Page 35 - A Field Guide to Fairfax County's Plants and Wildlife
P. 35
f Grass (continued)
What’s the largest crop grown in the Chesapeake Bay watershed? Turf
grass! In fact, roughly half of Fairfax County is covered in turf. The way we
manage our lawns makes a big impact on our streams and the Chesapeake
Bay. Nearly 215 million pounds of fertilizer and 19 million pounds of
pesticides are applied to lawns in the Chesapeake Bay watershed each
year! A lot of this washes off during storms and runs into our streams. The
excess nutrients and chemicals in the stream impact water quality and hurt
fish and other aquatic organisms. Furthermore, when compared to a forest
our lawns have very compacted soils. This increases the amount of water
that runs off the land instead of soaking slowly into the ground.
How can you help?
• Reduce the size of your lawn by creating flower beds and
planting native tree and shrub borders.
• Have your soil tested so you know the type and amount
of fertilizer needed. Fertilize in the fall, not the spring and
never the summer.
• Set your mower high. Only remove the top third of the
grass blade.
• Leave grass clippings on the lawn. This will cycle nutrients
back into the soil.
• Reduce, or even better, eliminate your use of pesticides.
r 31 r
What’s the largest crop grown in the Chesapeake Bay watershed? Turf
grass! In fact, roughly half of Fairfax County is covered in turf. The way we
manage our lawns makes a big impact on our streams and the Chesapeake
Bay. Nearly 215 million pounds of fertilizer and 19 million pounds of
pesticides are applied to lawns in the Chesapeake Bay watershed each
year! A lot of this washes off during storms and runs into our streams. The
excess nutrients and chemicals in the stream impact water quality and hurt
fish and other aquatic organisms. Furthermore, when compared to a forest
our lawns have very compacted soils. This increases the amount of water
that runs off the land instead of soaking slowly into the ground.
How can you help?
• Reduce the size of your lawn by creating flower beds and
planting native tree and shrub borders.
• Have your soil tested so you know the type and amount
of fertilizer needed. Fertilize in the fall, not the spring and
never the summer.
• Set your mower high. Only remove the top third of the
grass blade.
• Leave grass clippings on the lawn. This will cycle nutrients
back into the soil.
• Reduce, or even better, eliminate your use of pesticides.
r 31 r
