Puffin McCoy

Where are you? Knowing that can help us give you advice.

Paul's article is a great resource. Definitely read it. For the super short version, he summarizes it in the beginning.

You also need to set some realistic expectations. If you don't have much money or time to improve it, its going to be slow going.

The easiest thing to do is, follow Paul's first two steps. Mow as high as you can (3-4 inches) and water only when absolutely necessary and deeply when you do.

When you mow, grass cycle. You can do this by using a mulching mower or leaving the clipping where they fall.

Second (optional) is to mow frequently. Ok this isn't cheap (assuming you have a gas or electric powered mower) or lazy. But by mowing when the weeds get taller than the grass. You damage them and give your grass an edge. If you can't or don't want to do this its fine, like I said set your expectations based on the time and money you can invest.

If you do have more time and money, explore the subsequent steps on Paul's list.

I personally, wouldn't follow much of the advice in articles Rich linked. After quickly reviewing them, they seem like organic practices, but not really permaculture. Its not that the advice is bad, much of it isn't consistent with the way we'd approach those problems here at this forum.

In Permaculture we look to nature to learn how it solves problems. By using those natural process, we work toward the goal of cultivating the things we need with little to no input. For those of us who have lawns, the goal is to have a lawn that needs no or little watering, no or little fertilizer and less frequent mowing. In the end, those lawns are green, consistent and even. Additionally they have few pest or disease problems and are drought resistant. From curbside they are beautiful, up close they are healthy and diverse (yes, that means some weeds).

Ok sorry for the permaculture speech. But this is a permaculture forum and I believe in this approach. As for lawn care part, I have used these practices at 2 other places I've lived and saw how well it can work. I say other places, because I recently bought a house and will be implementing these practices again. I inherited a wreck of a lawn.

Let me give you a little background

I live in Georgia.  In the part I live in we get loads of rain.  A local weather website says average rainfall is around 50".  I just moved out here from San Jose.  That an unthinkable amount of rain after living there for so long.  With that much rain, you'd think we never have to water, our plants would just do well.  They don't.  My lawn and other plants are always begging for water.

What I've discovered is first, the ground is dirt (not soil) with alot of barespots.  It doesn't really have much water retaining properties.  Water normally runs toward the street to the storm drains.  I've been using some the lawn care techniques paul outlines in his article.  Parts of the yard seem to be responding.  The taller grass, the mulch, the less frequent watering seems to be making a difference.  As for the rest, I've been trying to encourage anything to grow.  Weeds have become my best friends here.  I don't even know what 1/2 of this stuff is that is growing.  But, its slowing the soil erosion.  I'm noticing the water doesn't run quite as fast through the yard.

I'm looking for ways to improve this.  I have around 1/2 arce.  That is something like 20-25k sqft. 

Just doing some quick the math on that 50" a year and 20k sq that's something like 600K gallons (us) a year that falls on my yard alone.  Harvesting any meaningful percentage of this would be amazing.  Why do I have to water at all with that kind of rainfall. 

It embarrassing really when I think about it; to pay for water when you get that much for free.  Frankly, I'd be happy to not have to water my lawn, trees and other plants. 

Oh, on kind of a side note. I notice a number of folks seems to like Gaia's Garden.  I've recently ordered it.  Does it cover this kind of stuff. 

Thank you everyone who posted.
Joel, that description of keylines make perfect sense, it helps a lot.

I've seen that brad lancaster video series on youtube.  It was great!  I love how he took control of the rain water is community.  Not only for harvesting to grow plants but also to protect property from fierce storms.  The multi-function aspects of catching rain water to watering plants for food, shade, wildlife, erosion protection also to protect property from flooding.

Can you use swales for land that isn't on a slope? 

I have a relatively flat yard that I'm trying to improve its water capturing and holding ability.

What exactly is a keyline? 

I've seen that video with Darren Doherty on the beach where he talk about hills and rainfall (the water-cycle really) its not clear to me what he saying about keylines.  Then in another video he's showing off a special plow and how he uses keylines to improve a pasture.  I'm really confused on the topic.

I'm guessing keylines are some sort of water harvesting technique, but I'm not sure what it is or how to use them.  Are they appropriate for flatter land?

Sepp Holzer employs similar approach to his farming.  I believe there are some links on this site regarding him.  If not, go to you tube (or google) and look up his name.  There is a multi part video where they describe his approach, and why he does it.

Also, Geoff Lawton (I think that's how its spelled) discusses this as a water harvesting technique in one of his follow ups to greening the desert videos.  (I had to fish for it on youtube)

Basically, by changing the contour of the hillside the water doesn't just run down, it gets stopped on the terraces and percolates in to the hillside.  The hillside then SLOWLY allows the water to go down all the while holding on to what little rain they did get.  The trees are able to pull up this water reserve and thrive.  (look up "permaculture swales" again google or youtube they have a very good graphic on how this works)

Sorry about that, I misunderstood your concern.  As far as the watering, if its not doing much.  Cut back or maybe even stop. 

Are weeds growing?  Depending on how you look at it, that could be a reason to cutback/stop.  If you encourage weeds now, that's more you'll have to deal with later.

[Soapbox rant]
(you can stop reading if you don't like weeds)
Alternatively, if you don't mind weeds, then by all means water away and encourage them to grow.  That's what I've done in my backyard.  I had a lot of bare patches.  When I watered what little I had, I noticed weeds (like clover, plantains, crabgrass etc...) filling in the bare spots and encroaching on the good spots.  At first it bothered me, but then I thought about it... I'd rather weeds than bare spots. 

I look at it this way, bare spots only get worse.  They erode, wind blows them, they don't hold moisture the ground gets harder and harder; there is no soil life.  Weeds try and grow there (some seems to thrive surprisingly) they do a lot for you.  They till the soil with their tap roots creating passages for water.  Many are Dynamic Accumulators, which bring up or add nutrients like Nitrogen (clover) and trace minerals (dandelions and plantains).  When I cut them they feed the soil, encourage soil biology, worms, bugs... 

It may not be pretty but its alive and recovering.  As they help replenish the soil, eventually I'll be able to encourage grass to grow and replace them.  The techniques in the article, tell you how to give turfgrass the upper hand allowing it to take over the lawn.
[/Soapbox rant]

The one thing about "Cheap and Lazy" that isn't instantly obvious is that is is also "slow and methodical"  If you want something faster, you are going to move away from either cheap or lazy or both.

Paul (the author of the article) even mentions that he spent a few $100 on new top soil, which he had to spread over his lawn seed and water to fix it.  That isn't cheap or lazy.  (In his defense, care afterward was probably cheap and lazy)

"otherguy" its really going to matter where you feel you are on this spectrum, are you down by cheap and lazy or are you willing to put in some elbow grease and probably some money to speed things up?

I don't know where you live, but right now its mid summer and your lawn seems like its a bit "tired"  Its probably browning out to save itself.  Its trying to save water and food for when it cools down and it can grow again.  You may want to wait until fall or at least when it cools down.

As far as things to do, here is a quick list going for the most work and money to less

[li]Add topsoil (truck loads) and reseed the whole thing (in the fall, depending on where you are seed probably isn't going to grow well now.)[/li]
[li]Add topsoil (truck loads) and sod (I think you can do this in the summer this idea never appealed to me but that just me)[/li]
[li]Dig Worm Pits[/li]
[li]Top Dress with Compost[/li]
[li]Drench with Aerated Compost Tea(ACT)[/li]
[li]Fertilize everything[/li]
[li]Spot Fertilize [/li]
[li]Mow High and Water infrequently[/li]

A soil test isn't a bad idea as it will let you know whats going on and what kinds of changes you might need to make.

The list isn't exclusive, some of the folks here have done several of them at the same time such as topdress, ACT, worm pits, fertilize and of course mow high and water less.

I'm currently renting and am just mowing high and watering only as needed.  My front yard looks pretty good.  I have a neighbor that has a service take care of his lawn.  I mow about 4" high, around once a week, I've watered a few times.  His is cut at least weekly(very short too), its on an automatic irrigation so its watered daily and its look about the same, at best.

My backyard is a disaster.  I just gave up, I just cut and water it as needed.  It been interesting watching the weeds.  the dead spots (just bare dirt) started getting things like clover and plantains.  Then after about a while of just cutting/watering I noticed other plants competing for that space.  In some areas, the grass is beginning to compete.  I just don't want bare ground anything that is growing is going to get cut adding to the organic matter, nutrients in the soil.  heh, if I did this for a few years, the backyard would come around.  Having used this approach elsewhere, I know that the front yard would get get thicker, need less water and have fewer weeds.

Sorry for the mammoth post.  One thing I will tell you I believe in this approach.  I've seen it work in other places I've lived.  It a good feeling to have a nice lawn that doesn't take that much work or money.  Its especially nice when summer strikes and everyone's lawn is going dormant and your is still lush an green.

I saw that video as well.  I thought it was great!  I loved his approach, it just seems to make sense.  Rather than plant, wait and harvest, its plant and continuously harvest.

The best I can figure he has a fairly carefully selected seed mix to encourage as much comparability as possible (deep root, shallow root, quick growing, slower growing etc...) as possible.  Then as the garden fills in he harvests whatever.  The veggies don't have to be fully grown to be harvested.  (the emphasis seems to be on harvesting, like Joel said, he admonishes his neighbor for not harvesting more) Then eats or sells what he wants and feeds the rest to his animals.  I guess the trick is to not think of the extra as waste.  Think of it as feed, mulch or compost.

Good tip soil, I'll have to look into buying bulk seed.

Al, its interesting that you said that only 12 inches a way the soil was still so-so.  Anyone know why that would be?  Shouldn't the flower bed have acted like a huge worm pit?

As I understand the worm pit idea you dig a hole then refill the hole amend the soil.  Then worms are attracted to the pits and work the surround dirt, helping to regenerate it.

It sounds like you did the same thing with the flower bed.  You amended the dirt with a bunch of organic matter, which should have attracted worms and help regenerate it.

I'm not trying to be critical, I'm just trying to understand what might have happened.  I'm in a similar boat.  I have a disastrous lawn with terrible soil (dirt really).  I just want to understand this technique.