Did you know that home lawns use 2.5 billion gallons of water and 3 million tons of fertilizers every year? Or that homeowners collectively use more pesticides than farmers? If you want to lower your environmental impact and have a home with a yard, yard care products are a great place to start.
Use the right organic and eco-friendly fertilizers, pest control, and herbicide products to transform your yard into a true green space. And the best part: these products are available online at retailers such as Golf Course Lawn Store.
Eco-Friendly Golf Course-Quality Lawn Fertilizing
The first key to eco-friendly fertilizing is to measure your soil’s nutrients and only fertilize if it shows a deficiency. Fertilizers stimulate plant growth by adding phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium to the soil. Leaching phosphorus from too much fertilizing is one of the main culprits behind water pollution and algae blooms.
If you need to fertilize, use a slow-release product so plants can prevent excess phosphorus from washing into the water system.
Organic fertilizers are made from plant and animal matter. These materials break down slowly, so plants absorb nutrients before more are released into the soil. This prevents leaching and supports more long-term soil health. Good options for organic fertilizers include:
- Compost
- Worm castings
- Bone Meal
- Manure
- Seaweed
- Blood meal
Use a Green Pest Management System
Chemical pesticides are great at killing off an infestation, but they’re a leading source of pollution and can devastate local pollinator populations. An (IPM) routine discourages pests by creating a naturally inhospitable environment. Create an IPM system with these tactics:
- Plant naturally pest-resistant grasses
- Aerate regularly to discourage fungus
- Remove pests’ sources of food and shelter
- Use live traps, netting, or fencing to prevent or remove pests
If you use IPM and still get an infestation, consider these environmentally friendly products:
- Neem oil
- Spinosad
- Pyrethrin
Controlling Weeds the Green Way
Pulling weeds by hand is the most eco-friendly way to control weeds. It will go easily if you get on top of it in the spring before roots have time to grow into the soil. Weed after it rains to take advantage of the softer soil.
If hand-pulling weeds isn’t a viable solution for you, there are good natural products to use. Shop a good online retailer such as Golf Course Lawn Store for the best availability. Good organic weed killers include:
- Corn gluten meal: Prevents weed germination while simultaneously adding nutrients to the soil.
- Vinegar dish soap solution: Mix vinegar, water, and dish soap and spray directly on weeds.
- Sun blocking: Cover especially stubborn weeds to prevent them from absorbing sunlight. Cover weeds in an opaque trash bag for several weeks to kill them off.
- Weeding tool: A weeding tool makes it much easier to pull weeds out by the root. Some options come with a long handle, reducing the need for bending or kneeling.
Starting an eco-friendly lawn takes time, effort, and dedication but the benefits are more than worth it. Using the right products and practices you can use less water and add less pollution to your local water sources.