Low Impact Lawn Care

If you prefer the traditional manicured lawn, here are a few tips to make the option as environmentally friendly as possible. You may also want to incorporate a Rain Garden into your landscape or use a Rain Barrels to collect the rainwater from your roof.

 Whether you do it yourself, or hire a Lawn Care Company follow the advice below for a healthy, low impact lawn.

***When selecting a lawn care company, find one that is environmentally responsible. Unfortunately we cannot advertise for a specific company and can only say that environmentally conscious lawn care providers do exist. You just need to look in the phone book for one that uses organic fertilizer only when needed and minimizes the use of pesticides and herbicides. It is your responsibility to ensure that the company is using lawn care practices that minimize negative impacts to the environment because it is the water bodies in YOUR neighborhood that will be affected by bad practices.

Lawn Care Tips

Mowing

• Cut grass so that it is 3-3 ½ inches high. (Creates deeper roots and stronger grass)
• Leave grass clippings on the lawn (Reduces the need for fertilizer)
• Keep clippings off the street where they could wash into storm drains and pollute nearby water bodies.

Watering

• Water your lawn only if it hasn’t rained in the last 7 days AND rain is not in the immediate weather forecast.
• Only an inch of water per week is required to keep your lawn green and thriving. Watering more than once per week will cause excessively shallow roots and make your grass more prone to problems.
• Water early in the morning (before 10:00am) to prevent scorching your grass and excessive water loss to evaporation.
• Make sure that the sprinkler is only watering the lawn and NOT your driveway and the street!

Fertilizer Application

• You may be using too much fertilizer, which will damage your lawn! Find out what your lawn needs with a soil test. It is very easy to collect the sample yourself. More information is available through the links below. If you are a SMSC Member and have questions or need assistance, contact Dana Christopherson in the Land Department at 952-233-4237.

Pesticide and Herbicide Application

• Excessive use of pesticides and herbicides can also disrupt the ecological balance in your lawn. These chemicals are also very dangerous to people (especially children) and pets.

Links:

Download our flyer on Low Impact Lawn Care

University of Minnesota Soil Testing Laboratory at http://soiltest.coafes.umn.edu

University of Minnesota Extension information about Lawn and Garden http://www.extension.umn.edu/titles.html?areaid=2&categoryID=18

University of Minnesota Extension information about Trees, Water Quality and Wildlife

http://www.extension.umn.edu/titles.html?areaid=2&categoryID=15