Did you know that lawns provide many benefits for you and the climate? Take a look at these statistics:

• A 5,000 sq. ft. yard produces enough oxygen to sustain 14-34 people.
• A lawn absorbs 81-90% of the carbon on a half-acre of property with turfgrass, trees, and landscaping.
• Lawns are cooler than asphalt—up to 60% cooler because of evapotranspiration (water evaporates from the turf and gets released into the atmosphere).
• Turfgrass is a natural water filter providing runoff and flood control.
• Your home value increases when you have a well-maintained lawn.

Because turfgrass provides you with many environmental benefits, doesn’t it make sense to use sustainable lawn care practices? Read on to learn four ways for a more sustainable lawn.

The Grass Isn’t Always Greener: Choosing Sustainable Lawn Options

While you may think you must rip out your turfgrass and install a prairie lawn to be sustainable, that wouldn’t be entirely true. Instead, you can have an eco-friendly property that includes traditional grass species and introduce pollinator-friendly ones, such as clover, to your suburban yard.

If you live in a warm season climate, then you want to add:

• Zoysia grass that’s drought tolerant and low maintenance
• Bermuda grass that’s heat and drought-tolerant
• Bahia grass is well-suited to the Deep South and Gulf States because it tolerates sandy soil, and its deep root system makes the turf drought-tolerant
• Clover that can be mixed with the above turf; while it’s not a traditional grass, it requires less mowing and fertilizer. Plus, it’s pollinator-friendly.

If you live in a cool season climate, you want to put in sustainable turfgrass, such as

• Fine fescue

This cool season grass only needs up to 1” of water weekly. The turf’s rhizomes help repair drought-stressed grass aboveground.

• Kentucky bluegrass

Kentucky bluegrass needs 1.5” of water per week to keep its color, and its rhizomes help this cool season lawn recover from drought stress.

• Tall fescue

BobVila.com says it is the top turfgrass for drought resistance because it only needs 1.25” water per week. Tall fescue’s deep roots measure up to 3’ long and go deep into the soil.

Cool season turf will turn brown and go dormant (it’s not dead) when temperatures reach past 85°F, and there’s no rain. Once it starts to rain and temperatures fall below 85°F, cool season, this turfgrass will green up again.

Rules of thumb with dormant grass: Don’t mow it; follow all municipal water restrictions.

Feed the Soil, Not Just the Plants: Organic Lawn Care

The key to a healthy lawn starts in the soil. While you may prefer traditional turfgrass fertilizers, remember that organic lawn care works to rehabilitate the soil.

LoveYourLandscape.org says in “How Lawns Benefit Our Communities,” lawns support soil biodiversity because there are 52 anthropods in the soil, including ants, spiders, centipedes, and various beetle types.

Healthy soil also contains 28 nematode types and a web of microorganisms that create a vibrant ecosystem. These creatures, including the anthropods, break down organic matter and aerate the soil, taking in more air, moisture, and nutrients.

To keep this robust soil matrix, use organic lawn fertilizers to continue to feed it. Organic lawn fertilizers come from plants, animal manure, and minerals. These fertilizers are slow-release and don’t provide a quick green-up in the spring.

However, organic lawn fertilizers build resilient turfgrass over time. Organic fertilizer is made from bone meal, blood meal, and compost.

You can make compost when you set your lawn mower to mulch every time you cut your grass. Chopped-up clippings won’t cause thatch to develop but will give your turf up to 25% more nitrogen.


Plus, you can mulch leaves, providing more nitrogen to your lawn in the fall. However, don’t keep full-size leaves in your yard throughout the winter, or it can develop turfgrass diseases.

Try to limit your use of pest and weed controls. Instead, encourage natural predators, such as wasps, to control pests. You can control weeds in your lawn using one of the following methods:

1. Hand-pulling
2. Applying corn gluten meal
3. Mowing high so weeds don’t get sunlight
4. Planting turfgrass densely to crowd out weeds.

Water Wisely: Efficient Sprinkler Systems and Practices

Today’s in-ground sprinkler systems keep your lawn looking lush and save you money on water bills.

If you understand plumbing and love DIY projects, you can install a sprinkler system on your lawn. If you prefer a professional to design and build a water sprinkler on your property, hire an irrigation contractor near you.

When investing in a water sprinkler system for your turfgrass, you need to compare water efficiency before you dig any trenches in your yard. Here are eight tips for comparing water efficiency for in-ground sprinkler systems:

1. Does your sprinkler system evenly distribute water throughout the lawn? The more uniform the water spread, the less water waste.
2. What’s the application rate of your water sprinkler? How fast does the system apply water? Lower water rates reduce runoff, which makes them more efficient.
3. Does your sprinkler system have control features with smart tech, like weather or moisture sensors? Smart tech auto-adjusts watering and saves money on your water bill.
4. Does your sprinkler system operate at a lower pressure, or will you need a water pressure regulator? A water pressure regulator helps you stay compliant with state laws and saves money.
5. You want a lawn sprinkler system that covers your entire lawn. Drip irrigation systems work better with gardens and flowerbeds.
6. Your sprinklers should cover your lawn without overwatering any area. For example, drip irrigation works better on slopes because it won’t have water run-off like sprinkler heads.
7. Read the reviews. Google and other reviews will help you decide which sprinkler system brand works best.
8. To ensure you’ll conserve water, buy only sprinkler system parts with the EPA’s WaterSense label or similar certifications.

K-Rain Sprinkler Systems: Conserve Water and Keep Your Lawn Hydrated Without Water Waste

Regular lawn maintenance and planting the right grass seed for your climate will result in a healthy lawn.

For a lush, green lawn that's water-efficient, go for K-Rain sprinkler system products. Grab your K-Rain products now at one of these retail stores or online.

Need to ask our customer service team something? Reach out to them at 800-735-7246 or email them at customerservice@krain.com.

Sources:
BobVila.com, Solved! The Best Drought-Resistant Grass for Dry Summers.
LoveYourLandscape.org, Healthy Lawns and Landscapes Fight Climate Change.
Ibid, How Lawns Benefit Our Communities.
Pennington.com, All You Need to Know about Bahiagrass.