"How green is your lawn?" can now be meant as two different meanings. These days, our growing awareness is geared towards the dangers of chemical use on our lawns, and the move is on to eradicate them from our homes and gardens.
Below are some useful tips on maintaining a greener lawn while providing a sustainable future.

WATERING
Maintaining a green garden means consuming large amounts of water. And thus a fact: watering our lawns and gardens accounts for up to 50% of domestic water consumption during summer months. Cutting back on water use not only reduces municipal water demands, but also decreases the amount of energy used to treat and pump clean water into your home, which will ultimately help you save money on your water bill.
The following are simple and effective ways to keep your lawn greener.

Water once a week: It is better to water your lawn for one long time period (such as an hour) than to water a few short times throughout the week. If your lawn has been exposed to the sun for longer periods of time, consider watering your lawn two to three times a week. However, if it has been raining frequently, then reduce your watering times.
Measure amount of water your sprinkler emits: Placing a measuring cup on your lawn the next time you water will help you observe the amount of water your sprinkler leaves on the grass. As a general rule: lawns need only 2 to 3 centimetres (about 1 inch) for each watering.
Get a timer: After you consider the length of time your sprinkler needs to give your lawn enough water, purchase a timer to automatically shut off the water after the time period. There are a variety of timers available on the market, and most of them fit between the outdoor tap and the garden hose with an on/off setting and a shut-off feature. Another alternative: If you have an automatic watering system, consider purchasing a rain and moisture sensor which shuts off water flow after detecting a certain amount of moisture that it measures in the soil.
Install a rain barrel: What's better than free water? Installing a rain barrel and placing the eaves trough's downspout to drain directly into the barrel will save you on energy and water costs. Rain barrels are inexpensive to purchase, and your water savings will pay off the cost of the rain barrel in good time.
Keep your lawn short: Keeping your grass at around 5 to 8 centimetres (2 to 3 inches) high will promote deeper roots that reach further down to find moisture. Cutting the lawn shorter will promote shorter roots and will dry out the lawn quicker.

FERTILIZERS AND INSECTICIDES
Instead of using pesticides and other harmful chemicals to green up your lawn, consider using natural, environmentally friendly products. They are easy to use and are highly effective, containing minerals that are natural by products of partly decayed organic matter.

An alternative to harmful insecticides is an all-natural insecticide called "Diatomaceous Earth." It is a non-toxic, safe insecticide made from fossils of fresh water organisms and marine life. It is a naturally occurring siliceous sedimentary mineral compound from diatoms. When crushed to a fine powder, it is deadly to insects but will not harm humans, animals, fish, fowl or plants. It can also be used on your pet to treat fleas and other pests, such as flies and mosquitoes, by rubbing the powder into your dog's or cat's coat.

To use it on your plants, you can make a liquid form by mixing 115 grams of the powder and 10 litres of water, and using in a spray bottle on your plants. You can also dust the powder on your plants after watering them, so as the powder sticks to the leaves.

WEED CONTROL
Instead of using harmful chemicals, consider digging into your cupboard for vinegar, either regular white or pickling vinegar, and placing in a small spray bottle and praying those nasty weeds when they are seedlings. Using vinegar on them after they have matured will only kill the exposed plant and not the root. Soap-based products in liquid pray form is effective in spot-treating some weeds such as bindweeds.
For our other eco-friendly ways to get rid of weeds, please click here.