THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 11, 1994 TAG: 9409090093
SECTION: HOME PAGE: G1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBERT STIFFLER, GARDENING COLUMNIST
LENGTH: Long : 118 lines
IF YOU THINK the grass is green on the other side of the fence, you're probably right.
In the United States, 52 million households maintain a lawn, says the National Gardening Association.
Neighborhood pride has long been based on who has the greenest, lushest spread.
But time restraints, concerns about pesticides and a gravitation toward ``natural'' gardening have us re-examining those seas of green.
In many states, legislation is being passed to control lawn-mower emissions, disposal of clippings, shortages of water and runoff from fertilizer and pesticides.
The American landscape is changing, and Hampton Roads is no exception.
``Homeowners are waking up to the realization that they've spent a large amount of time, money and energy to make a huge front yard that is not used, plus a back yard that is just as frequently unused,'' says Virginia Beach extension agent Randy Jackson.
We spend $6.4 billion annually on our lawns, the gardening association reports. Add to that dollars spent by homeowners who don't tend their own lawns, plus public lawns, golf courses, sports fields and corporate turf.
All told, we groom about 20 million acres of lawn, according to ``Redesigning the American Lawn: A Search for Environmental Harmony'' by F. Herbert Bormann, Diana Balmori and Gordon T. Geballe. If massed together, our lawns would form a green cover the size of Pennsylvania, the authors say.
In 1984, we applied more synthetic fertilizer to our lawns than India applied to all its food crops. In 1990, we purchased $700 million worth of pesticides.
Currently, up to 30 percent of the East Coast's urban water is used for lawn irrigation. THE NEW WAY
The new philosophy of using alternatives to grass is more ecologically correct, many experts say. It requires less space for trimmed lawns and symmetrical foundation plantings, such as balls and pyramids. It uses fewer chemicals, takes less maintenance and has a more natural look.
At the University of Oregon, researchers are developing an ``ecolawn'' of grass speckled with small flowering plants. It looks much like the meadows of medieval England, where lawns originated.
But two events changed them forever: the invention of the lawn mower and the game of golf. Lawn mowers helped us care for our grass, while golf gave us an appreciation of close-cropped spreads free of weeds and flowers.
Putting-green perfection became our standard. But there are several alternatives.
We can convert lawns back to pockets of ground covers and wood mulch, for example. Or till up part of the yard and plant fruits and vegetables.
Edible landscaping - growing blueberries, strawberries, fruit trees - can replace grass in front or back.
Native plants, if only in place of a third of a lawn, require less water, fertilizer and attention.
Clover, a legume, adds nitrogen to the soil and was part of most American lawns 25 years ago. It was considered a status symbol. CONSIDER A SWITCH
Fall is time to renew your lawn. If you must have grass, consider switching to a warm-season variety such as Bermuda, Centipede, zoysia or St. Augustine. Centipede is often called the ``carefree'' or ``retirement grass,'' because it requires the least care.
Or replace grass altogether with ground covers like hypericum Hidcote. It grows to 24 inches tall, and has beautiful yellow blooms in summer. You'll never mow again.
Juniper or the many varieties of liriope are other ground-cover alternatives. In shade, try pachysandra, ajuga or ferns.
If you stay with fescue, fertilize less or use an organic product that will release food over time. That promotes deeper root systems and plants better able to recover from drought.
Some grasses contain endophytes, which repel many surface-feeding insects. Popular ones in Hampton Roads are Titan and Shenandoah fescues.
When mowing, leave your clippings on the lawn.
Apply only as much water as needed, usually about 1 inch per week. Studies show that many homeowners apply twice that.
Let the grass grow to 3 inches or higher, instead of maintaining putting-green height. You'll cut less frequently, which is better for the grass.
If you must use pesticides and weed killers, use spot applications only. Learn to live with a few weeds. Let the violets take over; they are pretty in bloom. ILLUSTRATION: Color photos
Water gardens full of eye-catching water lilies are an alternative
to lawns.
Brunnera (Siberian Buglass) is a ground cover and can be grown in
shade or sun.
Ornamental grasses are popular as ground covers in Hampton Roads.
Dwarf bamboo is another substitute for lawns, on which we spend
billions a year.
Variegated yucca is excellent for sunny, dry spots in Hampton
Roads.
Native perennials, such as these from New York Botanical Garden,
make a colorful replacement for grass.
Sunstripe pampas grass, which grows well in sandy spots, is
practical along waterfronts.
by CNB