A lawn with a mix of grass and other groundcovers appears at a property in Waitsfield, Vt. on Tuesday, June 11, 2024. If your lawn is large, consider replacing part of it with flower beds and borders, or a groundcover like clover. A strip of lawn, including grass and clover, winds between flower beds in a yard in Westchester County, N.Y., on June 11, 2024. There are ways to keep some lawn and maintain it in a way more beneficial to pollinators.
Yet it isn’t likely that everyone reading this will give up their entire lawn. So let’s talk about sustainable ways to care for it.Don’t fight your climate. Research turf grass types and select ones that thrive best in your region. Aerate the soil and spread seeds in two directions., then sprinkle daily to keep seeds moist. Don’t let them dry out even once, or you may have to start over.
Understand that cool-season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass, rye and fescues are supposed to go dormant during summer. Warm-season species like Bermuda St. Augustine and Zoysia grasses sleep over the winter. It’s normal for them to turn brown during their off-seasons. Let them.