Ask SAM: Love your grass

This column is provided by Larimer County Extension's Small Acreage Management (SAM) Program to assist rural residents.

If I could offer one idea to ensure the health of small acreages in Larimer County, it would be "Love your grass."

When we love something, we nurture and protect it. We try our darnedest to never hurt it. The welfare of the things we love becomes our highest priority.

Apply these principles to your grass, and you'll find yourself with vigorous plants, healthier animals, fewer weeds and less work.

The most loving thing we can do for our grass is to give it a break! Let it rest. Let it grow. Healthy long leaves nourish the grass so it becomes stronger, more resilient and more productive.

Avoiding overgrazing is the biggest challenge for a pasture manager in our dry climate. We treat our animals with time in the pasture to roam, play and graze. In doing so, too often the grass is inadvertently harmed. As soon as a leaf grows, it is nibbled off or trampled. The plants struggle to produce more leaves, only to lose them. The plants need their leaves for photosynthesis. The carbohydrates from photosynthesis are the food that sustains the grass. Without leaves, the plants starve.

As Spring arrives, the landscape turns green. The old mare pushes on the gate of the corral. She is saying "I want to graze."

As land managers, we need to ask "Is the grass ready to be grazed?"

Delay grazing until grasses are 6 to 8 inches tall. That can be a long wait, especially during drought or if the pasture has a history of heavy grazing. Manage according to the needs of the grass, not the desires of the animal, and both will benefit.

If April does not bring significant rain or snow, 2009 will be a difficult year for pasture grasses. Our fall and winter precipitation is well below average. The plants are thirsty and lack resilience. During drought, it is especially important to reduce grazing. Give the plants a break during the harsh dry months, and you will be rewarded for years to come. If several inches of rain do not appear during the next two months, buy more hay and skip the grazing altogether.

SAM was out in the pasture the other day, gazing at the grass on the neighbor's place. It occurred to him that maybe the grass really is greener on the other side of the fence. So he wandered off.

After nine years of working with small acreage landowners in Larimer County and eight years writing this column, I am moving on to other endeavors. I have enjoyed serving the land managers of Larimer County, and I thank you for supporting the small acreage programs offered by Larimer County Extension. I also thank you for your hospitality and the wonderful learning opportunities I had during visits to your properties. May your dreams of a peaceful rural paradise come true.

SAM

The North Forty News thanks Ernie Marx for the research and effort he put into writing this column for our readers these last eight years. We wish him well.