Environmentally Friendly Lawn Care

Lawn care is a favorite pastime for many of us. When it comes to grooming grass we want success in whatever we wish to accomplish. The best of lawns take some effort to establish. To successfully plant or take care of a lawn choose an environmentally friendly lawn care method. This will provide you with beauty, functionality, and peace of mind. While the traditional way of cultivating a beautiful lawn is to break out the big, heavy and loud power tools, getting back to the most basic methods will do less harm to the environment. Of course power tools use an energy source whether it is gas or electric. The tools give off polluting emissions and noise. The air, water, and soil are affected by the pollutants. Thus we are also affected.

Most of us do not like to be awakened by the blaring noise of a lawnmower or landscaping machinery in the morning, thus there are city ordinances established to prevent people from being disturbed by such things. The decibel of noise that these tools produce can also damage the hearing of those that operate them and those that are in regular proximity while the machinery and tools are being used. There is also the hazard in the use of gasoline and motor oils, including the disposal of these fluids. While at this point in time the use of these tools and machinery may be necessary on large scale industrial projects they are not necessarily needed on small residential sites. There are environmentally friendly methods of lawn care that do not require the use of heavy machinery, loud tools, or hazardous fluids.

There are two environmentally friendly methods that can be considered, one where only manual tools are used and the other where cordless and electric tools are used. There are also natural substances and products that can be applied to the lawn. Keeping your head to the ground so to speak may allow you to learn of new developing organic methods and supplies that can also be used. As a matter of fact you can use your own imagination to use whatever you may have on hand to groom or even decorate the grass of the lawn. Remember your lawn is natural and so think of what is made from nature when you think of lawn care. Dismiss using synthetic man made products that come from manufacturing organic substances.

The foundation of any and all lawns is native soil. Having good native soil that is conditioned by the environment where you live will allow your lawn to not only survive but also thrive under stressful conditions. Before planting a lawn you can add gypsum, lime, or sulfur depending on the needs of your soil. Soil can be naturally enriched by organic matter such as decaying produce, but this not recommended if you already have an established lawn. Compost is plant matter that provides nutrients and stability to any plot of turf grass. A thin quarter inch layer of compost is a natural way to fertilize your lawn. This can be applied every other year to twice a year depending on how much the lawn needs the essential nutrients of nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium. Did you know that grass could benefit from a wash? Lawns accumulate dust and other powder size debris that limits photosynthesis that the grass uses to absorb nutrients from the soil and thus to grow. So if you spray your lawn with a mild solution of soap and water and then rinse it off this will allow the grass to use more of the sunlight that reaches its blades. This will also help when applying a topical substance such as an herbicide or fungicide. If you are worried about weeds in a coming year apply a natural pre-emergent herbicide like corn gluten, Ferti-lome and Preen sale excellent natural products. The best method is to prevent weeds from taking hold in your lawn in the first place by mowing the grass at its highest ideal height and watering according to the particular needs of the grass. Both over watering and under watering can cause weed growth. If you already have weeds in your lawn there are things that you can do. If the weeds are few pull them, root and all, by hand. You may need to use a manual weed pulling tool to do so, especially for weeds with deep taproots. If taproots happen to break off in the ground pour vinegar into the hole over the remaining piece of root. Do not spill any of the vinegar onto the grass because it will kill the above ground blades. If you do spill the vinegar, drench the area with water to dilute it. These natural substances will help your lawn to thrive. What about the tools of the trade?

The first line of defense is manual tools. Starting with the trusty lawnmower, choose the reel mower. No not the old dinosaur of a mower that your grandpa used to have. Modern day reel lawnmowers are lighter in weight and virtually rust resistant. Reel mowers are portable, require no fuel, require no motor oil, have no exhaust fumes, and are relatively noise free. They also require virtually no maintenance or part replacements. You can use them during times when noise making lawn tools are prohibited. They do an excellent job cutting grass that is between one to three inches in height and on level ground. These mowers may fall short on uneven ground with coarse and four inch tall grass. There are now reel mowers that are cordless which have more power and the reels spin much faster which is better for lawns that the push reel lawnmowers do not cut very well. Than more powerful still are the cordless and corded electrical mowers that cut about any lawn. Although these mowers do not pose an environmental hazard they do tend to be on the noisy side. Although turf grass that has grown more than five and a half inches should not be mowed at all, but cut down to size gradually with shears. The next tool that you may want to consider is the edger for that clean cut look. Use an old fashion hand edger with a long handle with an edging blade at one end. Or you could purchase a cordless edger, electric edgers are also available. The most unappreciated environmentally friendly lawn care method is that of allowing the cut grass blades to fall onto the lawn as it is mowed. This is done best with a mulching lawnmower. Just make sure that the clipped blades are no longer than one half inch long for quick decomposition. The clipped grass will provide much needed fertilizer, organic matter, and moisture for the lawn. These environmentally friendly lawn care methods are sound and practical. So when you consider your lawn treat it with environmentally friendly lawn care.