One aspect of home maintenance that homeowners often forget is the outdoors. To them, the lawn and other surroundings are part of the natural world. This means they should be able to take care of themselves. Unfortunately, your lawn is an artificial construct and it needs a bit of help to stay in good condition. But it is possible to make it more sustainable. This can greatly reduce the need for its maintenance which can only benefit you. Here are some things you can do to update your lawn.
Take A Closer Look At Your Lawn
Before anything, you should do some research on your lawn. If you plan to make any changes to your lawn, you need to be sure it is the right change. Several factors will affect the possible upgrades you will make. One of them is the climate. This can be essential in knowing what sort of plants could thrive on your lawn. For example, you need to learn how wet it can get in your region. A dry location will need hardier plants while a more humid climate may need you to have water-absorbent plants to help with the drainage. Other factors include sun exposure, soil quality, and more. The important thing is that you know your lawn’s conditions for plant growth.
Look At Grass Alternatives
The no-mow movement is a great example of how you can reduce the maintenance of your lawn. Followers of this movement do not use the usual turf grass that you find on lawns all over the county. This is mainly because, despite its bright green color, it is not part of a sustainable environment. It provides no shelter to natural pollinators and can be harmful to the environment. The movement looks at several alternatives to the cultured turf grass that you might use. The simpler options are either naturalized turf grass or low-growing ones that don’t reach high.
More natural replacements are local plant varieties. For example, if you are in a dry region, planting succulents can be a reasonable choice. This is better since they need so little water. For other regions, you might consider creeping perennials like thyme and creeping Jenny. You might even consider covering a small portion of the yard with herbs.
Lose A Part Of The Lawn
You might want to sacrifice a part of the lawn. Letting your entire lawn be full of grass is an unreasonable expectation. If you want a more sustainable approach for your yard, throw in a few different plants. For example, you can consider adding some shrubbery and decorative plants for your yard. This provides you an area of color in your yard.
But you can also put the area to good use. Instead of decorative plants, you might want to plant vegetables and fruits. This can provide you with a source of food. The great thing about this is that some plants can enrich the soil. Radishes, peas, and beans all enrich the soil greatly.
Make The Soil Come Alive
Fertilizers are nice but using them can lock you into regular usage. A better option would be to enrich the soil more naturally. If you’re starting the changes, then getting some good soil for your lawn. If you want to prepare your yard to be more self-sustaining, then a better layer of soil can help with that. It should be easy to find high-quality topsoil for sale. Healthy topsoil can make the perfect base for growth. But you can help it along by applying mulch and compost. These are much better than chemical fertilizers.
Let Nature Take Its Course
Many homeowners who are excited about the idea of a sustainable yard might make the mistake of expecting quick results. The problem with this is that these changes don’t have an immediate effect. The better choice would be to let nature alone and give it some help as these changes are made. This may take a couple of years. This is the amount of time for your yard to develop the natural changes that will sustain it. Allow plants to arrive naturally and ensure that invasive plants will not stay. Be diligent and you can expect great results.
Letting nature pick up the slack when it comes to lawn maintenance is a smart move. Natural processes can be more effective than any artificial change you can make. All the help that you need to do is to keep things irrigated. With a sustainable approach, you can get a great looking yard for the fraction of the cost in money and effort.