Eco-friendly lawn care is when a person takes care of their lawn in a way that doesn’t hurt the economy. When a person does not use pesticides or fertilizers in their yards, when they use things like mulch or moss, when they don’t cut their grass as much and when they plant things that attract the outdoor animals, they are being eco-friendly with their lawns. You can have an eco-friendly lawn if you want to too!
What options do I have for eco-friendly lawn care?
You have a lot of different options to use for eco-friendly lawn care and landscaping. You do not have to use harsh chemicals and pesticides to protect and fertilize your yard. You do not even have to cut your grass, which is great because who wants to do that anyway? In some instances, you won’t even have to water your lawn and you can still have a beautiful yard. Make sure that you can find a company, or be the lawn care business that uses eco-friendly options.
People are not aware of what they can do to help take care of their yards without using up valuable resources. You do not have to use gas and water to take care of your lawn if you do not want to. Here are some alternative options to using some of the things that you might be used to using right now:
1. Do not mow your grass
Stop mowing your grass! There are certain types of grass that you can get that does not grow very fast or very tall. If you plant this type of grass, you can cut your grass cutting time in half or make it almost non-existent at all. Grasses like centipede grass, Mondo grass, Buffalograss or Seashore Paspalum do not have a very high growth height or rate. This means that they need less frequent cutting, or not cutting at all. Look into what type of grass might be good for your yard and what will grow in your area.
2. Use no gas mowers
If you have to cut your grass, as some people do not have the option to reseed their yards, you can use alternative mower types. There are electric mowers, which still use energy, but it is minimal and there are no emissions. You can also use old, hand push mowers which might be a little more work but will help when it comes to emissions.
3. Do not use pesticides
Instead of using pesticides that can harm you, your family and the environment, plant plants that naturally get rid of bugs and other pests. This will keep harmful chemicals and traps far away from your family. You can plant certain plants that will help you to get rid of harmful pests, but keep bugs you need like bees and spiders, and you are not poisoning the area around your yard.
4. Stop watering your yard
Get plants and grasses for your yard that require little water, this way you do not have to water your yard to make it look nice. Get plants that are indigenous to your area that way you do not have to add any water to them, the natural water in your area should be enough to keep them properly growing.
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5. Do not use fertilizers
Quit using fertilizer in your yard. Use compost if you need to, throw some vegetable or fruit rinds in your garden, but do not use commercial fertilizers. Things like Miracle-Gro can affect the entire environment around the area in your yard. Not only will it make plants grow, but it also makes weeds grow and will affect the wildlife in the area. Also, if you’re growing vegetables, these types of chemicals are not good to use. They can seep into your vegetables and fruits as well.
6. Quit using weed killer
Dig up the weeds like they used to in the good old days. Quit using weed killer in your yard. Weed killer can affect the plants and animals in the area. It will not just kill the weeds but can kill most grass and some fruits and vegetables. If it does not kill the plant, it will leech into the plant and will affect the growth of the plant and the ecosystem around it. Before you plant, till the land, make sure all the roost for the plants growing there are gone. You can lay down organic paper, but this is a thin layer of protection if you do not remove the roots somehow.
7. Make an area for birds and other animals
Put in a bird feeder or birdbath. This will draw birds to the area around your yard and garden. It will also draw other wildlife to the area. Wildlife is essential to the proper growth of the ecosystem and will help your yard plants as well.
8. Plant bee friendly plants
Bees are essential to the proper growth of plants. They help to pollinate plants and are essential to the spread and growth of them. There has also been a decline in the bee population as of late, so why not be a part of helping them to make a comeback?
Basically, stop trying to be the best
We are not at war with our neighbors anymore. We cannot afford to be. Our yards should be nice, but we should not be spending entire days taking care of the yard with harmful chemicals that are destroying our ecosystem. We should be embracing nature, enjoying it. Gardening is an activity that can take all day, but it should make you happy and relaxed to do it, not worried if how you’re taking care of your yard will kill your family pet. You do not have to have the greenest yard, the most manicured yard or the best yard to walk on anymore. It is no longer the 1950’s, most of us are no longer stay at home parents who have the time to spend taking care of a well-manicured, ‘perfect’ yard. Most of us work one to three jobs to provide for our families and when we do get time off, we want to see our family, not cut the grass. Stop doing so much with your yard and create a low maintenance yard that you can actually enjoy.
