HOME & DESIGN

Green Your Spring Lawn And Garden Care

Looking to reduce the amount of time, money, chemicals, and effort needed to have a beautiful lawn or garden? Here are some tips to get started:

Reduce weeds naturally

• In late April, apply corn gluten to lawns. While it will not kill weeds, it will stop new ones from germinating that year. Corn gluten is also a great natural source of nitrogen.

• Place two to three inches deep of mulch to application areas to provide nutrients and shade out weeds in plant beds. Types of mulch include bark clips, leaves, or recycled rubber. But do not allow mulch to touch tree trunks so growth is not inhibited.

• Pour boiling water over weeds and repeat as needed.

• Select native species and non-invasive plants. Perennials are a good choice and can help reduce costs from having to purchase new plants annually.

• Use “minimum risk pesticides.”

An example is nematodes which can be used on the lawn for grub control.

Maintain a healthy lawn and deter weeds

• Don’t bag your grass clippings. Leave them on the lawn.

• Let grass grow and mow less. The taller the grass, the deeper the roots - this can aid in getting through dry spells.

• Seed bare patches in lawns with grass seed.

• Remember lawns need about an