Keeping Lawns Green

Run-off pollution occurs with each rainfall when water flows over land picking up soil and grass clippings and depositing them in streams, ponds, wetlands, lakes, and rivers.

In Florida at least once a year we see major water blooms and algae growth in our water ways. Run-off pollution is the major cause of this. And in many of these areas, it affects our tourism but even more importantly our drinking water.

Sprinkling your lawn correctly, and making sure that you are not over watering is the most important way to help minimize run-off pollution. Another way to help is called Grasscycling.

To Grasscycle correctly is for you or your landscaper to leave your grass clippings on your lawn after each time it is mowed. Also make sure that you sweep all clippings off of any concrete or porous area onto your lawn. Never air blow your lawn as all of the grass clippings will end up in the rain run-off and into our waterways. Grasscycling is also healthy for your lawn because as the clippings decompose they are filled with nitrogen, fertilizer and mostly water. Leaving grass clippings will not turn your lawn brown and will also help the clipped grass be out of South Florida direct intense summer sun.

Using a patented product from SustainSprinkle for your lawns sprinkling needs is a great way to start saving money, water and electricity. Speaking with your landscaper about not blowing your lawn and grasscycling will help with our rain fall run off. Hopefully by watering our lawns correctly and doing some other little things, we can save and conserve our water.

The Rainy Season

Did you know that about half of household water use goes on lawns? In South Florida, we produce about 54 million gallons of drinking water a day. Of that water close to 27 million gallons goes on lawns each day. This does not include watering lawns from private wells.

In South Florida, we get about 50 inches of rain a year,. During the “rainy season,” our monthly rainfall averages are between 7 to 9 inches in each month of June, July, and August. Lawns need about one inch of water per week, the rains during the summer months should provide more than enough water for your lawn.

For the health of your lawn, don’t over water your lawn, if it has rained in the last day your lawn does not need to be watered. If you do over water your grasses’ roots stay shallow, watering less frequently, the roots will grow deeper, and your grass will be healthier.