Is your yard environmentally friendly? Here are 6 tips to a greener yard.
1. Native grass
A grass native to your area is less likely to need additional watering or fertilizer. While the benefits of less additional watering are obvious, the downsides of traditional fertilizer will be talked about later in this list.
2. Plant a pollinator garden
Planting a pollinator garden is a great way to get a greener yard. Pollinator gardens will attract a diverse range of pollinators including hummingbirds, butterflies, and endangered bees. They are incredibly valuable to the ecosystem. More information on the benefits of pollinators gardens can be found here, and information on planting a garden can be found here.
3. Organic fertilizer
Fertilizer runoff is a big problem in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Ideally to have a greener yard one would skip the fertilizer all together. However if that is not an option organic fertilizer is better than traditional. In addition, please go easy on the amount that you use.
4. Compost
One source of safer fertilizer is compost. In addition to feeding your garden, composting your food waste also keeps it out of the landfill. See our blog on composting.
5. Collect rainwater
For any plants that will require additional water, using collected rainwater is a great way to a greener yard. In addition to lowering the amount of tap water used, collecting rainwater also reduced runoff.
6. Solar lights
Lights are a great addition to an outdoor space, but we recommend solar lights. This lowers your electricity usage, and they won’t require additional wiring.