The charm of having a yard is being able to retreat into your own organic oasis: You step into nature and enjoy its natural beauty. To honor the living and growing ecosystem right outside your front door, it’s important to operate within the system — not introducing harsh chemicals or foreign substances.
There are multiple ways to harness the power of nature to fix common lawn care problems. Here are five solutions.
- Grow the Appropriate Grass
It might look all the same to you, but there are many varieties of grass. You’ll need to plant the grass that suits your region and yard conditions.
Be sure to know what your options are. Know what amount of sun, moisture and shade the grass will get, as well as foot traffic.
- Mow a Little At a Time
Don’t wait for your lawn to grow long and unmanageable before you get out the lawn mower. Help it to grow strong and lush by giving the grass a trim often. When the leafy tip of the grass blades are snipped, the grass is stimulated to replace it.
While you’re at it, ditch the gas or powered lawn mower in favor of a push reel mower. This saves you money on gas or your next power bill. It also cuts down on air and noise pollution. Also, you won’t need to go to the gym, because pushing the mower will give you great exercise.
- Deal With Dandelions
These hardy, yellow-flowered weeds can invade your lawn and not want to leave.
To begin with, don’t allow these pesky plants to go to seed — you’ll need to cut off the yellow flowers before they bloom. This prevents seeds from scattering across your lawn and growing even more dandelions to contend with.
It might seem tempting to get out the weed killer to spray on weeds, but think twice. Just because you apply the herbicides to one plant doesn’t mean it will stay put. The lawn is part of a bigger ecosystem.
To kill weeds naturally, you need to get into the dirt and pull out as much of the root as possible. Once you’ve done that, boil the kettle and pour hot water into the hole to help kill whatever you weren’t able to get out.
- Opt for Natural Fertilizers
Every season, consider re-energizing your lawn with fertilizer. Avoid chemical-laden fertilizers and use stuff that you can actually pronounce. Or you can use basic compost that you make on your own or purchase.
Spread a half-inch of compost across the lawn. This will add essential organic matter to the soil and inject it with beneficial bacteria, algae and fungi.
- Limit How Much You Water
Lawns are thirsty creatures — to be kept green and lush, grass requires approximately an inch of water per week. Mother Nature doesn’t supply that much moisture naturally, so it needs to be augmented.
To make the most of the water you add, make sure to apply water in the morning as this prevents the moisture from evaporating in hot temperatures.
Working with the natural balance of the plants in your yard will be safe for the wildlife as well as children and pets. You won’t need to worry about them coming into contact with any dangerous or poisonous chemicals. Work with what Mother Nature gives you, and you’ll enjoy a healthy and hearty lawn.
