Greenscaping for a Beautiful Lawn and Garden
By John Butler
If you are like me, you want a beautiful lawn and garden that are inexpensive and easy to maintain. Greenscaping allows you to do just that while reducing harmful effects on the environment. Greenscaping uses simple measures that help you practice responsible lawn and garden care.
First, get to know your lawn and garden. Different grasses and other plants grow well in different environments. Research native plants that will flourish where you live. Your local nursery or County Extension Service likely can help.
Don’t water your lawn or garden in the evening. Dampness overnight can encourage disease. Whenever possible, water in the early morning before 10 a.m. This will help prevent the grass and plants from drying out during the day.
Long, deep watering is better than short, frequent watering because it encourages strong, deep roots. An easy test is to walk on your lawn. If you see footprints, it needs watering. One inch of water per week is sufficient. And remember, during drought conditions, letting the lawn go dormant is okay – it will recover.
Weeds in the lawn raise your dander? Here is a quick trick: simply raise your mower height. Three inches is ideal and leads to stronger roots and a more lush lawn. As a true greenscaper, I leave the grass clippings on the lawn after mowing. This can save water and money, and reduce the need for fertilizers and weed killers.
As for pesticides, don’t assume that you need them just because you see a bug. Some bugs are not harmful. Here again, your local nursery or County Extension Service can likely provide guidance. Always consider natural products for pest problems before choosing a chemical solution. If you do need to use pesticides, absolutely make sure you read the label and apply accordingly.
Incorporating these simple practices into your lawn and garden care can make a big difference for the environment and can save you money.
To get the rest of the dirt on Greenscaping go to: http://www.epa.gov/wastes/conserve/tools/greenscapes. You can also listen to our podcast at: http://www.epa.gov/region03/multimedia/playercontents/audio/Greenscaping2.html. And, to learn more about integrated pest management go to: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/ipm.htm.
About the author: John Butler is the Regional Pesticide Expert for EPA’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Office in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Aug 06, 2013 @ 23:49:11
So great, thanks. I want a beautiful lawn and garden that are inexpensive and easy to maintain.
Aug 07, 2013 @ 07:26:24
The Good Force be with you!
Excellent, John! Keep it up!
Live forever & prosper!
Aug 07, 2013 @ 07:31:08
Nice post.. I love to do gardening so your post give so many new ideas and measures for doing gardening in a perfect way. I got very informative resource by exploring your site. I like these measures which will reduce the harmful effects on environment and make safe. Thanks
Aug 07, 2013 @ 09:37:27
Excellent tips. Simple things really do make a big difference. Thanks!
Aug 07, 2013 @ 15:00:29
The author lives in Pennsylvania, a state which receives plentiful rain. In the majority of the USA, where water is less abundant, lawns are outdated and simply a waste of water and energy (15% of our energy is used to move water). Unless a lawn can grow without watering it (except maybe for a few times a year), then local or drought tolerant plantings are the smarter and sustainable way to landscape. Water is too precious to waste.
Aug 08, 2013 @ 10:47:20
thank you
Sep 07, 2013 @ 04:54:44
You have done a great job. The tips you have given on maintenance of garden are very good.
Dec 06, 2013 @ 00:11:47
Great garden tips. Perhaps bring your children out with you when tending the garden, not just for life skills of keeping their own one day, but also to help them respect where they live, and to nurture instead of destroy. The garden makes it real to them.
Sep 07, 2016 @ 14:06:25
thanks for this amazing tips, great stuff here. Recently we played in our football field during rain and we ruined our field. Trying to recover it badly.