen. In fact, a piece of lawn 25 feet by 25 feet provides enough oxygen for one person for an entire day, according to the Professional Lawn Care Association of America.
Carl Evensen, University of Hawai'i extension agent, agrees more people are interested in organic approaches to lawn care, but he isn't convinced they're actually using them.
"I think there's a lot more awareness of the dangers of the use of various kinds of chemicals, but my impression is that a lot of homeowners are not either aware of or accepting of their contributions," Evensen said. "Most of our problems are from urban runoff and what people are doing in their back yards."
Inappropriate use of agricultural chemicals can create pollution problems such as chemicals in groundwater and fertilizer-rich runoff affecting streams and nearshore waters.
Evensen said he is not particularly concerned about thoughtful use of chemical fertilizers but is wary of pesticides. The problem is that use of nonpesticide techniques requires more expertise than most people have.
The Professional Lawn Care Association of America said that although pesticides are not entirely harmless, the chemicals generally break down into harmless substances fairly quickly and if properly used, they remain largely on the property on which they are applied. Problems occur when people do not follow the directions carefully and use too much.
The association said organic pesticides have risks if improperly used, and may require heavier and more frequent use, which can increase costs.
Roxanne Adams, University of Hawai'i landscape manager, said her staff at Manoa basically just cuts the grass, which students can sit on without worrying about what has been sprayed recently.
"We will aerate heavily used areas and top-dress with soil and compost we make on campus or buy from Hawaiian Earth," Adams said. "But we don't fertilize unless there's a really, really huge need. We don't herbicide. I think at one time they used to fertilize and spray our lawns, but we would rather not use chemicals at all."
She admits that the campus lawns contain nearly every kind of plant that can grow there.
"We don't have a monocrop lawn," she said. "It's got all kinds of grasses and weeds. We call it the Manoa Special."
Robert Burton, a member of the Hawai'i Organic Farmers Association, said that while he believes there's more interest in natural lawn care, lawns such as Overton's and the Manoa campus are still unusual.
Home use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers remains unnecessarily high, said Burton, who runs Maui Organic Landcare, a landscape maintenance company.
Evensen said nitrogen is often overapplied in the zeal to get a very green lawn, and most fertilized lawns in Hawai'i get a lot more phosphorus than they need. He recommends residents get soil tests so they can find out just what the nutrient condition is.
"Grasscycling" — leaving clippings on the lawn when mowing — is another recommendation that benefits lawns and the environment. The clippings, which do not cause thatch buildup, decompose quickly and redistribute nitrogen to the lawn and soil. Leaving clippings on the lawn instead of bagging them also saves space at landfills.
To help cut back on water use, Hawai'i's county water boards prefer that residents use xeriscaping techniques by selecting plants that don't require as much water. But if you can't live without a lawn, the Honolulu Board of Water Supply recommends watering during the early morning or evening hours to minimize evaporation loss and achieve greater soil saturation.
Letting water penetrate deep into the soil through soaking is more effective for lawns, although several light sprinklings may be more useful on slopes and hilly areas, in the shade, or where the soil is sandy, rocky or full of coral.
Along with developing healthy soil, choosing a grass type that thrives in your environment, and mowing high, often and with sharp blades, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency advises setting realistic goals for your lawn.
Don't aim for "putting-green perfection."
"Even a healthy lawn is likely to have some weeds or insect pests. But it will also have beneficial insects and other organisms that help keep pests under control," the EPA said in its "Healthy Lawn, Healthy Environment" report.
Reach Jan TenBruggencate at jant@honoluluadvertiser.com or (808) 245-3074.
