As the weather warms, parties move outside. No one wants to show off a patch of yellowing lawn (or clover, in my case), but there are some simple ways to make your garden more environmentally friendly without detracting from its beauty.
Keep an eye on the weather forecast, and flip your sprinklers off it looks like rain. This may not apply so much in the summer, but it can save gallons of precious snow melt in the winter. Another easy way to keep your water bill down is by planting native plants that naturally need less. If you want to freshen up your landscaping anyway, try using native plants like succulents instead of thirsty pansies.
One particularly easy way to minimize water use is by letting your lawn grow longer. Most types of grass are at their prime when they’re at least 2 ½ inches tall. Longer blades means more surface area to absorb sunlight, and more energy to help the roots grow. When grass has longer roots it can absorb more water, so less is wasted when it rains or the sprinklers turn on. Plus, this means mowing less frequently. When you do mow, however, it’s a good idea to leave the grass clippings on the lawn. Although they might look funky for a day or two, they decompose into the soil, making it richer to support more grass growth. This also means you don’t have to use synthetic fertilizer. Polluted runoff from man made fertilizer causes problems with oxygen content in nearby streams, and upsets the ecosystem.
By simply watering only when you need to, letting your lawn grow, and leaving clippings to act as natural fertilizer, your garden can help you make a smaller impact on the environment.
