Designing and maintaining a beautifully manicured and landscaped lawn is the goal of many homeowners. However, in order to achieve that perfect lawn, it often takes the usage of many harsh and dangerous chemicals. You can actually achieve a professionally maintained lawn without harming the environment or endangering your pets and children. Remember these environmentally responsible lawn care tips.
Use organic products, when possible
Lawn product manufacturers have long realized the need for organic and fresh lawn care products. You can find most products that you would need for your lawn care in organic form. These products are made from natural ingredients that do not harm the environment. Additionally, they are safe for use on lawns with small children and pets. Close to 70 million pounds of pesticides (including herbicides) are applied to US lawns each year. This is approximately ten times the amount applied to American farmland, acre for acre. Always use organic products when they are available.
Plant numerous trees and bushes
Not only do trees and bushes look nice on your property, but they also provide you with many landscaping benefits. Environmentally responsible lawn care means finding solutions to your landscaping problems that do not harm the environment. Rather than use dangerous pesticides to keep bugs out of your garden, change the contents of your garden. Plant trees and bushes to block out pesky rodents. Plant large trees to block out sunlight and reduce your HVAC usage in the home.
Know which plants are good for the environment
Some plants actually provide benefits to the environment and can counteract some of the harmful pollution. Turf grass, for example, helps control pollution. It traps much of an estimated 12 million tons (10.9 million metric tons) of dust and dirt released annually into the U.S. atmosphere. A naturally healthy lawn contains plants and flowers that help other products grow and weeds out local air pollution.
Water only when needed
Obtaining a perfectly landscaped lawn usually requires frequent waterings. Water is a valuable resource that should be protected and used only as needed. A sustainable landscaping presentation by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that watering lawns accounts for 30 to 60% of water consumption during the summer months. Choose plants and flowers that do not require a lot of water. Use a timed sprinkler system to better control your water usage. Environmentally responsible lawn care means monitoring the amount of water you are using daily.
Leave grass longer
Grass does not always grow efficiently during the hot, summer months. You may be surprised to learn that by leaving your grass a little longer, you are not only encouraging it to grow faster, but you are also helping out the environment. Most traditional lawn mowers use fuel and constant running can emit dangerous fuels into the air. Waiting a little longer to mow your lawn will result in healthier grass. When it does come time to cut that crass, it will act as a fertilizer for your plants and flowers because it is healthier. Never cut your grass on a schedule, instead planning your cuts around how long the grass has grown.
While having a nice looking lawn is important to many homeowners, practicing environmentally responsible lawn care should be the main goal. Never sacrifice the condition and health of the environment to have a better looking lawn. There are many steps that you can take to increase the air quality and still have the best looking lawn on the block.
