Everyone loves the look of a well-maintained lawn, but the process of getting that perfect lawn can sometimes be detrimental to the environment. Thankfully, it is possible to have a beautiful yard and be eco-friendly. Keep reading for 5 ways to have a beautiful and eco-friendly yard.
Mow Differently
Healthy grass needs less water to survive a drought. To grow healthier grass consider raising your mower’s deck to three inches. The grass will be taller, but it will be able to grow longer roots that will help it to survive if it faces drought conditions. The taller grass will also create a shade that will naturally inhibit the growth of several weed varieties. When you mow take the time to ensure that your mower blade is sharp and that your tires for lawn mowers are in good working order. This will give a clean cut which also helps to keep your grass healthy. Another factor to take into consideration is the tires on your mower. If they are worn down or have a very deep tread they may be causing unnecessary damage to your lawn by chewing up the soft upper layers of soil. Opting to swap out your lawn mower tires for new ones can save your lawn from damage and improve the performance of the mower, especially if the existing tires were long overdue repair or replacement.
Create Healthy Soil
Strong grass grows in healthy nutrient dense soil. Additionally, healthy soil is also a natural pest control. The best way to keep your soil healthy is to aerate and compost often. The best kind of aerator to use is called a core aerator because it pulls up plugs of dirt. After aerating, spread compost at least a quarter of an inch thick on top of your yard. A high-quality compost will reintroduce micro-organisms that will revive dead soil and reintroduce the nutrients that grass needs to flourish. Look for a compost tumbler vs bin to keep the soil “turning”. Additionally, when the ground is not so hard and compact the roots of your grass will be able to grow longer and stronger.
Give up the fancy mower
Gas powered riding lawn mowers are very popular choices due to their ability to quickly and professionally cut a lawn. However, with the potential gas and oil leaks along with their contribution to air pollution they are terrible for the environment. Consider trading in your riding mower for a push mower. Not only will you use considerably less gas when you are doing the pushing but you will also get in a great workout. This method is great if you have a manageable lawn and do not allow it to grow too long between cuts.
Water Smarter
Change your watering schedule so that you are watering your yard in the early morning. This gives your grass time to absorb the water before it is evaporated by midday heat and also prevents the formation of molds that can lead to grass diseases when watered at night. Also look into more efficient ways of watering, like using a soaker hose or a rain barrel as opposed to a traditional sprinkler set up. This change alone can save your water use by up to 50%. Other ways to save water are to only water lawns one inch per week, and to utilize water that you collect from gutters or from rain.
Treat Smarter
Instead of treating your entire lawn for pest plants try to treat only the spots they are growing in. Then consider using a natural and eco-friendly form of weed control or make your own DIY natural weed killers.
Small changes like raising your mower deck, encouraging healthy soil, ditching your riding mower, changing your watering habits and spot treating can add up to huge changes in our environment. The best part is that you can still have a beautiful and functional lawn without causing environmental harm.
Here’s a great guide to which grass suits your garden best from our friends at A Green Hand.
