 Though most of us would think any form of gardening or landscaping is an eco-friendly activity, which is not always the case. Gardens and landscapes require a lot of maintenance-fertilizer, water, pruning, etc. Grass requires a substantial amount of water. During the summer, watering lawns accounts for half of U.S. water consumption! People often overwater their lawn. Overwatering not only wastes water, but it also reduces the grass' ability to tolerate drought and prevents a deep root system. EnviroCitizen.org has a few tips for gardening and maintaining your lawn in a more eco-friendly way!
The first step to an eco-friendly lawn is to make sure that you're not overwatering. In general, the rule of thumb of watering grass lawns is one inch of water per week. You can determine how much you're watering your lawn by getting any kind of container ( like a can ) and marking the one-inch level on the inside. Water your lawn for twenty minutes, then check the container. That will give you a good idea of how much water you're using. Another way to make sure that you're not overwatering is to let your lawn tell you when it needs to be watered. There are three indicators that will tell you when your lawn needs watering. To start, look for folding leaf blades. When grass is in need of water, the blades will fold to minimize surface area. Secondly, look for a blue-gray color, as opposed to green. Finally, look for visible footprints or other tracks. When a lawn is in need of water, the blades of grass won't perk up after being stepped on. If you see one or more of these signs, your lawn is telling you that it needs water.
Another way to see if your lawn has enough water is to check the soil. Grab a screwdriver and push it into the ground in a few places throughout your lawn. If you can penetrate relatively easily to a depth of about six or eight inches (the suggested root depth for a healthy lawn), then your soil is saturated well and doesn't need water.
EnviroCitizen.org's next step to an eco-friendly lawn is to avoid using chemicals. Most grasses used for lawns have been bred to withstand most pests and most don't need fertilizers. Granted, if you want the most florescent, bright green lawn in the neighborhood, fertilizers are pretty much the only way to go. But, if you want an eco-friendly lawn no chemicals are needed. Consider composting instead, it's much better for your grass and much better for your environment. Your lawn will have a more natural, grass green kind of color.
You can also invest in either an electric or push mower. Powered mowers generate quite a bit of pollution. In just one hour, a powered mower will emit the same amount of pollution as forty cars in the same hour or as much as one car driving 650 miles. Push mowers are the best alternative, since they only use human power.
Finally, another option to make your lawn more eco-friendly is to not grow grass altogether. Instead, consider planting moss. Many mosses are resilient, beautiful additions to any yard. The best mosses are just as durable to wear and tear as grass. Moss needs far less water than grass and it doesn't need to be mowed. EnviroCitizen.org believes that making your lawn eco-friendly is all about making the right kind of choices. Your planet will thank you for it.
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