Green Options » yard

Get A Rain Barrel For Water’s Sake

Sonya — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 22:00:33 +0000

Do you have a rain barrel for your home?

More and more homeowners are using rain barrels to conserve water while collecting soft, non-chlorinated rainwater to nourish grass and plants.

This weekend, in Calgary, Canada, Clean Calgary Association, in partnership with the City of Calgary, will hold its 8th Annual Rain Barrel Sale.

With spring coming, local residents there are thinking about their lawns and gardens. Water usage in Calgary doubles in the spring and summer due largely to lawn irrigation.

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: 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.