There's a growing trend in this country toward less lawn, and there are some communities that will even pay you not to plant a traditional lawn. Instead, they encourage homeowners to use plants that don't require as much water, fertilizer and gas-powered maintenance.
The lawn is usually the most resource-consuming part of the landscape--not only in terms of the water and chemicals we pour on them but also in terms of the time we spend maintaining them.
But are lawns such a bad thing? Host Paul James doesn't think so. "I love lawns as much as the next person," he says, "but I do believe that they should be maintained in the most environmentally-friendly ways possible. In fact, I'd go so far as to suggest that the total elimination of lawns could actually lead to environmental disaster."
A mere 625 square feet of lawn provides enough oxygen for one person for an entire day, and a large lawn could help more than 100 people breathe easier. On a block of eight average homes, front lawns have the same cooling effect as 70 tons of air conditioning. Turf grasses absorb gaseous pollutants such as carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide, and trap an estimated 12 tons of dirt and dust that would be released each year into the atmosphere. A buffer zone of grass around buildings helps retard the spread of fires. Lawns also prevent soil erosion, reduce runoff and filters contaminants from rainwater. Lawns help keep our lakes and streams clean by filtering and purifying rainwater, and they do the job better than plants such as groundcovers or wildflowers.
But expending a lot of resources to maintain such a good thing is counterproductive. Here's how you can cut back on the time and resources you spend on your lawn:
- Water only when the lawn needs it--in most cases once a week--and deep soak each time you water to promote a healthy root system.
- Cut back on fertilizer from the recommended four or five applications a year to only one, ideally during the fall and preferably in the form of an all-natural slow-release product.
- Use a mulching mower, which saves time and also provides a significant amount of food for the lawn.
- Use compost as a means of feeding the lawn naturally.
- Don't use herbicides and other lawn chemicals. Instead, control weeds by hand and by cutting the lawn higher than usual but before weeds have a chance to set seed.
- Combat diseases through the use of beneficial bacteria and other organisms as well as compost. James encourages some weeds in the lawn to promote biodiversity.
Don't make the lawn the focal point of the landscape. Eliminating some portion of the lawn with island beds can enhance the look of the landscape and cut down on lawn-maintenance chores.
- First, check with friends who use lawn-care providers and find out if they're happy with the service they are getting.
- Look at their lawn to see if it looks good. If it doesn't, you might want to consider another company.
- After contacting a company, ask for a detailed list of services and costs; then, decide what you want them to do. If you tackle seasonal tasks such as fertilization and weed control, you only need this service to mow and trim each week through the growing season and maybe help with leaf removal.
- Make sure they understand how you want your lawn maintained---its mowing height, etc.
- Point out areas where they should be especially careful, such as round prized plants.
- Make sure they understand that you want paved areas cleaned when they are finished.
- Supervise all the work that's done and get a written estimate that includes all costs and the length of service.
- Ask about a renewal policy so that you will know from one year to the next if there will be any cost increases.
- Check their references and make sure they have insurance protection that meets state licensing requirements.
- Ask if they are a member of a professional lawn organization.
)
