From Guest Blogger Jay York: Eco-Friendly Landscaping Tips — Go Green or Go Home

In the fight against environmental pollution, one lawn can make a difference. Any effort you make to plan, cultivate and grow an eco-friendly lawn reduces environmental pollution. Here are four tips to help you maintain a lush lawn that’s also environmentally friendly.

Conserve Water

Watering your lawn is a necessary chore that wastes resources. And if you don’t do it right, you could kill your lawn. With too much water, your grass becomes oversaturated and dies. With too little water, the grass’s roots don’t grow deep enough to suck water from deep ground reserves during dry periods.

How often do you need to water your lawn? That depends on your soil quality, annual rainfall and grass type. Typically, grass that’s wilting, turning brown or compressing when you step on it needs a good drink. For a more exact answer, talk with your local agricultural extension office.

The University of Georgia recommends you water your thirsty lawn slowly and thoroughly. A soaker hose or trickle irrigation provide a steady flow of water, and these methods limit waste. Turn them on overnight to eliminate evaporation, and give your grass at least an inch of water. That inch seeps into the ground and creates a reserve that nourishes your lawn needs between watering sessions.

Use Eco-Friendly Tools

No matter how little water you use, you need tools to maintain your landscaping. Reel mowers require only your sweat and time, and electric trimmers are an eco-friendly alternative to gas powered trimmers. If you need power tools, consider low emissions tools like leaf blowers at Husqvarna.com. They’re fuel efficient and produce fewer emissions than other models.

Mow and Grasscyle

In keeping up with the neighborhood standard, you may mow your grass short every week. That uniform look actually hurts your grass and the environment. According to PioneerThinking.com, longer grass resists weed growth and harbors fewer pests. It also grows a thicker and healthier root system that retains moisture and withstands drought. For the best lawn and environmental results, the Environmental Protection Agency suggests you let your grass grow to between 2-1/2 and 3-1/2 inches long.

After you’re finished mowing, grasscyle. That’s a fancy word for leaving the clippings in the lawn. They decompose and provide essential nourishment your grass needs. You won’t have to buy chemical fertilizers when you grasscyle, and you’ll save time.

Add Compost

Decomposing organic matter provides just the nutrition your lawn needs. Either combine your household vegetable waste with yard waste in a bucket in the corner of your lawn or purchase ready-made compost. Both choices reduce environmental waste and fertilize your lawn without harmful chemicals.

Before adding a layer of compost that rejuvenates your existing lawn, aerate it with a tool you can rent or buy from a garden center. Aerating allows air to circulate in your lawn’s roots and ensures the compost reaches the roots. Then add a thin layer of compost. The National Gardening Association suggests you use compost with particles that are smaller than 3/8 inch. Larger particles could smother the grass.

After you compost, water the lawn thoroughly. That drink distributes the compost throughout the lawn and gives your grass a head start on processing the nourishing compost.

Go green in your lawn this year, and make a positive difference on the environment. Simply follow these four steps to reduce your carbon footprint. Which step will you take first?