Green Options » lawn

Water Wise Gardening

Megan Prusynski — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 12:00:21 +0000

With the economy on the downturn, more and more people are starting gardens to help ease grocery bills. Growing one’s own food is a step towards living sustainably, so this is great news. However, more gardens mean more water use, and 40% of water used during the summer is used outdoors. So, as you plan your garden this spring, be sure to keep water in mind and take measures to reduce water usage.

Reducing water usage in an organic garden not only conserves our most precious resource, it also lowers costs and in many cases, benefits the plants as well. By paying attention to how your garden is watered, you can be sure to give plants just the amount of water they need to thrive without overdoing it. Many of the water saving methods mentioned below also benefit the soil and enrich your garden in other ways. Water should be a key part of your garden planning from day one. Read on for ways to garden sustainably and save water.

Low Impact Living: Twelve Tips for Eco-Friendly Lawn Care

Low Impact Living — Mon, 12 May 2008 18:05:14 +0000

Editor’s note: While many will argue that there’s no such thing as an “eco-friendly lawn” (with justification), the grass covered yard is still a staple of most homes. Today, our friends at Low Impact Living have some tips for green grass care… This post was originally published on May 7, 2008.

Summer is just around the corner, and this is the time of year when we really ramp up our lawn activities– watering, fertilizing, mowing, etc. And all of these can have major negative environmental consequences. Did you know that over 50 million Americans mow their lawns each weekend, and contribute as much as 5% of the country’s air pollution? And it’s staggering to realize that the average American grassy lawn can use over 20,000 gallons of water each summer! So, a major part of any green home strategy should be to embrace eco-friendly lawn and garden care.

Here are 12 ways you can make sure you have an eco-friendly lawn this summer

1. Collect rain water and use it for your plants. Getting a rain barrel or two for your yard is a simple way to collect and reuse Mother Nature’s water. Just put it under your gutter’s down spout and you’ll be amazed how fast it fills up. Click here for rain barrels.

2. Make sure you’re not over-watering. Most of us over-water our lawns. Do you have moss growing on your driveway or sidewalk or in your garden? That’s a sign you’re watering too much. Do you have pools of standing water anywhere? Another sign. You can buy a very inexpensive lawn moisture meter that will tell you if you’re over-watering. You might also consider getting an intelligent irrigation control system that attunes your watering to the weather and your lawn’s needs.

Daily Tip: Water Your Lawn Smarter

Amy Stodghill — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 16:30:23 +0000

The key to a great lawn isn’t more water. In fact, excessive moisture can actually damage the roots of the grass. Keep your lawn healthy by watering less frequently, and keeping track of how much water your grass needs.

According to the U.S. EPA, healthy, established lawns need only about one inch of water per week. Watering once per week should be sufficient in getting to the deep roots of the grass, which frequent, lighter waterings can’t always do.

To gauge how much water your lawn is getting, place a container with a one inch indicator under the sprinkler flow on your grass. You can also determine if your grass needs watering by simply stepping on it. If the grass springs back easily, it has plenty of moisture. Another test is to push a screwdriver into your lawn. If it goes down several inches, you don’t need to water.

Watch the weather. If it has just rained, you probably won’t need to leave the sprinkler on: Mother Nature took care of the watering for you. If there’s rain in the forecast, hold off to see if the clouds will open up. Another way to take advantage of the rain is to install a rain barrel, or to reposition gutters and drains to flow onto your lawn rather than into the driveway or sidewalk.

Water in the early morning or evening. Evaporation rates are highest during the middle of the day and your lawn won’t get much. Morning watering will also reduce the load on public water supplies since peak demand is usually in the evening.

Don’t mow as often. Taller grass shades the soil surface, reduces evaporation and helps prevent the
sprouting of weeds. Taller grass with longer roots will tolerate dry
conditions better than shorter grass. Besides, you’re not putting on it, so why cut it shorter than two inches? And don’t mow during the heat of the day as newly cut grass blades lose water.

Don’t forget about the sprinkler. Perhaps the biggest waste of water is leaving the sprinkler on for too long, so don’t forget to the turn the water off. Or get a timed sprinkler that will automatically shut off for you. And make sure your sprinkler fits the shape of your yard. Adjust the flow or spray so that you’re not wasting water on decks or sidewalks.

Go native. Landscape your yard with grass species or native plants that require less water.

Learn to love brown. Brown lawns don’t necessarily mean dead lawns, especially if your lawn is normally a mean, green machine. So if your area is under temporary water restrictions, relax. It’ll be okay for a couple of weeks.

Tip o’ the Day: Go Native!

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 14:25:49 +0000

A couple of weeks ago, Rebecca introduced us to "safe lawn" methods: you can grow a traditional grass lawn with organic practices, making the whole process quite a bit greener. Another alternative (which she mentioned in that tip) is the use of native grasses and plants in place of more commonly-planted varieties. Native grasses require less water and fertilizer to establish and maintain; they also often don't require cutting, so you can just leave that gas-powered mower in the shed or garage.

The Brooklyn Botanical Garden has published a number of selections from Stevie Daniels' Easy Lawns that show homeowners around the US how to replace more popular grasses (which are often imports from Africa, Asia and Europe) with indigenous varieties. Depending on where you live, you may have several options available: buffalograss, sedges, and fescues are among the most popular native grasses, and most are indigenous to many areas of the country.

Of course, each grass will have specific requirements for optimal growth. Buffalograss, for instance, is a summer growth grass, so it doesn't need to be planted until late April. Fescues, on the other hand, are cool-season grasses, and will do better in early Spring; according to Daniels, they stay green longer into the Fall, and some varieties are even evergreen.

Native grasses will often produce a look that's a bit different from the traditional "manicured lawn"; that doesn't mean, though, that they're unattractive. Most can be cut, but don't necessarily need it: buffalograss, for instance, grows 3-8 inches in height.

Jeff says: I'm giving buffalograss a try this year in my backyard. I plan to dig up what remain of my very pathetic bluegrass lawn, and plant the native seeds later this month. I'll publish occasional posts on my success (or lack thereof) with this approach.

Tip o’ the Day: A “Reel” Green Lawn

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 13:56:50 +0000

Editor's note: Rebecca's taking the week off to attend the New York International Auto Show, so several of us will be filling in for her.

Spring is here officially, and for many homeowners, that means its time to start thinking about the lawn. As you consider your approach to keeping the grass green, we hope you'll incorporate some greener methods of doing it!

Did you know, for instance, that a 2001 Swedish study showed that “Air pollution from cutting grass for an hour with a gasoline powered lawn mower is about the same as that from a 100-mile automobile ride.” Homeowners cranking up those gas powered machines on the weekends may create as much as 5% of the nation's air pollution.

There are alternatives, though. Electric mowers don't spew emissions themselves; of course, emissions likely do come from the power plants producing the electricity, so they may only be marginally better. Solar-powered mowers are on the market, but you'll pay a premium for them. The best (and cheapest) alternative: an old-fashioned, human-powered reel mower. These may not be practical for a really big yard, but for smaller and medium-sized lawns, they'll cut as well as a mower powered by an engine, and give you a bit more exercise in the process.

Of course, there are other options that keep you from having to mow. More on those later in the week.

Jeff says: I've been using a reel mower for five years now on my small, urban yard, and love it. It cuts well, and takes no more time than a power mower. And, I spend nothing on gas or maintenance.

Tip o’ the Day: The New “Green” Grass

Rebecca Carter — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 13:54:08 +0000

It's officially spring, and that means that those of you in the chilly parts of the country are starting to think about that big green expanse that covers all of the area around your house: your lawn. Having a beautiful green lawn has been a detrimental trend in terms of the environment, with residents placing toxic chemicals onto the ground and spending excessive amounts of water to keep it green. Then we cut the grass and bag up the clippings to throw away in the trash. While many may argue that we should get rid of lawns altogether and instead plant native plants all around to provide a habitat for local wildlife (we love this idea), there are ways to have a lawn and "be green."

Enter SafeLawns.org, a campaign to raise awareness & educate on "alternative" lawn care techniques run by a coalition of for-profit businesses and non-profit organizations. The site features weekly video "how-to" tips from HGTV's Paul Tukey. Each episode is between 2 and 8 minutes long and walks you through how to tend your lawn organically.

The first thing Paul recommends is to go organic with your lawn cold turkey. Don't try to phase in the organic over time. Being that it is spring right now, we recommend that you start off watching the "Spring Evaluation" video as well as the "Organic Lawn Care Recap" which runs through 12 basic steps for an organic lawn.

One of the first things you'll need to do, before preparing to apply any fertilizer (organic lawns = organic fertilizer), is get a soil test. It makes sense, really. How will you know what to do if you don't know where you are starting from? You'll need to take several samples across your property, digging 3-6 inches deep on each. About a 1/2 cup of soil will do for each sample. Watch "The Soil Test" video on SafeLawns.org, and then do a quick internet search for "soil test" and your state name. You'll quickly find out who can test your soil locally.

So this year, Paul Tukey says go cold turkey (does anyone else find that funny?), and go organic with that lawn.

Rebecca says: As a condo-dweller, this is all a little foreign to me. Organic lawns are important, and not just for the families in that home, but for the entire community.

Want to hear a tip on a certain topic? Have a tip to share? Suggest a tip and you may just see it soon as a Tip o' the Day!

No More Chemicals! Eco-Friendly Weed Control For Your Lawn!

Michael dEstries — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 13:09:55 +0000

Growing up, my neighbor's grass always looked immaculate and green compared to my parent's more natural variety. His triumph in the looks department, however, came at a terrible expense to the environment as he regularly used chemicals each spring to control weeds and pests.

Anyone who has ever witnessed this can remember the little yellow flags that spell toxic gloom to anyone looking to relax on the grass. Chemical warfare on our lawns (as well as those that happen on farms) is simply an easy solution that does more harm than good. Thankfully, there's an organic alternative that could replace those harsh chemicals and it's something you can make at home this spring.

It's called Corn Gluten meal, and is a pre-emergent herbicide that is a natural byproduct of the corn milling process. It controls the weed population by inhibiting the sprouting of seeds. It’s effective when applied 4 to 6 weeks before weed germination. Since it contains 10% nitrogen by weight, it also makes a great fertilizer for your lawn or flower bed.

The site, Stella's Yard, has some great descriptions regarding the various forms Corn Gluten meal comes in. They also offer some advice on effective use, especially since the meal only inhibits the germination of new seeds and does not retard the growth of established plants. For that, the old vinegar and lemon juice attack might be your best bet.

With a bit of research, you can find some recipes online and also check out your local garden center for some ingredients. In the process, you'll save some cash on hiring a chemical company to do the dirty work, help the environment, and still have that glowing green lawn to show off to your neighborhood. Of course, this time, be sure to share your environmentally-friendly secret!

Source: Earth-Friendly Weed Control For Your Lawn Or Garden