With droughts becoming increasingly common and fresh water in short supply for the world, we need to be more conscious about our overall water consumption. You should be taking shorter showers, turning off the water while brushing teeth and only running the washing machine when it’s full, but today I want to focus on the exterior of your home. How can you create a sustainable and healthy yard? I turned to my local expert and friend, Seth Pruitt with SDP Landscape Management for some insight. Seth has been in the landscape business for decades and is super knowledgable about sustainable and efficient lawn options.
According to Seth, grass should only be at a house if you have kids or dogs. Which is definitely not the case in the Philadelphia suburbs! So what if you do have grass? Only water your lawn in the morning or evening, when evaporation is lower. Try implementing some other grass options too, like rocks or even mulch beds. Check out this photo of a very sustainable option I saw while in Austin, Texas. They utilized stones and artificial grass in a lot of their public common spaces. Talk about low maintenance!
Another unfortunate issue is most people spray their lawns to reduce mosquitos, but by spraying they’re killing all the pollinators. Seth recommends homeowners plant pollinators and then plant vegetables and fruits instead of using sprays. You can read more about the importance of pollinators here: https://www.pollinator.org/pollinators
Natural bug repellants include; mint, lemongrass or basil. Keep in small containers around your deck or patio areas when you’re outside.
I’d love to hear what you are doing to make your yard more sustainable. Please share in the comments below.
If you’re looking to hire a professional to help you get started or to maintain your yard, contact SDP Landscape Management:
(484) 322-5176
seth@sdplandscape.com
Kelly's Healthy Home 
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