Comments on: Natural and Green Lawn Care http://naturemoms.com/blog/2008/05/06/natural-and-green-lawn-care/ Green and Natural Parenting Wed, 23 May 2012 20:16:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Maria http://naturemoms.com/blog/2008/05/06/natural-and-green-lawn-care/#comment-5126 Maria Tue, 13 May 2008 02:53:37 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=1181#comment-5126 Today I bought and used that Cordless Mower you linked to, and I am loving it so far. I only was able to charge the battery for four hours and almost had my entire lawn done before it died (and that was with my son on my back in a mei tei...nothing like an extra 25 pounds weighing you down!). I was using a reel mower, but we have too many weeds. I'm working on getting rid of them, but it is a SLOW process! Marias last blog post..<a href="http://mariawj.blogspot.com/2008/05/happy-mothers-day.html" rel="nofollow">Happy Mother's Day.</a> Today I bought and used that Cordless Mower you linked to, and I am loving it so far. I only was able to charge the battery for four hours and almost had my entire lawn done before it died (and that was with my son on my back in a mei tei…nothing like an extra 25 pounds weighing you down!). I was using a reel mower, but we have too many weeds. I’m working on getting rid of them, but it is a SLOW process!

Marias last blog post..Happy Mother’s Day.

]]> By: Jennifer http://naturemoms.com/blog/2008/05/06/natural-and-green-lawn-care/#comment-5124 Jennifer Tue, 06 May 2008 21:38:53 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=1181#comment-5124 When we bought our house last year, that was the first rule I set - NO PESTICIDES!!! We spend Saturdays out there getting rid of dandelions (per the covenants of the neighborhood) and used corn gluten meal this spring - I see fewer weeds, but my hubby says it didn't help as much (of course, he's out there digging them up!) We also spread a thin layer of composted dirt over the lawn last fall and re-seeded with cool season grasses (we live in Washington). I have considered pulling up the lawn and planting irish moss instead, but I'm not suite sure that would be allowed by the homeowners assn - it would certainly cut down on the mowing aspect though! I have planted it between the stones in our walkways and inside the growing sunflower house for the girls. Keeping your lawnmower set at the highest level, and mowing on a regular schedule will help - and don't over water! When you water, make sure it's early in the morning, use a soaker hose, and water for a few hours - let the water soak down in, and the grass roots will follow it. It will become more drought resistant and healthier. Most people water their lawn waaaaay too often, but not long enough at each time, creating grass that has very shallow roots and can't handle a drought very well. Another thought on the "pretty lawn" topics - if you plant crocus or snowdrop bulbs in your lawn (very easily too!) they will bloom in early spring and be done and gone by the time you are ready to mow the first time. A bonus is that their leaves look like tall grass! The thicker your lawn is, the better it will control the weeds. We de-thatched ours last summer, and wow - it looked like a different lawn! We re-seeded it at that time, and it has filled in nicely. Leaving clippings helps feed the grass (we have a mulching mower) and replacing the grass with other plants where it doesn't want to grow helps it look better - whenever it looks right anyway! We had a spot up against the house that grew nothing but weeds - it was shaded and too dry for grass to grow. I dug it up and have been planting dry-soil, shade-loving plants there, and it is looking much better! Having a lush, green lawn doesn't require anything that ends in -cide, and your family and pets will be much healthier for it! When we bought our house last year, that was the first rule I set – NO PESTICIDES!!! We spend Saturdays out there getting rid of dandelions (per the covenants of the neighborhood) and used corn gluten meal this spring – I see fewer weeds, but my hubby says it didn’t help as much (of course, he’s out there digging them up!) We also spread a thin layer of composted dirt over the lawn last fall and re-seeded with cool season grasses (we live in Washington).

I have considered pulling up the lawn and planting irish moss instead, but I’m not suite sure that would be allowed by the homeowners assn – it would certainly cut down on the mowing aspect though! I have planted it between the stones in our walkways and inside the growing sunflower house for the girls.

Keeping your lawnmower set at the highest level, and mowing on a regular schedule will help – and don’t over water! When you water, make sure it’s early in the morning, use a soaker hose, and water for a few hours – let the water soak down in, and the grass roots will follow it. It will become more drought resistant and healthier. Most people water their lawn waaaaay too often, but not long enough at each time, creating grass that has very shallow roots and can’t handle a drought very well.

Another thought on the “pretty lawn” topics – if you plant crocus or snowdrop bulbs in your lawn (very easily too!) they will bloom in early spring and be done and gone by the time you are ready to mow the first time. A bonus is that their leaves look like tall grass!

The thicker your lawn is, the better it will control the weeds. We de-thatched ours last summer, and wow – it looked like a different lawn! We re-seeded it at that time, and it has filled in nicely. Leaving clippings helps feed the grass (we have a mulching mower) and replacing the grass with other plants where it doesn’t want to grow helps it look better – whenever it looks right anyway! We had a spot up against the house that grew nothing but weeds – it was shaded and too dry for grass to grow. I dug it up and have been planting dry-soil, shade-loving plants there, and it is looking much better!

Having a lush, green lawn doesn’t require anything that ends in -cide, and your family and pets will be much healthier for it!

]]> By: Annie http://naturemoms.com/blog/2008/05/06/natural-and-green-lawn-care/#comment-5125 Annie Tue, 06 May 2008 20:57:12 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=1181#comment-5125 Hello! Great Blog! I thought you might be interested to hear about an organic & healthy RECIPE CONTEST that is going on at www.mambosprouts.com. They are giving away great prizes like a year’s supply of product or gift certificates to your favorite natural food store. If you could post or promote this on your blog, we’d appreciate it! If you need more information or details on the contest, please contact me at adouglass@mambosprouts.com Thanks so much! Thanks, Annie Douglass Web Relations Mambo Sprouts Marketing http://www.mambosprouts.com Annies last blog post..February Health E-News: Starting an Indoor Herb Garden, Winter Gardening Tips and organic pest control Hello! Great Blog!

I thought you might be interested to hear about an organic & healthy RECIPE CONTEST that is going on at http://www.mambosprouts.com. They are giving away great prizes like a year’s supply of product or gift certificates to your favorite natural food store.

If you could post or promote this on your blog, we’d appreciate it! If you need more information or details on the contest, please contact me at adouglass@mambosprouts.com

Thanks so much!

Thanks,
Annie Douglass
Web Relations
Mambo Sprouts Marketing
http://www.mambosprouts.com

Annies last blog post..February Health E-News: Starting an Indoor Herb Garden, Winter Gardening Tips and organic pest control

]]> By: Adriana http://naturemoms.com/blog/2008/05/06/natural-and-green-lawn-care/#comment-5123 Adriana Tue, 06 May 2008 18:49:27 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=1181#comment-5123 Tiff, have you ever thought about ground covers? I've recently been learning more and more about organic gardening/landscaping, and groundcovers are great way to cut down on lawn mowing. It would take time and work in the beginning, but in the long run, it would save not only the environment, but also time and money. Adrianas last blog post..<a href="http://www.betterbackyards.com/blog/beautiful-ground-covers-are-a-backyard-essential/10/" rel="nofollow">Beautiful Ground Covers are a Backyard Essential</a> Tiff, have you ever thought about ground covers? I’ve recently been learning more and more about organic gardening/landscaping, and groundcovers are great way to cut down on lawn mowing. It would take time and work in the beginning, but in the long run, it would save not only the environment, but also time and money.

Adrianas last blog post..Beautiful Ground Covers are a Backyard Essential

]]> By: Amy http://naturemoms.com/blog/2008/05/06/natural-and-green-lawn-care/#comment-5122 Amy Tue, 06 May 2008 17:58:09 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=1181#comment-5122 This is a great article, and I think using some sort of groundcover other than grass is a good way to compromise, especially with kids in the house. Here in the South, jasmine is a popular choice b/c it's a native plant, spreads rapidly, and grows thick enough to choke out weeds. I like her suggestion of adding flowers to the mix, though. Amys last blog post..<a href="http://www.theasthmamom.com/2008/05/06/world-asthma-day-plus-politics/" rel="nofollow">World Asthma Day, Plus Politics</a> This is a great article, and I think using some sort of groundcover other than grass is a good way to compromise, especially with kids in the house. Here in the South, jasmine is a popular choice b/c it’s a native plant, spreads rapidly, and grows thick enough to choke out weeds. I like her suggestion of adding flowers to the mix, though.

Amys last blog post..World Asthma Day, Plus Politics

]]> By: michelle http://naturemoms.com/blog/2008/05/06/natural-and-green-lawn-care/#comment-5121 michelle Tue, 06 May 2008 16:01:10 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=1181#comment-5121 Recently read a tip about how much to water. Place a empty, rinsed out tuna can somewhere in your yard. It is an inch tall. When that is full of rain water, there's no need to water...when it evaporates (as it will on the lawn), THEN water. No need to water each week, etc. I too am converting our yard to a more enviromentally conscious yard. We cancelled our lawn care service and are going to put down high quality grass seed (the more grass, the less weeds!), water only when needed, mulch and leave the grass on the lawn, use an organic, enviromentally safe fertilizer (it's by Scott's). Also, I've heard corn gluten is a good pre-emergent herbicide. Unfortunately it isn't available in our area. Would love to get opinions on it though. May have it shipped for next year. Thanks! Recently read a tip about how much to water. Place a empty, rinsed out tuna can somewhere in your yard. It is an inch tall. When that is full of rain water, there’s no need to water…when it evaporates (as it will on the lawn), THEN water. No need to water each week, etc.

I too am converting our yard to a more enviromentally conscious yard. We cancelled our lawn care service and are going to put down high quality grass seed (the more grass, the less weeds!), water only when needed, mulch and leave the grass on the lawn, use an organic, enviromentally safe fertilizer (it’s by Scott’s). Also, I’ve heard corn gluten is a good pre-emergent herbicide. Unfortunately it isn’t available in our area. Would love to get opinions on it though. May have it shipped for next year. Thanks!

]]> By: Tiffany http://naturemoms.com/blog/2008/05/06/natural-and-green-lawn-care/#comment-5120 Tiffany Tue, 06 May 2008 16:00:51 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=1181#comment-5120 Becca, that sounds awesome! I 'd love to see a picture Becca, that sounds awesome! I ‘d love to see a picture

]]> By: Becca http://naturemoms.com/blog/2008/05/06/natural-and-green-lawn-care/#comment-5119 Becca Tue, 06 May 2008 14:48:05 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=1181#comment-5119 Thank you for such a thorough article. A year and a half ago we converted our front lawn into an eco-lawn from Hobbs & Hopkins out of Oregon. It contains dwarf grass, english daisies, yarrow, baby blue eyes, etc. Once established it shouldn't require watering, is self fertilizing, and depending on your preferences, you can mow it as little or as much as you like. I am into the more relaxed country meadow theme and I LOVE the flowers throughout the "lawn". Nichols Garden Nursery also carries a mix that is similar. Thank you for such a thorough article. A year and a half ago we converted our front lawn into an eco-lawn from Hobbs & Hopkins out of Oregon. It contains dwarf grass, english daisies, yarrow, baby blue eyes, etc. Once established it shouldn’t require watering, is self fertilizing, and depending on your preferences, you can mow it as little or as much as you like. I am into the more relaxed country meadow theme and I LOVE the flowers throughout the “lawn”. Nichols Garden Nursery also carries a mix that is similar.

]]> By: Pfefferminztea http://naturemoms.com/blog/2008/05/06/natural-and-green-lawn-care/#comment-5118 Pfefferminztea Tue, 06 May 2008 14:06:53 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=1181#comment-5118 Well - seems to me that not removing any plants you would normally call weeds is one of the most effective things you can do - saves you the effort of replacing your lawn with local plants. And it doesn´t look that bad, really. Personally, I´ve never lived in a house that had actual lawn around it, and I enjoy your garden anyway - besides, clover, daisies, dandelions and the like look much better than boring old lawn, in my opinion. And make better food for your guinea pigs, if you happen to have those, like my brother and me. I suppose you could say the same for rabbits and the like. Well – seems to me that not removing any plants you would normally call weeds is one of the most effective things you can do – saves you the effort of replacing your lawn with local plants. And it doesn´t look that bad, really.
Personally, I´ve never lived in a house that had actual lawn around it, and I enjoy your garden anyway – besides, clover, daisies, dandelions and the like look much better than boring old lawn, in my opinion. And make better food for your guinea pigs, if you happen to have those, like my brother and me. I suppose you could say the same for rabbits and the like.

]]> By: mary http://naturemoms.com/blog/2008/05/06/natural-and-green-lawn-care/#comment-5117 mary Tue, 06 May 2008 13:35:14 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=1181#comment-5117 I have no idea why people rake their grass clippings. Seems like such a waste. We have a mulching mower which I highly reccommentd. It's great for mulching leaves that can easily decompose in the compost bin. I'm in the midst of organically removing dandelions. What a pain! I have no idea why people rake their grass clippings. Seems like such a waste. We have a mulching mower which I highly reccommentd. It’s great for mulching leaves that can easily decompose in the compost bin. I’m in the midst of organically removing dandelions. What a pain!

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