Green Tip: Grow a Low-Maintenance Lawn

The sounds of summer don't have to include the purr of lawn mowers and the patter of sprinklers. Lose the grass--cultivate a chemical-free lawn that drinks less and grows low.

Moss is an easy alternative to grass--it needs some moisture, but it requires little maintenance once it's established. Moss thrives in shady areas with compacted, acidic soil. Another option for greening your lawn is to encourage clover, a nitrogen-fixing plant, which enriches soil while providing a low-growing ground cover. Additional eco-friendly ground covers include strawberries and oregano--edible plants for lawns that taste as good as they look.

--D.W.

Sources:  NY Times, Eartheasy

Comments

[Gregory]

Another good option, especially in hot climates, is Woolly Thyme. You can mow it once or twice a year if you want, but it won't get more than a few inches tall on its own.

[Sara B., Norfolk]

I have a friend who calls her neighbors lawns "green deserts" and her own lawn "the meadow" because she doesn't use chemicals on her grass. All the "weeds" (AKA: beautiful little flowers) are actually quite pretty, particularly in the spring. However, her neighbors hate her for the dandelions (seeds disperse so easily). I think clover would be a sweet smelling alternative to grass! Oh yes, my point...doesn't a meadow sound so much better than a green desert?! We should all strive to let our meadows flourish!

[Ruth Busch]

My "lawn" is whatever is there after traffic and occasional mowing. Not all nice "weeds" will take the traffic. Grass does better than most if you do badminton on your lawn. Since lawns are often the only sunny spot in a southern yard, I encourage planting veggie circles on the lawn using "lasagna" methods to get a raised bed, poking in tomato cages in a small circle, and planting tomatoes or peppers in the cages.

[Loren]

I've been working all winter to get some clover established in my compacted angled front lawn, but it's starting to look quite nice. It does seem to grow lawn-like after it gets established, mine spreads with runners too and the grassy spots seem to do better with the clover interspersed.

[Laurie]

The suggestions here are great! I fear that the Wooly Thyme mentioned by Gregory will do well only in sunny spots, not my shady yard. I encourage the clover and violets that grow there naturally, but every fall, I also overseed with grass seed that is meant for shady areas. Grass is not a "bad" ground cover, as long as you avoid fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides. I have enjoyed my yard much more since we fired the lawn service and got a push mower to cut it ourselves! However, I do need my weedwhacker (with a rechargeable battery) for the times when the grass grows too tall for my push mower. In the spring, cutting twice a week is not always enough!

[Karen Linn]

I've reduced my grass down to a very small amount by increasing sizes of landscaping beds each year. I use only organic fertilizer and no pesticides. I confess to spraying some weeds but dig or pull most out and let others grow. I mow with a rechargable electric mower - no fumes!!! I switched from cypress mulch to pine bark and let volunteer ground covers grow in my flower beds.

[Ute Zahn]

Ok, ok, but strawberries??? You have clearly never witnessed your strawberry patch being taken over by crabgrass and dandelions. I cut down on the size of my lawn a little every year. I got a mechanical mower and use corn gluten as a fertilizer/weed killer. I pull out the things that really bug me. However, I can never get on top of the Creeping Charlie. Where was that in your list of suggested ground covers? It, too, doesn't need mowing, it smells kind of herby, has pretty flowers, and thrives under all circumstances.

[Lesli Bair]

First off, I am NOT a gardener and do not know much about this stuff. I live in northern Indiana, and when I have suggested various ground covers to my landscaping friend, she says they won't work here. So, I'm going to look into the things mentioned here. Especially moss, which I have been thinking about lately, anyhow. We already have patches of it, so why not? Also Lily of the Valley. I looked up Creeping Charlie, the poster meant that as a joke, I guess. I am so un-knowledgeable, that I look at it and think "But why wouldn't that work?" Maybe because it's non-native, or maybe because it will get into areas where I don't want it?

[rita]

Where do all of you live? I have a huge front lawn in southeast Michigan that I would love to get rid of. Creeping thyme is not an option for a huge lawn. I do use corn gluten meal which is excellent, but I still have to mow the monster. I would love a really good ground cover for a very large, sunny front lawn.

[Pat]

Here in Massachusetts there is a growing movement to reseed with slow-growing, no water grass. (Water daily for the first month and never again.) Deep rooted grases (12 inches) require no fertilizer, no water, and once a month mowing. A fine layer of compost can be spread in the fall to encourage overall health. Pearl's Premium seed is one option but others are available (fescues for example). I