Help the Bay in Your Backyard

We may think the actions we take in our yards are contained within our fences, but runoff from fertilizers, pesticides and pet waste collectively have a big impact on our local streams, creeks, rivers — and ultimately the Chesapeake. A healthy Bay begins in your backyard; so follow these tips to help clean the Bay, one yard at a time.

• Skip the spring fertilizer
• Conserve water
• Plant trees
• Landscape with native plants
• Reduce runoff
• Use pesticides carefully
• Compost fallen leaves
• Other tips for your backyard

Skip the Spring Fertilizer

While many of us think spring is the best time to start fertilizing our lawns, fall is actually the time of year when cool season grasses benefit most from fertilization. Heavy spring rains wash fertilizers off our lawns and into local waterways, where they can fuel the growth of algae that harms fish and blue crabs.

You can replace traditional springtime fertilizing with “grasscycling,” or leaving leftover grass clippings on your lawn after mowing. Grass clippings are a natural fertilizer that can reduce 25 to 50 percent of your lawn's nitrogen needs. Leaving grass clippings on your lawn also reduces bags needed to collect yard waste.

When you do fertilize, follow these tips to keep it Bay-friendly:

• Have your soil tested to determine how much fertilizer your lawn actually needs (if any at all) and the best time to apply it. Also, identifying your grass will help you understand how to properly care for it. For example, many cool season grasses, such as tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass, do best with a light fertilizer application in early fall.
• Follow manufacturer guidelines and only apply the amount of fertilizer that you need. Twice the product will not make your lawn twice as green!
• Keep fertilizer off hard surfaces like walkways, driveways and streets, where it will easily wash into storm drains and streams. If fertilizer falls on these hard surfaces, sweep it onto the lawn or scoop it up for later use.
• Do not apply fertilizer to swales or other drainage areas on your lawn.
• Never apply fertilizer to dormant lawns or on frozen ground.
• Do not use fertilizer as a de-icer.
• If you use a professional lawn care service, consider using one that follows the Chesapeake Club standards for fertilizer application (available in the Richmond, Hampton Roads and Washington, D.C. metro areas).
• Consider organic fertilizers, which typically release nutrients more slowly than synthetic fertilizers.

Conserve Water

The more water we use, the more that is dumped into our septic systems and sewage treatment plants, requiring more energy and costly upgrades over time. There are many simple ways you can help conserve water in your backyard:

• Water your lawn and garden in the early morning or early evening, and use a timer to shut off the water.
• Instead of sprinklers, use soaker hoses or drip irrigation to allow water to infiltrate into the ground.
• Install a rain barrel to capture water for your plants and garden.
• Use organic mulch around plants.
• Select native plants, which require less water. (See more below on using native plants.)
• Sweep walkways instead of using a hose or powerwasher.
• Cover your pool to keep the water clean and require fewer changes.

Check out this video to learn how installing rain barrels helps reduce pollution and save you money on water bills.

Plant Trees

Not only are trees beautiful, but they provide many environmental benefits, including:

• Reducing soil erosion and controlling runoff from your yard.
• Providing beneficial habitat and food for backyard birds, butterflies and animals.
• Cleaning drinking water by filtering polluted runoff.
• Cleaning and cooling our air and returning pure oxygen to the atmosphere.
• Buffering noise.

Landscape with Native Plants

Plants native to the Bay region are adapted to our soil, climate and pests and therefore require less watering, fertilizer, pesticides and overall maintenance. Native plants are also the best source of food and shelter for wildlife.

Learn what plant species are native to Maryland, Virginia and the entire Chesapeake Bay watershed. Then check out these sites for sources near you that offer native plants:

• Native Plant Nurseries in the Mid-Atlantic Region
• Pennsylvania Native Plant Sources
• List of Virginia Nurseries for Native Plants
• West Virginia Native Plants and Sources

Reduce Runoff

Most of the pollution to the Bay and its rivers comes from runoff: water that washes pollutants off the land and into storm drains and local water bodies. You can help reduce polluted runoff from your property by:

• Picking up after your pet, whether in your yard, on the sidewalk or in a park. It's a dirty job, but pet waste can contribute nutrients and bacteria to local water bodies, many of which provide drinking water to local communities.
• Fixing car leaks so engine fluids like oil and antifreeze don't run onto the ground.
• Washing your car on grass or gravel, rather than on pavement. The grass or gravel will absorb and filter soapy, grimy water.
• Planting a buffer or "fence" of trees and shrubs that will absorb water before it runs off your property.
• Installing rain barrels to catch gutter water that runs off your roof. This water can then be used to water plants and gardens.

Use Pesticides Carefully

Using chemical pesticides to control bugs and other pests can harm birds, amphibians, beneficial bugs and other Bay region wildlife.

Here's some tips on using pesticides in a Bay-friendly way:

• Make your own homemade pesticides and insect repellents using everyday household items like vinegar, cooking oil and garlic cloves.
• Use boiling water or other heat treatments on weeds, ant colonies and more.
• Use insecticidal soap to control plant-eating pests.
• Try pest control products that use safer, non-toxic ingredients. Many are just as effective as their toxic counterparts.
• Practice integrated pest management (IPM), a process that combines various management strategies (biological, cultural and chemical) into a comprehensive pest control program.
• Try botanical pesticides that break down faster than synthetics.
• If you must use pesticides with toxic ingredients, never buy or use more than you need and take care in their storage and disposal.

Compost Fallen Leaves

Instead of spending painstaking hours raking, blowing and bagging fallen leaves, try composting them instead. Making mulch from fallen leaves helps reduce polluted runoff to the Bay, since soil covered by composted mulch is less likely to erode and applying compost to yards and gardens reduces the need to fertilize.

Here's some tips to help you compost your leaves each fall:

• Shred leaves to reduce their volume and make them easier to mix when composting. Try raking leaves into small piles and shredding them into mulch with a regular lawn mower.
• Spread whole leaves around vegetable gardens, flower beds, bushes and trees. The leaves will contribute nutrients, form an insulating barrier and minimize moisture loss and damage from severe winter weather.
• Spread gathered leaves no more than 6 to 8 inches deep in a wooded area on your property.
• Save some leaves to add to your compost bin throughout the year. Store some in a garbage bag next to your bin, so every time you add kitchen scraps to the bin you can also throw on a handful of leaves.

If you haven't composted before, begin by understanding the basics of decomposition, aeration, moisture and more. Or check out local leaf composting programs by farmers and municipalities.

Other Tips for Your Backyard

• Start a kitchen scrap compost pile in a corner of your yard. By composting kitchen scraps rather than using a garbage disposal or throwing them away, you can create natural and beneficial soil conditioner that can be used as fertilizer for plants and gardens.
• Use electric lawn mowers and tools instead of gas-powered ones, which have inefficient engines that produce more pollution per hour than cars.
• Plant a diverse array of plants, trees and shrubs to encourage many species of wildlife.
• Decrease the amount of mowed lawn area by planting shrubs, trees or gardens, or by letting grass grow to become a meadow.
• Spread mulch on areas of bare ground to help prevent erosion and runoff.
• Make sure downspouts and sprinklers drain onto grass or gravel areas instead of driveways or sidewalks.
• Use porous surfaces, such as pavers that allow water to filter into the soil, instead of asphalt or other impervious surfaces for your driveway or patio.
• Apply only the recommended amount of salt de-icer to your steps and driveway. A little salt goes a long way: just one teaspoon of de-icer can pollute up to five gallons of water.