Lawn Composition: Animals, Recycling, and Compost, Oh My!

Ladybugs--who are attracted to sunflowers and marigolds, among other common plants--and ground beetles eat certain kinds of aphids which can be harmful to garden or lawn vegetation. Additionally, hanging bird feeders and nesting boxes can attract birds who can take care of pesky caterpillars and slugs. What this adds up to is a mitigation of the need or want to use harmful pesticides to take care of bug problems that one might encounter. Plus, those who employ the above methods gain the added benefit of a lively atmosphere around their lawn and garden!

Recycling is a good way to reduce one’s contribution to manufacturing processes that put harmful chemicals in the atmosphere. One way to decorate a lawn or garden is to re-use salvaged items, such as glass bottles, wooden pallets, and empty containers. In many instances, recycling itself is a manufactured process because of the need to clean and sanitize materials, so re-purposing items before they even need to be recycled circumvents the need for this process altogether, and it lends a very unique look to the lawn.

Composting is a natural and efficient way to fertilize lawns, plus it provides a self-contained method of recycling one’s own organic material. Be careful of the items used for compost, as meat or bones could attract unwanted pests or rodents! Composting eggshells, vegetables and fruits, coffee grounds, and weeds then using it as a natural fertilizer aids soil by aerating it, supplementing it with nutrients, and helping it retain moisture. 

These are just a few tips to go green in gardens and lawns. There are many other ways to reduce one’s own impact on the environment by simply considering and researching simple ideas like the ones described here. 

Water, mow, fertilize....the right way to do it.

ECOPOL put out a survey a few weeks back and 3/4's of our readers believe that lawns should be managed. If that is the way we feel then we should be managing our lawns in way that is environmentally conscious. In researching this project we came across this amazing article by Consumer Reports that illustrates how to properly engage in lawn care.

The article highlights how to properly water you lawn and garden, which include tips around how often and when. We need to reimagine our relationship with water, if we believe our lawns should be managed, then we have to manage our water usage.

The article also discusses the facts around fertilizers and the different kinds which include organic, and slow and fast release fertilizers.

The last point the article touches on is mowing tips which include how often, how high, and which mower to use.

Use this link to read this article and watch a very informative video that is posted on the link.

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2013/07/essential-lawn-care-tips/index.htm

Recycle the Clippings

We are talking about the impacts that lawns and landscaping continue to have on the environment and it goes beyond your front lawn. As someone who used to live on the coast, I love the beaches and the ocean. But did you know that even leaving your grass clippings out instead of recycling them can have harmful effects on both the atmosphere and the water quality near your home. Grass clippings release carbon when they decompose which just get released into the atmosphere. Also, when you recycle grass clippings, it reduces the amount of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer, which is good for coastal towns because the excess nitrogen is a major source of pollution. The excess nitrogen also helps those algae grow in the summers, which prohibits anyone from being able to swim in the ocean. Even if people don’t stop landscaping and tending their lawns, there are ways for each and every person to help the environment a little more, even if it simply using less water or recycling those darn grass clippings. For more information, check out this site.