Benefits of Natural Yard Maintenance

Relaxing outside with family and friends is one of the best benefits of owning a home. Listening to your neighbors’ earsplitting weed whackers and mowers, however, is one of the downsides. Pouring money and time into your own mower, weed whacker, leaf blower, and all the other machines in the shed can be even worse. Fortunately, natural methods not only save you time and money, it’s often better for your yard.

Go Natural

Weeds quickly take over if left unchecked in your yard or in the cracks of sidewalks and driveways. A weed whacker will only cut the tops off these invaders. Commercial weed killers are effective, but expensive and potentially hazardous, so it’s best to go simple and organic to eradicate unwanted plants.

A simple hoe, for instance, will remove those weeds easily and permanently, without damaging the surrounding grass. For hard to reach spots like the driveway cracks, use a bucket of hot water and vinegar. While it may take a few applications, this treatment is easy, inexpensive, and chemical free.

Help Your Lawn Help Itself

Don’t fall for those summer TV commercials that tell you a beautiful lawn requires thousands of dollars in chemicals and equipment. Your local, professional landscaper can offer great tips for simple, effective, natural yard maintenance, including these:

• Mow regularly. Many lawn grasses reproduce by sending out side shoots, and mowing regularly with freshly sharpened blades encourages this, producing a thicker, healthier lawn. For smaller spaces, switching to a manual push mower will not only save you gas, it gives you a good workout, and is friendlier to the environment, too.
• Don’t short yourself. It’s tempting to cut shorter and therefore less frequently, but scalped grass can get scorched in a heat wave, and it won’t stand a chance against weeds in that condition. Most grass varieties are healthiest at about three inches tall or even, a little longer during drought conditions.
• Reconsider chemicals. Herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers often do more harm than good, and cost you money doing it. Weeds are best prevented by good lawn practices, and more safely dealt with by hand. Likewise, fertilizer should be used sparingly, as it’s also feeding those weeds.
• Mulch is your friend. Trees, borders, and flower beds can all be made healthy, happy and weed-free with a good thick layer of mulch. They’ll need less water too, saving more money, and will have protection from unexpected frosts. To maximize weed prevention, layer old newspapers underneath.

Yards will occasionally face greater challenges such as moles, prolonged drought, or scars from heavy vehicles. In these cases, calling a professional landscaping company can solve your problem far more efficiently and cost-effectively than trying to manage on your own. Asking their advice on good lawn maintenance methods can keep costs down, and maximize the help they provide.