As a locally-owned business, we are fully committed to providing quality lawn care services. Even if all you need is for your lawn to be aerated in Shoreview or a hedge to be trimmed in Brooklyn Park, we are always a call away.
Each weekend over 50 million Americans mows their lawn. This takes up to around 800 million gallons of gas each year. According to statistics, gas mowers represent an estimate of 5% air pollution in the U.S alone.
How you take care of your lawn can have an impact on the amount of waste your home produces, Minnesota's air pollution, and water quality. It is hard to determine the exact amount of waste an average American household produces. That's why, as a lawn care company, we have put together a few eco-friendly lawn care tips that might help you reduce your carbon footprint without compromising on the quality of your lawn.
13% of all the waste thrown away into the garbage in Minnesota constitutes yard waste and food waste. On average, homeowners nationwide use approximately ten times more pesticides and chemical fertilizers per acre than farmers use on their entire farmland. Activities such as irresponsible lawn watering end up wasting a large amount of water, while gasoline-powered mowers, leaf blowers, and weed cutters cause noise and air pollution. In fact, a lawnmower powered by a two-cycle engine spews the same amount of exhaust a car would after being driven for 350 miles.
There are ways you can take good care of your lawn and still produce very little waste. The truth is that you don't need so many chemicals to keep your lawn looking all green and lush. At Lawn Love, we always recommend using a smarter lawn care and maintenance methods rather than relying on the heavy use of herbicides and pesticides. These methods include:
Fertilize, Mow, and Rake responsibly
Mow your lawn grass at the recommended height (2 ½ to 3 Inches)
This is probably one of the most important tips when it comes to maintaining a healthy lawn. By mowing at the recommended height, your grass will be able to establish a better root system that's more drought-resistant. Furthermore, taller grass helps shade the soil surface as a way of out-competing the weeds.
Sharpen your mower's blade
To ensure clean cuts, sharpen the mower blade since a dull mower blade will only rip and tear the grass, making it vulnerable to diseases as opposed to a healthy clean cut.
Test the soil
You should test your soil at least once every two years in order to determine the appropriate mixture of fertilizer you need for your lawn.
Aerate your lawn
To combat soil compaction and thatch build-up, you should aerate your lawn since it will also help in the build-up of healthier root systems by increasing the amount of air, water, and nutrients available to your root system.
Use weeds as health indicators
It's easy to understand what's wrong with your lawn by observing the weeds that are growing; for example, if you notice plantain, it indicates that the soil is poorly drained or compacted, whereas dandelions indicate that the grass is too thin.
Lawn Mower alternatives
As we mentioned earlier, 5% of U.S air pollution is contributed by gas-powered mowers, and then there is noise pollution. Here are a few alternatives to your gas-powered lawnmower:
Electric lawnmower
An electric lawnmower is more eco-friendly than its gas-powered counterparts. Its benefits include not consuming oil or gas, operation cost savings, and green energy; some people even suggest it's even much easier to use.
Push Mowers
Also referred to as reel mowers, they are much more efficient to use as compared to the gas-powered counterparts.
The right time to apply
Fall fertilizer
The best time to apply fertilizer is between the months of September and November since this timing helps promote healthy spring growth.
Weed Control
Keeping in mind that the best weed control method maintains a healthy lawn, September is the appropriate time to treat plantain, dandelions, creeping Charlie, and any other perennial broadleaf weeds.
Topdressing
The top dressing allows you to fertilize less since it helps create more nutrient-rich soil and reduces your lawn's water dependency, making it more resistant to drought and diseases.
Seed
The best time to sow some fresh seeds is in fall since it allows the grass seed to establish itself when the temperatures are still mild. However, if you sow your seeds in the fall, you should be careful not to spread pre-emergent since it will kill off the seed by preventing it from germinating.
Are You Ready To Turn Your Lawn Dreams into a Reality?
As one of the leading lawn care companies in Minnesota, we are proud to provide you with a customized lawn care service that fits your specific lawn care needs. Go ahead and give us a call today.
