Cougars Go Green
Lawn care and warmer weather go hand-in-hand. Here are a few sustainable, eco friendly tips for you to consider:
1. Natural weed control: One way to kill weeds is simply to douse them with this common household staple. Specifically, it’s the content of acetic acid in vinegar that acts as a natural weed killer; therefore, the higher the concentration, the more effective it will be! Regular vinegar has about 5% acetic acid and will work well on weeds that are just starting to grow, but stronger vinegars, such as pickling vinegar, consist of about 9% acetic acid and will do well against more stubborn weeds. Ants are specifically known to dislike the scent of vinegar, so if you find yourself dealing with an ant problem, vinegar is an easy fix. Not only is using vinegar as a weed killer or ant deterrent natural and eco-safe, but it is also an inexpensive solution as well.
2. Skip the bag: Leaving cut grass and leaves on your lawn is a perfectly viable option to reduce the negative consequences of yard waste. It helps limit the resources spent to collect and commercially compost yard waste, making it an environmentally friendly way to maintain your yard. It also allows your lawn to organically feed itself by putting water and nitrogen back into the soil, all while cutting down on your own time and effort.
Mow Tall: Taller grass produces a deeper root system that uses water and fights diseases more efficiently. It also helps cut down on weeds. Ideally, set your blade at the highest setting and cut no more than 1/3 of the grass length.
Leave it on the Lawn: Allow clippings to settle naturally into the soil to serve as an organic fertilizer. If clippings are long or thick, you can use a rake to spread it out evenly throughout the yard.
Once a pattern of clippings reuse is established over several seasons, the lawn turfgrass system will become more self-sustaining and will likely require less investment in fertilizers and water than you may have used prior to recycling. Help yourself and the environment by leaving it on the lawn!
