The lawn has become a symbol of status in America. Maintaining lush green grass is expensive and time-consuming. In the 1950s the suburban manicured grass grew in importance, along with mass-produced rotary lawnmowers. The grass seed industry responded to this by developing grass seeds that are resistant to disease and pests, as well as fertilizer and pest prevention programs.
For many, the cost and time investment in a traditional lawn isn’t worth the effort. Eco-lawns are the new trend in lawn care. Eco-lawns are a mixture of fine and broadleaf varieties that grow well together. These lawn types are often made up of clover and fescue varieties.
This type of lawn uses less pesticides and herbicides. There are Eco-lawn seed mixes You can purchase seeds or mix your own to create a perfect blend for your garden.
If you’re ready to say goodbye to the environmental impact, cost, and time spent growing a traditional lawn, an eco-lawn might be the ideal solution. This article will outline simple steps that anyone can follow to create an eco-lawn.
Step 1: Set the timing right
Fall is the best time to install a new ecolawn. It is because the temperatures have decreased but not significantly. A cooler temperature makes weeds less active and prevalent, which allows new seeds to establish themselves.
If fall doesn’t work for you, spring is another great option. Once your temperature is consistently around 55 degrees, you can start your ecolawn.
This planting timeline can be used as a reference:
Zone | Spring Seeding | Fall Seeding |
Zones 2 and 3. | May-June | October-November |
Zone 4 | May-June | August-September |
Zones 5, 6 and 7. | April-May | August-September |
Zone 8 | March-April | October-November |
Zone 9 | March-May | September-October |
Zone 10 | January-February | November-December |
Step 2: Converting your existing lawn
When you plant your eco-lawn, you have two choices. You can convert your existing lawn through overseeding, or you can remove your current lawn. It can take five years for this method to convert your lawn. Be patient and persevere.
- Before overseeing Mow your lawns short. Adjust your mower’s blade to one inch or lower. This will damage the grass but provide a better surface to start the eco-lawn seeds. Make sure you bag all of your lawn clippings.
- Take care to remove all other debris.. It could be anything, from rocks to clumps. You want to start off with as smooth a surface as you can.
- Dethatching your lawn. It is possible to do this using a dethatching tool that can be rented at local garden centers, or by using a heavy steel scraper. This will break down and remove thatch. Thatch is dead organic material accumulating at your lawn’s soil line. Thatch can block water and fertilizer reaching the soil if it accumulates. The water can become trapped in the thatch, which leads to turf disease and root suffocation. Dethatching will also improve soil compaction, and prepare your soil to receive seed. Dethatching can leave behind clumps that contain plant material.
- It’s time to add compost! Compost must be weed free. Add about ¼ inch of compost to your entire lawn. You can find bulk compost at local landscape supply companies, garden centers and farms. You can find bagged compost in garden centers if you only require a small amount. Bags of compost can be easily moved and spread.
- Now you’re ready to Overview!
Step 3: Planting a New Ecolawn
If you are starting with a completely new plot, you will need to get rid of any existing grass before you can sow your eco-lawn. If you don’t have any grass to kill, skip to the next step. If so, you’ll have to take some important decisions!
Spread about four inches of soil over your lawn. This will cover the grass and give new seeds a great start. It won’t work for everyone, for a variety of reasons. You may not know what’s growing in the new soil. You may find weeds growing in it.
Secondly, the soil may not be viable. Four inches of soil are not small amounts. I recommend that you only use this method if you are planning to have a small ecolawn.
Option 2: Spread herbicide across your entire lawn. Organic herbicides require more time and applications than non-organic options. Please follow the instructions provided on the packaging of the herbicide you select. Your goal is to kill the lawn. Once the lawn has died, give it one final low cut. Remove all the debris. You are now ready to plant!
Third and last, you can remove your lawn physically. You’ll need to remove not only the leaves, but the roots too. The root system can reach three inches in depth and even more in some cases. A landscaping company is the best choice for this job if you want to replace an existing lawn. Rake the soil well after clearing your lawn to provide a healthy environment for grass seed.
Step 4: Amend Your Soil
When planting a lawn, soil may not be the most important thing to consider. It seems like grass grows almost everywhere, doesn’t it? Now that you’ve spent all the time and effort cleaning up your lawn, it is a good idea to check your soil. You will increase your chances of success.
The best soil for an Eco-Lawn is loam. Loam soil is a mixture of silt, clay and sand. The soil will remain together when squeezed in your hand. Do not worry if you have sandy or clay soil. Here are a couple of ways to improve soil:
- For clay soilYou can add peat or straw after seeding. This won’t change the soil but it will stop evaporation. The seeds will stay moist. The seeds won’t germinate properly if they are dry.
- For sandy soilBefore seeding, add a few inches to the topsoil. This will help the seed to germinate and grow.
Step 5: Plant Your seeds
It’s time to plant your seeds!
- Small areas can be covered by just Hand-seeding is a way to spread the seeds..
- The application rate for lightly seeding or overseeding is 5 pounds per sq. foot.
- For heavy seeding, apply 7-9 pounds of seed per square foot.
You can choose to spread your seed by broadcasting by hand, or you can use a hand crank or push-behind spreader. Spreaders provide the most accurate distribution and make the task easier on larger lawns.
After you have planted your seeds, lightly rake the soil. Rake the area To help the seed settle, roll it into the dirt with a lawn roller. If you have a sloped yard or are concerned about erosion, use a lawn roller gently to roll the seed into dirt.
Step 6: Water the Eco-lawn
Eco-lawns are drought-tolerant and can become so over time. It takes effort and time to grow an eco-lawn.
- During the first growing season, you should water your ecolawn regularly.
- Water the seeds every day if it doesn’t rain. One inch of water is the goal per day.
- For the next two week, reduce your water usage to every alternate day or every two.
- Then onwards, Once a week, drink water.
- Keep an eye on your eco-lawn. If your lawn is experiencing drought in its first year, you should water it.
- Track the amount of water that your lawn receives using a rain gauge. A rain gauge can be purchased at your local garden centre or you can use a mason-jar to collect and measure the water.
- In a very hot climate such as California you may still have to use additional water during the summer. It will still be less water than the average lawn requires.
You can water your lawn using an irrigation system, a sprinkler or a hose. The most efficient method depends on the size of your lawn.
Step 7: Mow
Eco-lawns are a great alternative to mowing every Saturday. This seed mixture contains grasses that are slow-growing and allow you to take a rest from mowing.
Eco-lawns require less frequent mowing. If you don’t mind the longer look, Skip your mowing sessions. There is no 100% maintenance-free lawn.
- To remove seed heads that may spread your new lawn into flower beds, it’s essential to mow twice a year.
- Watch your lawn. Mow your lawn as soon you notice the seedheads. These two mowing sessions should be done in late spring, and then again in late fall.
Do not worry if you want your lawn to look a little more manicured. Eco-lawns will also support you in this.
- Time to You can remove the lawnmower from your schedule From your calendar! You can mow the lawn whenever you like!
- Remember to never mow your lawn any shorter than 3 inches.
- A reel mower allows you to maintain your lawn’s height, keep the blades sharp and save electricity. This makes your lawn more environmentally friendly!
- Be wary of taking off any more than ⅓ of your grassed growth. This can stunt the grass’s ability to grow healthy and happily.
Step 8: Control Weeds
Weeds happen. It’s almost unavoidable, right? What will we do if weeds appear in our eco-friendly, new lawn?
- Use organic pre-emergent weed killers in spring as well as fall. Pre-emergent herbicides Prevent many weed seeds The herbicide must be applied before the weeds appear. Pre-emergent herbicides must be applied to the soil prior to weeds emerging.
- Use pre-emergent weed killers only 1-2 weeks after seeding if you are using eco-lawn mixture. Pre-emergents herbicides do not discriminate. Pre-emergent herbicides are not selective.
- Keep weeds under control by using Mowing! When weeds are mowed, they will produce seed heads. This will stop them from spreading.
- After your first growing season, you can Use regular weed and feeding herbicides.
- After a few seasons, you won’t have to worry about weeds. The mature grasses create their own herbicide to keep weeds at bay without your help.
Step 9: Maintenance
After your eco-lawn becomes established, maintenance is low.
- Only water your lawn if you are experiencing extreme heat and/or drought.
- If you decide to fertilize, use a potassium-rich fertilizer.
- You will no longer need to use herbicides as your lawn grows. The dense lawn will eventually crowd out unwanted weeds.
- Overseed your lawn in spring! This will thicken the lawn and repair any damage caused by winter.
Common Questions
Pets are allowed to romp, zoom and play on your lawn. However, not all grasses can tolerate pet urine. If possible, spray or hose the area where your dog urinated. This will dilute the urine, preventing it from building in the soil. Try planting microclover to avoid this problem.
The type of seeding that you do will determine the amount. Five pounds will cover about 1000 square feet. You can find out the size of your area by measuring the length and the width. When you know the size of your lawn, you can calculate how much seed to buy.
While your lawn is establishing, try to avoid it. It can be difficult if the lawn is used as a main play area or recreational area for your family. But your patience will reward you. After your lawn has fully grown, you can continue your regular activities without having to worry about its long-term impact.
Final Thoughts
Eco-lawns are a growing trend. This method still gives you a lawn-like surface, but the maintenance is much lighter. You can spend more time on flowers or simply relax and enjoy your yard. Don’t be intimidated by the steps. The details are the same as any other type.
If you find yourself overwhelmed, that’s okay! There are lawn care companies that can help you. They will do all the hard work, such as removing your old lawn, spraying weed killers or dethatching. Select the route that is best for you and you’ll be on your path to a successful Eco-Lawn.