Proper landscape and lawn care practices can create a healthier yard, reduce the need for chemicals and watering, and protect groundwater quality by reducing runoff and leaching.
Lawn Care and
Garden Practices
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Test soil to determine lacking nutrients.
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Avoid use of fertilizers and pesticides or use them carefully and sparingly. Use water insoluble nitrogen (WIN) fertilizer, which is released slowly.
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Properly store and dispose of fertilizer and other chemicals.
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Mow grass to 3 inches to reduce stress and weed growth.
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Leave the clippings on the lawn to provide nutrients and reduce weed growth or use as mulch in your garden.
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Apply 1 inch of water weekly. However, sandy soils and sloping lawns may require more water, and shaded lawns may not need any watering at all. Avoid watering during the middle of the day when evaporation rates the highest.
Landscape
Practices
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Plant native species or suitable species for soil type, light, and moisture needs.
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Grow a variety of shrubs, flowers, trees, and groundcover in planting beds surrounded by edging.
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Use mulch created from yard waste and compost in planting beds and garden.
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Plant buffer strips (vegetated areas 15-25 feet wide along water ways) to reduce runoff and filter soil & other pollutants.
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Collect rainwater from downspouts or direct towards lawns and planting beds.
