Most home owners have lawns that need to be taken care of. And most of us believe that a well-manicured lawn is an important part of the dream of home ownership. The problem is that all this grass is bad for the environment. Grass for lawns demand a lot of water. Plus, lawns can trap heat, causing nitrous oxide emissions.
However, there are ways to make your lawn more environmentally friendly and it all begins with how you mow your lawn.
- Stay Away from Gas-Powered Mowers – Don’t contribute to environmental problems by using gas-powered mowers. It may seem as if the mower consumes very little gas, but it is just enough to affect the environment. It is surprising how much difference a person can make by using non-gas powered equipment to work on their lawn.
- Use a Manual Push Mower – The best way to mow your lawn is using a manual push mower. Just one hour of using a gas-powered mower is just as bad as a 100-mile drive in terms of emissions because gas mowers are not regulated in the same way as automobiles.
- Mow High – Instead of mowing the lawn low, you can protect your grass by mowing it high. You want the grass to be at least three to four inches high. Don’t mow more than 1/3 of an inch off your grass at a time. You may have to cut more often, but it will help add more nutrients and carbon to your soil. Also, taller grass has less thirsty roots.
- Aerate Your Yard – A great way to ensure good grass health and to avoid having to use too much water is to aerate your yard. You can do that with a few different types of tools. You can use a plug aerator or a spike aerator. How often you do this depends on your soil type, but usually once or twice a year should beenough.
- Use Non-Synthetic Products – Whatever products you choose to use on yard, always choose natural, non-synthetic, non-fuel based and all-natural products that help the environment rather than mess it up and pollute it. If you don’t want it in your drinking water, don’t use it.
- Plant Native Trees and Shrubs – When you decide on landscaping, try to avoid using lawn grass whenever possible. Consider planting native trees and shrubs to help the climate in your area and replace some of the grass.
- Leave Clippings – When you mow the lawn, if you ensure that you only mow a small amount off at a time you can just leave the clippings. It will add nutrients to the soil and help the grass become thicker.
- Rake Leaves Don’t Blow Them – When you have leaves in your yard, instead of blowing them, take the time to rake them. Then, you can collect them and use them in your compost pile. In addition, using a gas-powered blower is just as bad as using a gas-powered lawn mower.
- Not Too Much Water – One problem with lawns is the amount of water they consume. But, you can still have a healthy lawn without using too much water. In fact, there are some studies that show overwatering, while it may make grass greener, causes more nitrous oxide emissions. Instead of daily watering, add one inch of water each week during cooler times during the day.
- Choose the Right Grass – The best yard covering is honestly anything that is native to your area. Find native coverings that use less water and require less care for the best results.
Using these suggestions will make your lawn much healthier and help cut down on the environmental effects of having a grass lawn. Another thing you can do is replace some of your grass with other plants strategically, to cut down on how much lawn you have but keep up the appearance of having a beautifully manicured lawn.
This article was written by Brandon Green, Owner of Roar Works. Roar Works is a Landscaping Company in Spokane.