Earth Friendly Tips For A Lush Lawn

(CBS)  The quest for the great American lawn hasn't always employed environmentally friendly techniques. Here are some tips from House & Garden Magazine that will keep your grass healthy and help you use less water, fertilizer and pesticide in the process.


Learn How to Mow

Don't overpower your lawn. Most small suburban yards are easily mowed with an electric mower like the Black & Decker Lawn Hog. It creates less noise and doesn't pollute like a gas mower.

Set your mower high - at 2.5 to 3.5 inches. This allows for more chlorophyll-forming leaf surface and the formation of deep, drought-resistant roots plus the extra shade will keep the soil moist.

Plant the Right Type of Grass

Look for drought-tolerant and slow-growing varieties that are suitable for the area in which you live.

Brands such as Turf Alive! III from Gardens Alive are good for the northern and middle states.

Bermuda Grass is more suitable for the southern states.

Control Weeds and Pests

Try to do this without chemicals (15 percent weeds looks like a normal lawn to most people.)

Uproot the most obvious problems with tools like the dandelion digger.

Use nematodes (beneficial worms) to control grubs and other pests.

Learn to Love a Lighter Shade of Green

Become less reliant on fertilizer (overfed lawns have more thatch.)

Feed your lawn in the spring or fall with a slow-release organic formula like Lawns Alive! from Gardens Alive!

Use Less Water

Frequent shallow watering encourages drought-sensitive roots to form near the surface.

Water when the grass begins to wilt, but irrigate for a longer period in cool morning hours.

Remember that most lawns can handle sustained droughts.

Discuss best and worst types of sprinklers.

Dethatch

Thatch is the buildup of dead roots.

It creates a barrier to water and nutrients-so it should be no more than half an inch deep.

Remove with a thatch rake for small areas or rent a dethatching machine for entire lawns.

Aerate:

Aerating is removing small plugs of soil from the lawn surface, allowing oxygen and water to travel to the roots.

Rent an aerating machine once or twice during the growing season.