… While you’re strolling down the fairway
Showing no remorse
Glowing from the poisons
They’ve sprayed on your golf course
While you’re busy sinking birdies
And keeping your scorecard
The devil’s been busy in your backyard
The Traveling Willburys 1990
The summer heat has broken and there has been a smattering of rain and guess what has happened. Typical Cape Cod lawns, those with a mix of clover, moss and multiple grasses have become green again. Heavily manicured lawns reliant on pesticides and fertilizers and mowed short have not come back as quickly because they just don’t belong here in the first place.
What is the lesson? There are many, but most obvious is the landscape that is closest to what is native and likes to grow here does best and supports a healthier environment. With the end of the growing season, it’s a good time to look at your yard and make some decisions about next year. Rather than over-seed with more non-native grasses, think about spreading clover seed to begin to diversify your lawn area. Don’t apply that last application of weedkiller that makes your lawn less resilient and kills the clover and other native plants that want to be in your yard. Rather than fertilize again, build the soil by allowing clippings to fall in place and grind leaves instead of raking them away. A better soil will support better and more robust plant growth without fertilizers that can end up in waterways. Look at your border areas and see where native plants can be added to reduce lawn area and to replace waterhog annuals and non-natives. It’s cheaper now to buy plant stock that will come back in the spring like an old friend.
Fall is a great time to take control of your yard. You and Cape Cod will reap the benefits for years.
