Steve Jamrok
Realtor, GRI
Realty Executives Premier
5 Tips for an Eco-Friendly Lawn
The rain will eventually stop here in Northwest Indiana and the sun will come out, leading to yards that need cut and maintained. While you're waiting for your yard to dry out, its a great time to assess your landscaping practices and make a change to more eco-friendly systems. Here are 5 tips that you can easily implement for a more eco-friendly yard.
LEAVE YOUR GRASS HIGH
Set your mower deck to 3" or 3 1/2" height when mowing. Leaving your grass a little higher will create thicker grass with deeper roots. This will result in a yard that needs less watering and grass that is more tolerant to dry spells and resistant to unfriendly insects.
RECYCLE GRASS CLIPPINGS
Mulch or keep your clippings on the grass. They will help fertilize your lawn as they decompose and help replenish your yard with needed nutriants naturally. You can also rake your yard clippings and use them in your garden or flower beds. Grass clippings around plants will help the soil retain moisture and help prevent weeds from growing.
WATER DEEPER/ LESS OFTEN
When watering your lawn, it's always best to do it in the morning before the heat of the day. It's also better to water your lawn longer but less often. Instead of watering 4-5 times a week, try watering 2 times but water longer to let it absord deeper into the grass and down to the roots. This will help give your lawn a deep root system, making it stronger and more drought resistant.
PLANT NATIVE VEGETATION
Planting vegetation that is native helps conserve water, require less maintenance and help keep out invasive species and weeds. They also attract the helpful wildlife and insects that help pollinate and spread seeds. Here's the link to the Indiana Wildlife Foundation that provides great information on Indiana's native vegetation.
Ditch the Gas
Electric and battery powered lawn equipment has made huge strides over the last few years, providing greater power and longer battery life. While they are a little more expensive on the front end, the cost to operate over the long term makes up for the initial cost. Not to mention you'll be helping to save the environment. Now, I too was skeptical of the battery powered lawn equipment until last year. My gas trimmer broke and after plenty of research, I came across the EGO brand. I spoke to a friend who swore by it and I decided to give it a shot. I absoluely love it! I was surpised by the power, ease of use and long battery life. The only downside I found so far is forgetting to charge the battery before you start your yard work.
Now that the rain has stopped, Get out there and put these tips to work and enjoy your new "Green" yard!
