When many homeowners begin thinking about what to look for in a landscaping company, they consider factors like cost, reviews, services offered, and timelines. What too many neglect tSustainable lawn care services are a fairly new offering that make a huge difference not only for your home, but for the earth.
In and of itself, landscaping helps conserve resources. Trees reduce attic temperatures as much as 40 degrees in the summer and can help reduce energy costs by providing shade. Sustainable landscaping goes much further than that, however. Many sustainable landscaping providers use organic lawn care products and techniques that are better for the environment and better for you.
Hiring organic landscapers is a great option, but if you’re feeling a little strapped for cash, organic lawn care can be DIY-ed. Here are our tips for organic lawn care that you can do yourself.
- Mow High When you mow the lawn, set the mower as high as it will go, which is usually about three or four inches. This is essential because it allows the grass to provide its own weed protection. Think of weeds and grass as being in a continual fight for sunlight. Whoever wins will shade the other, essentially destroying its foe. Grass will only shade the weeds if it’s tall enough and will even aid in the destruction of new weed seedlings.
- Conserve Water Only water your lawn when the grass is showing signs of drought, and then water it deeply. Put a cup in your sprinkler zone and use the sprinkler until the cup is holding at least an inch of water. Watering less frequently forces your grass roots to go deeper into the soil, even deeper than most weed roots. When the top inches of soil begin to dry out, the weeds will die, and the grass will enjoy the deeper moisture.
- Fertilize Organically You’ll know you need fertilizer if you see legumes like clover and medic taking over your lawn. They get their nitrogen from the air and don’t need it from the soil, so they tend to infest nitrogen-poor lawns. If you need fertilizer, pick up a little organic fertilizer and sprinkle half of what the package recommends at the beginning of spring and the fall. If you’re in very serious need, use a third of the recommended amount every three weeks in the spring and the fall.
When you do need to hire a professional, look for an organic lawn care team who can help you care for your lawn and care for the earth. Otherwise, keep these principles in mind for a happy, healthy lawn. Continue reading here: desantislandscapes.com