If you’ve only recently ventured into the world of eco-friendly lifestyles, you may fail to realize the environmental destruction lawn and garden care can cause. While lawn maintenance may appear seemingly harmless, gas-powered lawn mowers spew copious amounts of harmful greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
If not used with an environmentally-conscious mind, lawn care equipment’s adverse effects can override the benefits and push a homeowner ten steps back in their journey towards a greener and lusher landscape.
Have you ever thought of toxic emissions a lawn mower can produce or the ravaging effects of chemical-based pesticides? The unfortunate truth is that lawn care equipment and lawn maintenance can disrupt the ecosystems we strive to preserve.
Eco-friendly tips for lawn care
Disrupt these delicate ecosystems as little as possible by adopting an environmentally-friendly and sustainable mindset when caring for your lawn and garden. You can start that transition today by reviewing the eco-friendly maintenance tips below.
Do soil tests
Maintaining a healthy lawn not only adds aesthetic value but yields various additional benefits. For example, a vibrant front or backyard helps curb soil erosion, improves air quality, promotes flood control, reduces noise, and provides a natural habitat for native wildlife.
If you’re keen on maintaining a healthy garden, conducting a soil test is a no-miss exercise to determine your soil’s specific needs. As an added benefit, you won’t have to waste precious time learning how to conduct a soil test. When you hire a reputable lawn care provider like GreenHow, homeowners can determine whether the soil on their property can sustain nearby plant life.
But why is a soil test essential? Soil test involves the collection of soil samples and comprehensive laboratory analysis. A soil test’s primary purpose is to assess the following components of the soil.
- PH level
- Organic matter levels
- Phosphorus and lead level
- Cation Exchange Capacity
For those unfamiliar with calculating the soil’s cation exchange capacity, you must measure the soil’s ability to hold and exchange nutrients such as potassium, magnesium, and calcium.
Once soil tests confirm deficiencies present in your soil, you should supplement the necessary nutrients. After resolving these deficiencies, refrain from applying any chemicals and fertilizers. This precaution will help you save money and the environment.
Choosing the right mower
Did you know that using a gas-powered mower for an hour pollutes the air to the same extent if you were to drive your car for 100 miles? Did you also know that a gas-powered mower pollutes the environment 11 times more than a new car? Well, that’s the hard truth, according to the EPA.
If these statistics worry you, take advantage of the latest technological innovations by shopping for an eco-friendly mower. You could consider the below mowers as an alternative:
A. Electric mowers
B. Battery-powered mowers
C. Rotary mowers
By utilizing these mowers, you’ll do your part in reducing toxic air pollutants as you enjoy low maintenance and fuel costs.
Use pesticides sparingly
A thoughtfully-crafted pest control strategy is pivotal in maintaining a pest-free lawn. However, traditional store bought pesticides cost you money and are harmful both to you and the environment. You could avoid the use of pesticides by deterring pests using the following methods:
- Removing unsightly weeds that attract pests
- Trimming your grass regularly
- Removing standing water
- Maintaining clean gutters
If you must use pesticides, utilize them minimally, and opt for those that are environmentally friendly. You could also consider bio-pesticides that are, typically, less toxic than conventional pesticides.
Use compost
Fertilizers are costly and incredibly damaging to the environment, especially when they seep through to the nearby water sources and disrupt aquatic life. To avoid interfering with local animals’ disease resistance abilities, hormones, or egg production levels, use organic waste such as scraps from last night’s dinner. This organic waste provides your garden with essential nutrients like fertilizer, but with no adverse effects on the ecosystem.
Leave grass clippings behind
Save yourself the trouble of raking grass after cutting. Instead, leave it there to decompose. It ends up providing essential nutrients to your lawn, eliminating the need for fertilizers.
Avoid overwatering
Most of us, if not all, are guilty of overwatering our front and backyards during the scorching summer months. The reality is lawns need a lot of water, but simple tricks can help conserve precious H20.
Program your sprinkler system to power on at night. Why? During the nighttime, the air is cooler and less capable of absorbing moisture. During the daytime, much of the water evaporates even before it hits the ground.
To ensure that water reaches the roots, leave the sprinkler on for about ten minutes. This step ensures that the soil is wet enough to avoid watering every day. Employing these additional tactics could also come in handy in preserving this precious resource.
A. Collect rainwater
B. Install a drip irrigation system
C. Check your sprinkler regularly (to ensure water is directed on your landscape and not on the sidewalks)
In conclusion
A healthy environment is critical for all of Earth’s residents. Adopt the above strategies to reduce your carbon footprint and prevent unnecessary emissions during lawn care. Remember, a well-tended garden isn’t only aesthetically appealing but may be a lifesaver for local wildlife.
