Healthy Virginia Lawns
The Healthy Virginia Lawns (HVL) program is a joint venture between Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) and the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). Through this program, Extension Piedmont Master Gardeners provide homeowners in Albemarle County and the City of Charlottesville with science-based information on establishment and maintenance of lawns to reduce unnecessary chemical use that can harm our local waters and the Chesapeake Bay. We are now in an era in which declines in pollinators and birds and more extreme weather events make a compelling case to think differently about lawns and how to manage our landscape more sustainably.
The HVL program focuses on residential lawn areas of up to 1.5 acres. Your entire parcel of land (including the house and gardens) might be larger, but the actual lawn area you want to improve can be no larger than one-and-a-half football fields. After we receive your application and payment, you will be contacted by a trained Piedmont Master Gardener who will review your application and coordinate a date and time for your site visit. This visit will last approximately one hour with Volunteers measuring your lawn, soil sampling and answering any questions you may have. The video below provides an overview of the HVL program and what you can expect when trained Extension Master Gardener volunteers visit your property.
A $25 fee covers the cost of soil sample, supplies, materials and a personalized report with resources including Lawn Best Management Practices, maintenance calendar and a science-based nutrient management plan based on your soil analysis. This will tell you the right kind of lime and fertilizer to apply to your lawn at the right rate and at the right time. You will learn about how lawn aeration combined with proper maintenance strategies will help correct weed and disease issues, improving the health and appearance of your lawn, at the same time protecting our watershed.
This program is only available to residents of Albemarle County and Charlottesville City.
The Healthy Virginia Lawns program accepts applications from April 1 through October 1.
:For additional information, or if you have problems with application or payment,
please email healthylawnsalbemarle@gmail.com.