In a groundbreaking move, the Maryland State House in Annapolis has decided to go totally green when it comes to lawn care. The historical grounds have long been renowned for their lush grass and expansive views of the Chesapeake Bay. The Maryland Pesticide Network was a key partner for the project and provided guidance to top-level decision makers concerning greener strategies for the grounds.
Lawmakers hope the move will inspire other states to follow suit and in turn lead to greener, more environmentally-friendly lawn care practices nationwide. Citing danger to the Chesapeake Bay, Maryland officials say they think it was a good decision to totally eliminate pesticides and chemicals from their lawn care regimen.
Some of the strategies currently being used in Maryland include overseeding with tall fescue grass, keeping the grass level higher than average at about 3”, and extensive composting. Many of the natural measures in place actually require less work than traditional lawn product application and lawmakers say they expect within the next year spending on lawn maintenance will return to normal or below-normal levels.
Encouraging others to fall in step, Maryland’s officials say the community has rallied behind the change. All over the US, organic lawn care treatments are becoming more and more popular. Homeowners who care for their own lawns as well as those employing a regular lawn maintenance service are showing interest in greener, more eco-friendly solutions to weed control.
Some steps are easy to take to minimize your yard’s impact on the environment. First and foremost, choose totally organic, natural fertilizers and weed-control products and ditch the chemical pesticides for good. Not only do many yards respond better to more natural products, it means less water run off contamination danger. Secondly, consider composting at home. You’ll produce less landfill waste and you can turn the resulting material into food for your garden or flower beds. Perhaps the easiest way to go green is to simply let your yard rest. This means cutting less regularly and leaving grass longer. Another good solution is to leave grass clippings in the yard – they’ll naturally fertilize and protect the undergrowth.
Talk to your lawn care company about their organic options. Most areas have at least one local provider that offers totally natural lawn treatment so shop around if you need more than what your current company currently offers.