Homeowners have plenty of yard tasks to do throughout the cooler months, including raking leaves and shoveling snow. For people who are concerned about the environment, there are steps they can take to reduce their environmental impact. Below, home improvement stores in Seattle share their environmentally friendly tips for taking care of your yard, garden and landscaping during winter:
- Aerate the lawn: Schedule time on a nice day to aerate your lawn to keep it healthy. Take a powered aerator or garden fork and punch holes directly into the soil in the spots on your lawn where water has gathered. When you aerate your lawn, plugs of soil are removed so water can reach grass roots; otherwise, the water will just pool on the surface.
- Fertilize the landscape: Make sure that you fertilize your lawn and landscape before the ground begins to freeze. Shop around for an environmentally friendly fertilizer mix that is high in phosphorus, and double check that perennials are properly mulched for protection against freezing.
- Compost yard debris: Protect the environment by having a backyard compost pile instead of placing yard waste in plastic bags to go to the dump. This kind of green waste is biodegradable, making composting certain yard debris and old holiday vegetation decorations a great way to give back to your soil during the growing season.
- Use natural weed killers: Late winter is a good time to use natural weed control to prepare your garden for planting. Try an organic herbicide or a homemade natural weed killer to avoid poisoning the soil or killing your plants.
- Check outdoor faucets: Before winter really sets in, consider changing all external faucets to ones that are freeze proof to prevent pipe bursts during cold winter days. Remember that pipes can also crack in cold weather—freeze proof faucets can help to avoid water waste.
- Lay down a walkway: You should want the outside of your home to look just as nice and cozy as the inside this winter. Why not install a lovely new walkway? Not only will a walkway make walking safer in icy or snowy conditions, it can save your yard and keep it looking beautiful for when spring rolls around. No more stepping on your saturated lawn and squishing it into a muddy pulp and having to plant new grass later!
- Deal with ice and snow in an eco-friendly way: You may have a front yard near your driveway, or concrete walkways winding through your garden. If you do, and conditions get cold where you live, be sure to deal with ice and snow on your driveway in an environmentally friendly way, by using a snow shovel or a battery-powered snow blower. Things like rock salt and other chemicals can harm your plants and grass.
Home improvement stores in Seattle are readily stocked with everything you need to care for your lawn and garden. Visit Stewart Lumber & Hardware Co. for outdoor power equipment, lawn and garden tools and more!