Walk into any supermarket, hardware, store, or general store and you will usually see shelves loaded with fertilizer, pest control
, pesticides, etc. The list goes on and on. People are, however, focusing more and more on health issues from looking for natural ways to encourage a healthy lawn to washing fruit thoroughly before eating.
How many times have you set your lawnmower at its lowest setting to cut your grass as short as possible? You are doing this for basically two reasons: cutting less often and shaving off those unsightly weeds, right?
Did you know that shorter grass encourages weed growth? If you will adjust your mower blades to around 3 inches and make sure they are sharpened, you will actually discourage weed growth and pests! Instead of raking the grass clippings, leave them unless they are very long. They actually work as a natural fertilizer.
It makes since that the more grass coverage you have, the less weeds there are to deal with. Keeping that in mind in the spring and fall, sprinkle grass seeds liberally on bare areas in your yard, so that you choke out any unwanted weeds. You will need to first loosen the soil and spread some type of organic filler like peat moss. Make sure you walk over the area that you have just seeded to flatten the seeds into the earth. If you know a good rain is on the way, this would be the perfect time to plant and then let the rain wash the seeds into the earth.
If you are having a fungus problem, look in your kitchen cabinet or pantry for the answer. Vinegar has so many uses and killing fungus is one of them. Add about 3 or 4 tablespoons per gallon of water and use a sprayer to cover problem areas. Water your lawn in the early morning hours. If you wait till the cool of the evening, the water will not have the opportunity to go through its natural evaporation process, thus encouraging fungal growth. Another way to control fungus is to apply liquid seaweed. It is chocked full of the nutrients that lawns need. Apply it monthly for the full benefits of this cure-all. It is very inexpensive!
Not sure about the health of your soil? Dig for worms! That’s right! Earth worms are a great indicator of the health of your soil. The general rule is that you should find at least 8 to 10 earthworms in a square foot of soil. Earthworms are natural aerators. They do the work for you!
If your soil seems unhealthy, take it to your local county extension service. Many times you can find help at your local cooperative store, also. If the soil is too acidic, you may need to add lime, another inexpensive treatment. If it is too alkaline, then sulfur may be what you need. Your extension agent can test your soil for you and make recommendations.
Composting is an easy way to harvest more nutrients for your soil, and it is recycling, too! If you have a vegetable garden, use your mower to mulch the left over stalks, plants and bushes. Make sure you save any pea shells or bean shells to throw into the mix. Mow them several times to make the pieces smaller, then leave them in the garden through the winter and let nature do its work! You can add various leftovers from the kitchen such as egg shells, potato and carrot peels, fruit peels and cores, etc.
Before you get ready to work on your lawn in the spring, spread your compost pile out a little and mow over it again. Now, spread your compost over your lawn. Less trash for you, and vitamins for your grass! Make sure to save enough to pile around various plantings that you have added to your lawn and flower gardens.
There are many ways to control those pesky insects that invade your beautiful lawn. One simple way is to combine some dishwasher liquid with water and spray your shrubs and grass that have problem areas. Grubs and other insects hate this simple combination. You can also steep approximately 2 tablespoons of rosemary into a half pint of water for about 20 minutes, let cool, and apply to problem areas. Place birdbaths and birdfeeders in your yard to encourage birds to visit and dine on your area pests.
Some insects are good insects, and you want to attract them. Praying mantis and ladybugs eat the insects that attack your plants and lawn. Refrain from using any type of pesticide so that you encourage these bugs to take up residence in your yard. Various types of flowers such as daisies, marigolds, and sunflowers, and herbs such as dill provide food and a place for the good insects to live and flourish. As you can see, there are many ways to have a beautiful lawn without sacrificing the health of you, your family, and your pets.
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for a review I had some mixed thoughts with the title. I’m a fan of sustainability, I think it’s of the utmost importance as we remodel our landscapes and improve our homes, but something about the dummy part of the title got me. I mean, I don’t consider myself a dummy so why would this book apply to me? But of course it’s just a title and the book itself proves that this isn’t for dummies. You see, a dummy wouldn’t care or even see the importance of sustaining our lakes and streams from water runoff, or wouldn’t understand the importance of minimizing the chemicals we use in our gardens, or care about re-using old materials for new uses to keep treasures from ending up in landfills. This book for dummies by Owen Dell is definitely one smart book.
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