Andy's Mom: Do we really need that much lawn?

Recently I drove through a very elite neighborhood. The houses were far apart with beautiful manicured lawns between them. Some landscaping, but few flowers. Just occasional trees. Mostly grass.

Our obsession with lawns has a big downside.

The March/April 2023 issue of Reader’s Digest brought to light some interesting and disturbing facts.

Fact: Watering a lawn for one hour uses 1,000 gallons of water. Nationwide, that’s 9 billion gallons a day! Turfgrass is our country’s single largest irrigated crop.

Fact: Gas-powered lawnmowers and equipment use 3 billion gallons of gas yearly. That’s the same as 6 million cars driven annually.

Fact: Running a gas-powered lawn mower for one hour emits the same amount of pollution as driving a car 45 miles.

Fact: Lawns use 10 times more fertilizer (which releases nitrous oxide) than farm crops. Fertilizers often make their way down into rivers killing fish.

Fact: 80 million pounds of pesticides and herbicides, used yearly on our lawns, are non-discriminatory, and kill beneficial insects and plants valuable to the food chain.

What can be done?

How about returning some of your lawn to native grasses and wildflowers? We only have 3% of native prairie remaining. This rivals the destruction of the of rain forests of Brazil.

Consider planting some of your yard, maybe 5-6 foot at the rear of your property, into native grasses and wildflowers. Since these plants are native, they don’t need additional water or nutrients. You’ll be mowing less and using less fertilizer and water for irrigation. In other words, very little maintenance is required.

And, you’ll be providing a home to valuable pollinators and insects.

If you’re worried about insects in your lawn, plant a few small flowering trees nearby, which will encourage birds to nest and so, help control that insect population. Trees, like crabapple, will supply additional food for the birds and other wildlife in the fall. A strategically placed bird bath will provide the pollinators and birds with needed water.

Imagine sitting on your deck watching pollinators flit from wildflower to wildflower (wildflowers are unique and beautiful). With trees and insects, you’ll be inviting birds to your backyard and what a treat they are to watch and listen to. An avid birdwatcher you may become!

Here’s how to take action.

Contact Sydney Abbott of Saunder’s County NRD to acquire seeds. She will be initiating a pollinator program this year. Also, Ellie Sanders of Pheasants Forever could be of help. Both can be reached at the NRD, phone #402-443-4675.