Lawns require a lot of care. Someone quite accurately observed that 'you don't own a lawn...it owns you'! If you don't want to be owned, let your lawn turn into a meadow that you mow once or twice in the summer. Or plant a butterfly garden, berry bushes for the birds, or native flowers.
photo by Erika Hahn

Fertilizer runoff from over-fertilized lawns add to the nutrient load of groundwater, streams, ponds, and embayments. Nonetheless:

You Can Be Good to the Pond Even if you Do Have a Lawn

Here are some tips that should make your lawn lush and healthy while minimizing the need for fertilizers, weed killers and water, and help to keep those nutrients from getting into the pond.

Tip #1: It isn't necessarily fertilizer that's the solution for a sickly looking lawn.
Have your soil tested for pH at the Barnstable County Extension Service. If the pH is too low, the lawn needs lime, not fertilizer.

Tip #2: Mow high and mow often.
Set your mower to a height of 3 to 4 inches. Longer grass shades the roots and prevents their drying out. The longer grass blades can produce more food that's needed to grow a deep and healthy root system. They also shade upstart weeds, depriving them of the light necessary for their growth. Grass does not get killed by frequent mowing, as long as the mower is set high. Many weeds, on the other hand, can't survive frequent movwings in the long run.

Tip #4: Water infrequently but thoroughly.
Grass roots can grow deeper than most weed roots do, so you want the water to penetrate deep into the soil. Brief watering, even if frequent, doesn't do the job; in fact, it can be detrimental by encouraging shallow rooting. Put a cup in your sprinkler zone and let an inch of water accumulate in it before turning off the sprinkler. Water again only when the blades start to curl.

Tip #5: Pick a Cape Cod grass seed mix.
When selecting grass seed for new lawns or for filling in patches, pick a Cape Cod seed mix that contains a variety specially selected for the Cape's climate and soil. Avoid Kentucky Bluegrass, which needs more water and fertilizer to thrive on the Cape.

Tip #6: Fertilize sparingly, if at all, and only in the late fall or very early spring
Grass can grow at lower temperatures than most weeds. To feed only your grass and not the weeds, fertilize in cool weather. Use only slow-release fertilizer, and use it sparingly.