The Lawn Dilemma
So you can't bring yourself to do 100% xeriscape? Here are some ecofriendly and lawn-friendly tips.
I have wonderful dreams of taking out the lawn and filling the yard with sage, bitterbrush, native wildflowers and vegetables. Then I look out the window at my husband playing with the dog on the grass and I think, "I just can't rip it all up."
So—how can you keep some lawn while limiting your impact on the environment?
1) Use less (or no) fertilizer. If you live in old neighborhoods, you likely don't need to fertilize your lawn at all. Overusing fertilizer pollutes our rivers and streams. The Boise River's number one pollution problem is related to fertilizer.
2) Recycle your clippings. We use a push mower and leave the clippings on the lawn. It keeps the moisture in, provides nutrients for the grass and looks great.
3) Spot weed. If your grass is not overrun by weeds, you can either handpull them (I know...) or spot spray if necessary.
Sara Cohn
Community Conservation Associate
