Green Lawn Care

Posted by admin on May 12, 2009

It’s that time of the year…
start taking care of your lawn.

Raise your lawnmower’s height. Taking off more than 1/3 of the height of the grass at any one time will seriously hurt your lawn’s ability to photosynthesize. Leaving a taller lawn will not mean you have to mow more frequently. Like all plants, grass relies on its leaves to produce energy. When too much of that productive area is removed during mowing, the plant races to grow more.

Compost or mulch the grass clippings. Use the mower’s mulching setting to return extra nutrients to the lawn.

Control Irrigation. Install shut off devices that stop irrigation when it’s raining, or install a smart controller that waters according to local weather, soil conditions, and plant type. Also review sprinklers’ positioning and coverage quarterly, repairing any broken or leaking sprinkler heads. Reposition to eliminate runoff onto pavement.

Use an eco mower to mow the lawn. No gas, no noise. Just eco friendly way of mowing the grass.

Pull weeds by hand or mow over them frequently. Weeds, like grass, rely on sunlight for food. Frequently removing those leaves will hinder their ability to grow.

Consider some creative landscaping. While this doesn’t improve your lawn itself it can improve your landscaping and save you money time and is eco friendly. Planting native plants, especially those that use less water, will decrease the overall impact of your lawn-related activities. Rain gardens or grassy swales can help you reduce storm water runoff.You should also plant wildlife-friendly flower, fruit, and vegetable gardens.

Plant large trees. Planting deciduous, shade trees on the south and west side of the house can reduce summer cooling costs and lower energy consumption, which also translates into reduced carbon emissions. Trees are also valuable in shading paved areas to help reduce heat in your landscape. Shrubs and wildflowers can also provide food, shelter, and nesting sites for wildlife. Avoid planting invasive species.

Mowing Grass

Posted by admin on April 16, 2009

Today’s green tip is about your lawn and how you mow it.

I used to use an old reel mower when I had a lawn to cut even before “green” was the way of life.
The smell of gas makes me sick…migraine and stomach ache.
People used to comment and wonder why I’d use such an “old fashioned” way of mowing the grass, until I told them the benefits!
And, now it’s even better because companies like Eco Mowers have an easier to use reel mower than the clunker I used to use.

Did you know that if you use a reel mower you cut gas waste. Annually Americans use approximately 800 millions gallons of gas just mowing their lawn! Not to mention the countless gallons that people spill when filling their mowers.

Using a reel mower cuts down on air pollution. Regular gas mowers contribute to about 5% of the air pollution in the USA.

Reel mowers are silent, so don’t add to the noise pollution like gas mowers do.

You’ll burn more calories using a reel mower than a gas mower.

So, it’s a win win win situation.