Odd green stripe

[danddan]

Hi all. Im a newbie here, but I've got a question about something thats happened to our lawn.

We noticed after cutting it that we had a dark green stripe down the middle of it underneath the washing line. The rest of our lawn is a much less bright green.

Why should a strip of grass that gets walked on more regularly be greener than the rest of it that doesn't get walked on very much?


Very much appreciated!

[JohnA]

I had completely the opposite situation - a bare stretch, about three feet wide down the middle of my lawn. I discovered that at some time in the past it had been a garden path. Fortunately hollow tining solved the problem. Perhaps you have a similar problem and either someone has used a different seed or prepared the area better than was the case for the rest of your lawn.

Just an idea!

[Charlie MV]

Do you have a septic tank? It may be the drain field if so.

[danddan]

No, we haven't got a septic tank, and I don't think it can be a path, as it's in what would be a very strange place for a path.

[applestar]

Oooh, a mystery! OK let me take a stab at this...

1) is your laundry still "drippy" when you hang them -- could they be supplying some kind of nitrogen source?
2) has it been hot? could the clothes line be providing just that little bit of shade, helping the grass to stay greener?
3) assuming you walked along either side of the clothesline when you fertilized the lawn, maybe you ended up with an overlap
4) assuming you walk along either side of the clothesline when you mow, maybe you end up with a strip of unmowed or longer grass
5) this might be a stretch, but... do you keep animals? Do you routinely walk directly from the chicken yard, goat pen, barn, etc. and then walk up and down the clothesline area, tracking manure?

How'd I do?

[danddan]

Good thinking there, applestar.

1) The washing probably would be dripping, so that could be possible

2) It has been quite warm, so that could also be possible

3) Sacriledge though it may be... we don't fertilise our lawn!

4) We're pretty consistent with our mowing, as the washing line is high enough to walk under

5) And we don't keep animals.


Thanks for your help!!

[applestar]

You're welcome Dan

I was wondering if laundry detergents *could* contain nitrogen since it occurred to me that they're more likely to contain phosphorus/phosphates... and found this http://www.wipo.int/pctdb/en/wo.jsp?IA=WO2006029188&DISPLAY=CLAIMS
Most of this is gobbledygook to me and I've no idea what it says, except that there is a repetition of the phrase "nitrogen-containing". Also, here http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/5798329.html it mentions an "ammonium surfactant" so that would break down to N, right? Maybe a chemist among us can explain.

BTW, all these chemicals names are giving me a headache What *ARE* all this stuff anyway? I use eco-friendly laundry detergents like Seventh Generation and Bio-Kleen. Usually marked "non-toxic" " biodegradable" "free of dyes" "fragrance free", etc. I *think* these are supposed to be OK to use in greywater system (not that I have one going, this is all curiosity, you understand). Would these also have N, K, or P in them? ...or do they just not have "excessive" amounts? This website http://www.nwri.ca/nutrients-nutritifs/introduction-e.html got me wondering....