Ditch the grass and create an oasis!

I ain’t got no time for mowing grass! That’s why I got rid of it. And I think you should, too. Let me explain. 

At the minimum, a slab of grass is not doing anything to help the environment. It’s not offering up food for the pollinators we need to produce food for us and it’s not adding to habitat for those critters needed in a healthy ecosystem. Assuming, of course, that you’re using a push mower and no fertilizers or pesticides.

Instead, you’re probably using a gas motor that’s contributing to air pollution, and perhaps the occasional blast of chemicals to get rid of some stubborn weeds that just will not go away. You’re probably bagging up grass clippings and throwing them away in the trash, which is causing problems in the landfills. 

Thankfully, Louisiana is the wettest state in the continental U.S. at an average 60 inches per year, so the need for watering is pretty low. But that doesn’t stop many from buying those sprinklers and keeping them on a schedule, even if it’s raining outside when they turn on.

All of these efforts to keep the grass alive are due to the fact that most lawns are covered with grass that has a shallow root system. That makes the plant more sensitive to heat and cold.

When you start looking at all the things that go into keeping that lawn looking nice, you can quickly add up all the reasons that a grass lawn can be causing harm. 

If you’re ready to ditch the grass, then you will be part of what is being called the no-mow movement. For many, this will mean getting rid of what’s already there.

There are many methods for killing grass and much of that will depend on what you want to do with the space when you’re done. 

If you want to plant directly into the ground, you’re probably going to want to dig the grass up. That is not going to be easy. Whatever you do, DON’T USE CHEMICALS! Afterall, what’s the point of doing this if you’re just going to pollute in the process.

If you want to dig it up, my biggest pro-tip is to wait until after a heavy rain. Seems pretty obvious, but I have hacked up dry soil too many times and it’s torture. The wetter the ground, the better.

When you dig, you’ll want to go several inches down. If you take the time to sort out the grass, you’ll end up with some beautiful dirt that you can reuse in other areas of your yard and you can use the grass in your compost. I have an extra trash can I use for this type of project. I put the sorted dirt into the bin and let it sit until needed. 

NOTE: The only problem with moving dirt around your yard is that you could take seeds with it. Whatever was there once, might go along for the ride to the new location. I do like to use the dirt for potted plants because you can more easily control the unexpected guests. And, if you use that dirt for the lowest layer of soil in the pot then chances are those seeds will never germinate.

The extra dirt is handy for your compost bin. You want to keep your compost covered with brown material or you will get flies like crazy! Also, dirt is the first ingredient for healthy soil. And yes, there’s a difference between dirt and soil, but that’s a discussion for another day.

Another method, which you will see often, is lower impact on your body. It involves a big plastic tarp (dark colored, not clear) and some bricks or rocks. Use the plastic to fully cover the area of grass you want to kill. Before you lay it down, make sure to cut the grass as much as possible. I use my battery operated weed wacker to slash it down to the root.

Make sure you secure your tarp down very well with bricks. If you don’t have bricks, you can use potted plants or just empty pots of dirt. Keep the area covered for several weeks, or longer if needed. By the time you pull off the tarp, you’ll see mush… and bugs! Don’t worry, all those critters are a good sign. You want them to make healthy soil. 

At this point you can do some light tilling to break up the topsoil. Now, you’ll want to use mulch to prevent all the remnants from popping back up. This is where your dead leaves will come in handy. Make sure you use enough mulch to keep the ground from seeing sunlight. Let the bugs do the rest. In a couple weeks, you’ll be ready to plant! 

The final option I’m going to pitch is perfect for an area where you want to put raised beds. It’s also the option that allows you to be finished within a day. 

This process is very similar to the plastic tarp, because you want to start by getting the grass as short as possible. Again, the weed whacker is going to be your best friend. 

Repurpose all those cardboard boxes or newspapers to cover the grass in the yard. If you use cardboard, “clean” the box by removing all the tape and labels. Make sure you create a nice stack of cardboard so the grass can’t poke through and find sunlight. Once you’ve secured the cardboard down, you want to cover it with a nice, thick bed of mulch, rock, or anything you want, really. Make a design out of it, have fun! 

In my yard, I created an S-shape with repurposed bricks and used different colored mulch to define the walkway. I then dug out two horseshoe shaped beds and used pots for the other areas around the yard. I then repurposed parts from an old shed to make a raised bed that sits atop the mulch.

In that yard, I have tons of flowers to attract pollinators, succulents to fill out borders, and lots and lots of edibles! This part of my yard gets full morning sun, so it’s great for all of those plants. It’s a little oasis where a once dull and lifeless grass yard used to be. 

That’s the true goal - to create a place that brings joy! It doesn’t have to be a large space. You’ll be amazed by how much life you can infuse into your yard once you diversify.

BONUS TIP 

With all of these methods, you’ll have some breakout grass pop back up from time to time. The best thing to do is to pull them. Again, if you wait until it rains, they will be super easy to get the root all in one yank. Just put on a podcast and spend the day soaking in some vitamin D. 

If you pull your weeds, put them in a bucket with some rain water and let them sit for about a week. Then strain out that liquid gold and use it to fertilize your potted plants. Grass is high in nitrogen, especially in Louisiana. All the lightning we get (second in the nation for lightning strikes) converts the nitrogen in the air to little molecules that float down and make our grass luscious and green! Don’t let that goodness go to waste! 

If you don’t have the time to pull, or you end up with a large patch of grass, an effective way to get rid of it is to use boiling hot water. Put on a tea kettle, let it sing, then pour the hot water over the grass. You’re also going to kill any little critters living in that area, so I’m not a huge fan of this, but it’s always better than using chemicals. It’s also an effective way to get the strays popping out of concrete or rock walkways.

If you have some gardening tips, I’d love for you to share them with me! Send me an email at samanthamorganmedia@gmail.com. Also, follow Grow Downtown on Instagram for more fun gardening moments, tips, and facts.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Your perfect lawn is bad for the environment. Here’s what to do instead

More sustainable (and beautiful) alternatives to a grass lawn

Lawn maintenance and climate change