Lawns are a relatively new development in history. Land was used for growing food or livestock. Having a patch of grass just to have a patch of grass was a sign of wealth. Now, a lush, green lawn is often the only part of the great outdoors many people can go to. Taking care of lawns used to mean using tons of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and wasteful water practices. All insects were killed. Now, how to care for grass in a more eco-friendly way is becoming the industry norm.

About 30 years ago, green lawn maintenance meant that the service made sure the lawn was green. Nowadays, a green lawn maintenance service is as environmentally friendly as possible.

Finding a green lawn care or green yard maintenance service is easier than ever since the industry has changed to customer demand. Organic lawn care services use natural fertilizers, use plants best suited for your local area, and make sure beneficial insects like butterflies are left unharmed. How to do yard work in a way more friendly to the environment includes not using synthetic pesticides or fertilizers. Watering is kept to the minimum. Clover and other plants native to your part of the country help reduce soil erosion. Grass clippings are left on the lawn as a natural mulch.

A healthy, dense lawn prevents run off and absorbs rainfall six times more effectively than a wheat field and four times better than a hay field. Environmentally responsible lawn care is important for each and every home or apartment dweller. It has been shown that by leaving your grass between 2.5 and 3.5 inches long will improve your lawn health. Set your lawnmower a bit high so it will get thicker and greener.

Close to 70 million pounds of pesticides are applied to United States lawns each year, including herbicides. This is approximately ten times the amount applied to American farmland, acre for acre. Peoople who are uninformed or disregard environmentally responsible lawn care endanger all of us. Sadly, 60-70 million birds die from pesticide poisoning each year in the United States alone. Our ground or surface water and wells can collect 40-60% of nitrogen from fertilizer runoff or it leaches away.

Environmentally responsible lawn care services are available to help those that do not have the time to maintain a naturally healthy lawn. They can do a soil test which will tell you what the pH level is and whether your soil needs extra nutrients. The best pH for most grasses to do well is between 6.5 and 7.0.
Organic lawn care services are also well educated on the safest and best treatments for your lawn.

Overwatering can be a problem for DIY landscapers. A sustainable landscaping presentation by the United States EPA or Environmental Protection Agency estimates that watering lawns accounts for 30 to 60 percent of water consumption during the summer months. This can be expensive and wasteful.

As part of a well maintained and quality designed landscape, turfgrass can increase a home?s property value by 15 to 20%. Turfgrass helps control pollution, trapping much of an estimated 12 million tons of dust and dirt released annually into the atmosphere in the United States. Between 30 and 40 million acres of land are devoted to turfgrass. Americans collectively spend big bucks on seed, sod, and chemicals (about $40 billion annually).

Be environmentally responsible by safeguarding the health and welfare of your families, neighbors, and visitors. Also, keep your yard beautiful and well landscaped by seeking the help of the lawn care professionals.