Lawn Considerations

We Americans invest a lot of effort into our lawn care.  There is something so appealing about a broad expanse of lush green lawn that makes you want to take your shoes and socks off, enjoy the tickly softness of it, and play a game of croquet.

Reality check!  How much time do you spend on your lawn?  Some families really use their lawn space a lot for picnics and games; a place for the kids to play.  How many of us have our lawns as a space that is primarily used as landscaping and humans rarely utilize the space?  Keith and I actually own a croquet set and badminton racquets which we usually take advantage of at least a few times over the summer.  This past summer we didn’t use either, ALL summer.

Now think about what gets done to keep a lawn looking lush and green.  Some of these may not apply to you, but they may apply to your neighbor.

• Weekly (or more frequent) mowing
• Watering
• Fertilizing
• Pesticides (to kill the creepy crawlies)
• Herbicides (to kill the dandelions and crab grass)

You may know where I am going with this.  First of all, in my opinion the main reason for having a lawn would be a place to DO something.  Mother Nature does not grow lawns naturally.  Sure, she has meadows but they are very different from lawns.  A lawn is considered a “mono-culture” meaning that only one specie is supposed to live there.  That is NOT the way Mother Nature operates; that is one consideration.

Secondly, if the main point of a lawn is to have an open space for activities, what are we putting on our lawns that we might be exposed to?  Does anyone else cringe when they see those warning flags from a lawn treatment company warning us to keep humans and pets off the lawn until the chemicals applied dry?  Scary stuff.  Just because they dry doesn’t mean we don’t track traces of those chemicals into our homes.  Think twice before using fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides on your lawn or in your garden.  If you do, please choose carefully, there are some good organic choices available and only use the suggested amount (or less) to reduce the possibility of run-off into our lakes and streams.

My third point is to consider not watering your lawn.  Sure it may be a bit crispy for part of the summer.  That creates a stronger root system for your grass.  We Americans tend to be a bit cavalier with our use of natural resources but just ask anyone who has lived in an area of the country that has experienced a drought and ask them if it is really important to water a lawn when the entire area’s supply of DRINKING water is threatened.

I have a couple suggestions to consider:

• Mow less-this will reduce your carbon emissions (or use a human-powered push mower)
• Plant native grasses that are drought resistant-there are some very cool grasses that only grow to a maximum of four inches high (we saw a display at the Arboretum in Ann Arbor a couple years ago)…they never need mowing!!
• Landscape with other plants and ground cover to reduce your lawn space-my personal favorite use of land around my home is for growing perennials that will produce food year after year.  Put in some fruit or nut trees, berry bushes, or a strawberry patch.  Not only will they be pretty and provide you with some fresh, local food, they will also soak up more carbon than a lawn will making the air in your neighborhood even more clean and naturally purified.

Keith and I still mow more lawn than we would like to.  We have put day lilies in a large section at the front of our home and nurtured black raspberries in a few sections.  There is always room for improvement.

Donna Copeland is an Independent Shaklee Distributor with a passion for helping others (and herself, of course) to live greener and healthier lives.  Our daily choices add up and Donna asks you to consider how your choices will have an impact on your health, the health of your family, and the health of the planet in the days and years to come.  You can find more information on her Shaklee business (she is paid a commission by Shaklee for any products purchased through her or her website) at: www.DonnaCopeland.MyShaklee.com