So long, sweet lawn

There sure is a lot of grass out there, eh?

Well, grass feels nice on the toes and we understand why people might want a bit of grass - a soft patch for the baby to roll around on or for the grown-ups to run through the sprinkler. We do not loathe the lawn and do not begrudge people their fun.

But it is our humble opinion that there is a time and a place for lawns. A lot of them are planted in places where they cannot grow properly, like under shade trees or in places that force you to take your life into your hands to mow them, like on steep slopes. Most of them are just sitting there - using up water, fuel or electricity for the mower, fertilizer, chemicals, money, and time. Ho-hum.*

Surely there could be a better use for this land? With food and fuel prices going up and our climate needing less pollution, not more, we think it’s a good idea to replace lawns with vegetable gardens, fruit trees and bushes, and hardy, drought-tolerant perennial flowers, shrubs, and trees. Landscapes like these pull CO2 out of the air, store carbon in the soil, cool down hot city environments, clean the air, and bring in birds, bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects. It’s really good for the bunch of us.

The nitty gritty

For those of you who want to say good riddance to grass and put in a vegetable garden or other worthy plants, you have two choices.

1. Sod removal - faster results; more physical work; you have a by-product to deal with (sod).

2. Sheet mulching (layers of organic material that break down on top of grass) - slower results but lovely, effortless soil; less physical work; a bit of planning and really fun scavenging.

Both make really good group projects and are an excellent excuse to put friends and kids to work and to drink beer.

Today: Sod removal.

Tools:

• Long-handled spade
• Wheelbarrow or lots of strong arms and legs
• Sheet or roll of thick black plastic or a clever plan. (See “Clever Plan” below.)

The Job:

Due to a weekend injury that made digging and photo shoots tricky, photos of “The Job” are not yet available. We will post them as soon as the swelling goes down.

1. Go get your shovel. You’re going to be digging up this sod in chunks - about 4” deep by about 10” square (or the width of your shovel).

2. It is helpful to first mark out the area you’re going to dig, so either draw a chalk line, set down some rocks or other objects, or just eyeball the thing.

3. You’re now going to dig the outer edge. Line up your shovel blade on the edge of your “designated area” (D.A.), step down on the shovel and dig into the grass, straight down, about 4”. Move to the left or the right (you decide), and do this again, and again, until you’ve gone all the way around the D.A.

4. Step inside the D.A. about a foot and start cutting out squares of sod, about 10”x10”. You can either do this one square at a time or cut across the length of the D.A. and then across the width of it.

5. You are now ready to remove the sod pieces. It doesn’t really matter where you start. Pull up the first chunk (it may need some coaxing with the shovel to come out) and shake off the loose soil by banging it on the ground or against the back of your shovel. You want to save as much soil as you can.

6. Toss the sod piece to the side or, if you are really organized, into a wheelbarrow that you have patiently waiting on the sidelines.

7. Repeat until you have pulled up all of the sod pieces. Pull out any remaining weeds or long grass roots and toss aside.

8. Go have a drink.

9. Refreshed, you are now ready to deal with all these sod chunks.

Clever Plan: You are going to need to deal with the sod that you remove. The first, self-sufficient choice is to compost it. There are a few different things you can do:

1. Build a sod compost pile (instructions below).

2. Use the sod pieces for fun project #2: building an herb spiral. Check out the inspiring story in “Lawn begone!” (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4)

3. If you have yard waste service, put it in the bin. But there might be a weight limit (that stuff is heavy) and you miss out on the good, free compost. Plus, having it hauled away in yard waste trucks is an energy sucker. “Recycling” the sod in your own yard is low-impact and you get a useful finished product. Close the loop, people!

How to Build a Sod Compost Pile

Sod makes really lovely compost. It does take some time (1-2 years), so you will need a place where you can leave it alone to do its work. Depending on how much sod you remove, you will be making a pile, or piles, 3′x3′x3′. Do you have room? You will be covering it with black plastic so think about sticking it in a low visibility area (unless you like looking at that sort of thing).

Steps:

1. Proceed with sod chunks to designated sod compost area (DSCA). (Sorry, we really like acronyms.)

2. You’re going to be layering the sod chunks, alternating grass side up and grass side down, in a pile no larger than 3′x3′x3′ (If it’s smaller, that’s ok.). You will be watering the layers as you go, so get the hose or a good supply of water. (Moisture helps to speed the composting process.)

3. Start by laying the sod pieces on the ground, grass side down (soil side up), covering a 3′x3′x3′ area.

4. Give the layer a good watering (not sopping but a decent little soak).

5. Build the second layer, laying the sod grass side up, soil side down.

6. Water.

7. Alternate and repeat in this way until you have used up your sod or the pile is 3 feet high, whichever comes first.

8. Cover the pile with a sheet of thick black plastic and place some rocks, bricks, or other heavy objects along the bottom edge to keep the plastic in place and to keep critters out.

Check it after 6-8 months to see how it is coming along. You will know it is done when you can’t see any grass, hunks of roots, and the whole thing looks, smells, and feels like soil.

Now you’re ready to start dealing with the soil in your new patch of ground. Stay tuned for what to do next.

* There are ways to have a healthy, natural lawn! Check out the 6 steps to Natural Lawn Care.

Photo credits:

bellhalla, http://www.flickr.com/photos/bellhalla/393216559/

UK Ministry of Agriculture WWII “Dig for Victory” campaign