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3 tips for eco-friendly yard maintenance in Calgary
One of the best ways to ensure a healthy lawn is to schedule routine fertilizing and weed control services. But, what about in-between these professional services if you’re doing your own yard care in Calgary? The good news is, yard maintenance doesn’t have to be complicated. The following tips are some simple eco-friendly maintenance habits for a flourishing lawn this summer!
Mow smart
The shorter the grass, the better, right? Not quite. In fact, many homeowners make the mistake of cutting their grass too short so that they won’t need to mow as often. However, this can lead to exposed soil that dries out in the sun and can cause brown or bare spots on the lawn.
We recommend keeping the grass to an ideal height of 2.5 to 3 inches. Longer grass creates shade, protecting the soil from drying out and ensuring your lawn survives the hot weather. Longer grass also reduces weed growth, as weed seeds need sunlight. Cutting the grass too short allows weed seeds to germinate and grow.
Along with mowing your lawn to the ideal height, be sure to:
- Sharpen your mower blades – When your blades are sharp enough to cut through the grass in one run, it can help develop a healthier and greener lawn.
- Keep grass clippings on the lawn (also known as grasscycling) – This eliminates the need to empty a lawnmower bag and gather grass clippings into compost. Grass clippings decompose and naturally fertilize your lawn.
Water consistently
Especially during dry Calgary summers and long stretches without rain, be sure to give your lawn at least one inch of water per week. Once per week is all your yard needs to develop healthy roots and protect against the dry summer weather. We also recommend watering in the morning, as the heat from daytime watering evaporates most of the water.
Aerate your lawn
Aeration refers to the process of perforating your lawn with small holes to allow for air and nutrient flow. Before aeration, the soil underneath is compacted and creates a thatch layer (a combination of living and dead plant matter that accumulates around the base of the grass), leading to shallow roots.
Immediately after aeration, air and nutrients flow through to allow for deeper roots. Weeks later, you’ll notice a denser, healthier, and greener lawn. Aeration also helps reduce the amount of weed growth over time. If you follow the above yard maintenance tips for your home in Calgary, the little efforts will pay off big time with a beautiful yard you can be proud of!
