Regenerative lawn care focuses on fostering soil health, biodiversity, and sustainability by moving away from conventional, chemical-heavy approaches. To understand the key factors that influence lawn health and implement regenerative practices, we can explore six interconnected pillars: Legacy, Mother Nature, Cutting, Watering, Lawn Care Inputs, and Observation & Documentation.
Every action leads to an outcome—some positive, some negative. The goal of regenerative lawn care is to measure and guide these outcomes toward creating a thriving, sustainable system. These pillars are not static—they may evolve as we learn more, develop new techniques, and adapt to unique landscapes and challenges.
- Legacy
Legacy refers to the history of the land and its use, which directly impacts soil health and the challenges we face today.
Historical Perspective:
Thousands of years ago, landscapes were natural ecosystems—forests, grasslands, or wetlands—rich in biodiversity and soil organic matter. Over time, industrial farming and urban development disrupted these systems, introducing monocultures, synthetic inputs, and soil degradation.
Modern-Day Subdivisions:
• Construction Impact: Builders often disturb the land, compacting the soil with heavy machinery, destroying its structure, and oxidizing organic matter. Builders know how to build but know little about soil.
• Soil Imbalances: The resulting “dirt” is bacterial-dominated and lacks the balance of fungi and microbes needed for soil health. Nature attempts to repair this imbalance by growing diverse, “unwanted” plants that help rebuild soil structure, increase infiltration of water and air, and advance microbial diversity.
• Sod Application: Sod is commonly applied but is often grown conventionally using synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, further perpetuating soil imbalances.
Understanding this legacy is essential to addressing the root causes of poor lawn health and creating regenerative solutions.
- Mother Nature
Mother Nature governs the external environmental factors that impact soil and lawn health.
Natural Forces at Play:
• Sun, Cloud, and Rain: Seasonal changes, heatwaves, droughts, and rainfall patterns all influence the lawn’s health.
• Location: Shade, slope, and the north-south-east-west orientation of the lawn affect how much sunlight and water it receives.
• Vegetation: Nearby trees and shrubs impact the soil by creating shade, dropping organic matter, and influencing water retention.
• Winter Factors: Snow drifts, salt/ice melters, and freeze-thaw cycles all impact soil health.
Regenerative practices take these variables into account to work with nature rather than against it.
- Cutting
Mowing practices significantly affect soil health and plant resilience.
Equipment Considerations:
• Compaction Risks: Heavy mowers and zero-turn machines create compaction and ruts, especially when repeatedly used in the same direction. The weight of these machines lowers the cutting deck, leading to scalping.
• Wear and Tear: Turning around trees and obstacles can cause wear and tear, thinning the grass and exposing bare soil.
Mowing Practices:
• Scalping Damage: Cutting grass too short exposes soil to sunlight, drying it out and destroying microbial communities, which are critical for soil health.
• Timing Matters: Cutting during rain or extreme heat causes unnecessary stress on the soil, microbes, and lawn.
• Health Over Aesthetics: Grass should be cut for performance (health) rather than for appearance alone.
Thoughtful cutting practices promote stronger, more resilient grass and healthier soil ecosystems.
- Watering
Watering practices often neglect the soil’s ability to absorb and retain water.
Rain Events:
• Many rely solely on natural rainfall, but compacted soil and low organic matter can prevent proper infiltration, leading to runoff and pooling.
Municipal Water:
• Tap water often contains chlorine and other additives that can harm soil microbes and plant health.
Regenerative Focus:
• Improving infiltration rates through building soil structure and increasing organic matter helps soil hold water for longer periods, reducing the need for frequent watering.
- Lawn Care Inputs
Inputs play a significant role in either degrading or regenerating soil systems.
Conventional Approach:
• Many lawn care companies and homeowners rely on high-salt synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, a technology dating back to the mid-1800s, when Justus von Liebig introduced the concept of chemical fertilizers. This approach gained significant momentum after World War II, when surplus ammonium nitrate (used in explosives) was repurposed as agricultural fertilizer. These methods were revolutionary for their time, addressing immediate food production and agricultural needs, but they have become deeply ingrained in lawn care practices, often prioritizing quick, visual results over long-term soil health and sustainability.
• This approach overlooks long-term soil health, biodiversity, and sustainability.
Regenerative Approach:
• Compost Extracts: Monthly or weekly applications of Johnson-Su compost extracts provide microbial diversity and help build soil health.
• Measuring Tools: Tools such as penetrometers (to measure compaction), refractometers (to measure plant sugars/Brix levels), EC meters, infiltration rings, and microscopes allow us to measure outcomes and guide decision-making.
• Testing Methods: Testing methods like PLFA, Haney tests, and biomass assessments provide insights into soil biology and chemistry.
• Organic Inputs: Applying extracts, EM (Effective Microorganisms), LAB serum, kelp, fish, molasses, minerals, and more builds microbial diversity, enhances soil structure, and increases organic matter for better soil and plant health.
Outcomes:
Every action has an outcome—positive or negative. Regenerative practices focus on measurable improvements, guided by tools and techniques that promote soil health and plant diversity.
- Observation and Documentation
Observation and documentation are essential pillars of regenerative lawn care. They allow us to measure outcomes, track progress, and identify both positive and negative trends.
Tools and Techniques:
• Microscopes: Vital for observing soil life that is invisible to the naked eye. Understanding the microbial community helps identify imbalances and track improvements in soil health.
• Beyond Chemistry: Traditional soil chemistry tests are no longer sufficient. Modern regenerative approaches focus on biological indicators and outcomes.
Visual Records:
• Taking pictures after each application (or monthly) creates a visual timeline to track improvements or address negative changes.
Property Notes:
• Maintaining a cloud-based account for each property, including notes, photos, applications, costs, and outcomes, ensures accurate and organized record-keeping.
Observation and documentation are crucial to understanding the impacts of regenerative practices and refining approaches over time.
Nicole Masters’ 5 M’s: Mindset, Management, Microbes, Minerals, and Organic Matter
Nicole Masters, a leading expert in regenerative agriculture, outlines five essential factors that influence outcomes:
- Mindset: A willingness to learn and adapt is the foundation of regenerative practices.
- Management: Thoughtful, intentional actions replace quick fixes and reactionary approaches.
- Microbes: Soil biology drives nutrient cycling and plant health.
- Minerals: Balanced nutrient levels are essential for soil and plant function.
- Organic Matter: Building soil organic matter is critical for water retention, structure, and biodiversity.
A Systems Thinking Approach to Regenerative Lawn Care
Regenerative lawn care is about more than just maintaining a green lawn—it’s about restoring soil health, fostering biodiversity, and creating resilient ecosystems. By understanding the legacy of our land, working with nature, and using thoughtful practices, we can transform conventional lawns into thriving, regenerative landscapes.
For those interested in learning more or implementing regenerative practices, let’s start a conversation. Together, we can move beyond quick fixes and embrace long-term, sustainable solutions.
