Natural Lawn Care
For some reason, the green lawn has come to be a symbol of middle class and higher North American living. It seems like many of us are willing to take the strangest measure and sacrifice a lot in order to get that spot of green in front of our homes. Just take a look at many of the houses in the state of Arizona a decade or so ago: green lawns in a state that only gets rain for an average of one month every year means a high water cost and a very regulated schedule.
Today, the attitude about a green lawn is changing somewhat across the country, including in Arizona. The high cost of creating and maintaining that perfect emerald color, as well as the many chemicals that must be used in order to keep it looking that way, have made this symbol somewhat impractical. More and more people are turning to natural methods of lawn care to keep their green space green, or are just accepting the beauty of naturally occurring vegetation.
If you do live in a hot, dry climate such as those found in the western states, it is important to really take a look at how much a green lawn means to you. Not only will creating this space costs a lot of money, it might also begin to attract pests which were not present before. Staying with natural vegetation, or grasses suited to the climate, is a great way to cut down on costs as well as pests without resorting to chemical treatments which will probably damage your soil.
Though not as apparent as in the arid regions of the country, certain types of grasses and plants will do much better in some areas than in others. When you are planning for that green lawn, it’s important to incorporate these species into the overall scheme.
Treating your lawn for pests or to make it grow with chemicals is always a bad idea, and there are many natural ways to make sure that your lawn stays healthy. Using manure instead of chemical fertilizer, for example, will keep your garden fed without leaching away the soil qualities.
Pests such as beetles can be dealt with by applying a natural soap solution spray to your lawn, while vertebrate pests such as moles and gophers can also be dealt with without having to use toxic chemicals; we take a look at that in more depth in a separate article.
We can all have a green lawn in front of our houses, it just depends on the amount of time and the color of green that you want. The fact is that in most areas of the country, lawns cannot possible stay green for even half of the year naturally. It’s important to address our thinking when it comes to the color of the front lawn, and to be willing to put in a little extra work instead of relying on harmful, though easy, chemical treatments.