Ask the Expert: Edwina von Gal, on How to Have a Healthy, Toxic-Free Lawn
Landscape designer Edwina von Gal is on a mission to change the way we think about our yards.
Photograph by Melissa Ozawa.
Pesticides and chemical fertilizers will run off of lawns and gardens during rainstorms and pollute your waterways, damaging the eco-system.
Q: What should a homeowner do right now for their lawns? Turf grasses are a cool season plant, which do best in the fall. Just cram, cram, wiggle, wiggle, sprinkle a little compost over it, add some seed, and then water.
There are easy things you can do at home to have a more hospitable landscape: Plant natives, reduce the size of your lawn, and say no to pesticides.
Photograph by Edwina von Gal.
Q: What should you look for in a seed mix? But we’re okay with using blends that have only 10 to 20 percent Kentucky bluegrass in the mix because it helps knit everything together. If your property is totally shady, choose a blend for shade.
Chose to have a kid-friendly lawn that is non-toxic and safe.
Photograph by Eric Ozawa.
Q: What’s the best way to water? To find out how long it takes for your irrigation system to penetrate deep down into the soil, turn it or your sprinkler on, and dig every half hour to see how deep the water went. For Eastern Long Island, where I am, that means about mid-June.
Photograph by Edwina von Gal.
Almost two decades ago, von Gal stopped mowing this section of her land, and this marsh meadow grew in its place. To maintain it, she waits to cut it back until late spring to provide habitat and food for wildlife, like native bees and insects, birds, and animals.