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SoilKeepers

SoilKeepers Spring 2020 Project Highlights

See new photos of our pollinator and regenerative lawn projects.

This is the first Spring after Fall renovation. This rear heavily shaded lawn was nearly 100% stiltgrass in the Fall and we were unable to find any in our Spring inspection. We burned it heavily and then sprayed probiotics and compost tea with compost in the Fall. We seeded with our clover-grass lawn blend. Stiltgrass is a huge problem so we are very encouraged at the results from this method. The burning also helps stimulate soil healthy soil development.
This is what it used to look like in early Fall of 2019.
Owen inspecting areas where we increased concentration of clover in anticipation of more weed pressure in 2020.
Here is a closeup of the appearance of an area where the invasive weed pressure had been very high.
This is a shot of another new project – a gorgeous farm in Greene County – the grounds had been synthetically managed for many years. The owners went all in with regenerative treatment this Spring and the results are excellent for this first year. One of the best things happening here is cutting at the highest setting possible – roughly 5 inches. The importance of high mowing in a regenerative program cannot be overstated. Also this is a grass-clover lawn as well, though Owen and Shep were selective in their application of clover where the soils were poor and weed pressure higher.
This is an estate in Western Orange County – there was a very significant infestation of Creeping Charlie. The soils had been synthetically managed or not managed for decades. We burned much of the lawn in the Fall of 2019 and applied probiotics,compost tea, and seeded heavily with a clover-grass lawn mix. Eventually we will reduce the percentage of clover and increase the percentage of fescue as the biomass of Creeping Charlie is reduced.
This is a picture of what a portion of the lawn looked like after burning.
Here is the result of two seasons of work for a client in Charlottesville. Like others, they had a significant weed problem, here with Violets and Creeping Charlie. We have been spot burning and reviving the soils and above seeding heavily with clover and fescue.
The legume (clover) has really helped to create thick biomass to fight the violets while also helping provide nitrogen to the young grass plants, all through a natural regenerative landscape program with no use of synthetic herbicides and fertilizers. For these folks this is important, as they love having a healthy place for their grandchildren and their dog.
This is an estate high on a hill in Central Virginia where the soils had been synthetically managed and were low in organic matter and low active soil organism counts. The shade trees were actually providing too much shade so the low branches were pruned and lots of compost was applied over several seasons allowing this lawn to now mostly manage itself.
This is new cloverlawn. This is 100% clover in a formerly weedy patch of a Charlottesville lawn down by the Rivanna River. This is just a few weeks after seeding. Shep burned the entire lawn and composted heavily before seeding.

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