9 tips for Eco-Friendly Lawn Care!
Posted on July 13, 2015
Conventional lawn care can come at a high cost to the environment. But an eco-friendly lawn is possible by switching up some simple maintenance habits (that actually require less work!) If you want your lawn to be green in more ways than one, employ these tips:
1. Sharpen your mower blades - believe it or not, sharper blades develop a healthier and greener lawn.
2. Don’t mow too short – Ensuring that your lawn doesn’t get too low protects any exposed soil from over drying.
3. Aerate your lawn once a year– punching small holes into the ground promotes air and nutrient flow, which creates a thicker lawn that wards off weeds.
4. Water only 1 inch per week – Your lawn just needs one inch of water per week to develop deep roots and increase resilience.
5. Water in the morning - Much of the water from daytime watering is lost to evaporation!
6. Leave grass clippings on the lawn – Leaving your clippings on the lawn is actually a form of compost that will create a natural fertilizer.
7. Use natural fertilizers - Did you know spreading corn gluten in the fall or spring prevents weed seeds from sprouting?
8. Avoid pesticides – Sometimes you don’t have to turn to harsh pesticides to get rid of common weeds. If you have dandelions you most likely need to lower the pH of your soil, and can do so with sulphur. Clover is a sign that your lawn may be nitrogen poor, and needs compost, such as those grass clippings or compost tea.
9. Natural Pesticides: You can spot treat the weeds on your lawn with 5 parts white vinegar, 2 parts water and 1 part natural dish soap.
If you’re still in planning phases of your yard try to plant a more resilient native grass along with trees and shrubs natural to Alberta. Bow Point Nursery and Blue Grass Garden Centre & Nursery are excellent resources in Calgary for native plants that will be easy to maintain in our climate. And for more information on eco-friendly lawn design check out The City of Calgary’s YardSmart tips.
