Rain or shine, a thriving lawn needs routine care. Watering and fertilizing can help, but the key to lush grass is sugars.
Grassroots feed on carbohydrates, or simple sugars, to fuel their growth. When soils are sugar-rich, grass grows fuller and stronger. Sugars in turf both fend off disease and attract beneficial bacteria to promote healthy ecosystems below ground.
So how do sugars arrive in soil? Watered plants release their own as they grow larger. Breaking down branches, clippings, and leaves – from any plant – produces natural sugars and other substances that enrich the turf. Other household wastes may contain enough nutrients for grass health too.
Spot apportioning these nutrients—most easily done with compost—is essential for maintaining a balanced lawn ecosystem free of weeds or dead patches. The trick is to spread them evenly throughout the existing lawns so all plants can benefit.
Treating lawns with aerated “teas” of fermented spent grains or kitchen waste also encourages bigger roots and blades; more ‘food’ leads to more growth overall. With essential elements already blended into these teas, soil work need not be exacting or involved.
By adding these simple steps to weekly upkeep, yards can transition from brown deserts into flourishing veldts sure to woo neighbors and birds alike!