Did you know that feeding birds early in the cold season keeps them coming back all winter long? So while the blaze of autumn gives way to winter gray, you can invite color back into your space by putting up a bird feeder. Sunflower seeds are by far the most nutritious food for birds. But [...]
Tag Archive for ‘lawns’ 
May is Garden for Wildlife Month
May has been designated Garden for Wildlife Month and the National Wildlife Federation is encouraging you to adopt some gardening practices that will make your yard a sanctuary for wildlife. To celebrate, the organization itself is planting a tree for every wildlife habitat that is certified during the month of May. For a full list of ideas, go to NWF. Some fun [...]
Spring Chores Part 2
We continue our look at some great spring gardening, landscape and lawn ideas from Kathy Van Mullekom in a Newport News, Va. newspaper article. • Collect bags of leaves to mulch the pathways and the naturalized areas in your garden. They are free, plentiful and lightweight to handle. If you put several layers of newspaper [...]
Vitamin G (Greenspace)?
A study out of the Netherlands looks at the green elements of the landscape around us and how it seems to affect health, well-being and feelings of social safety. One of the compelling questions is: How strong is the relationship between the amount of green space in people’s living environment and their perceived health and well-being, and [...]
Eco Tips for Lawn and Landscape Care – Part 5
Create More Green Space. Lawns and other green spaces lessen the “heat island” effect, especially in urban areas, keeping surrounding areas cooler. Is there an area in your neighborhood that could benefit from some green space? If so, plant a garden for tasty veggies or a lawn area for play and relaxation. Want to learn [...]
Eco Tips for Lawn and Landscape Care – Part 4
Water Early. Watering in the early morning before the sun is intense helps reduce the water lost from evaporation. Installing rain gutters and collecting water from downspouts also helps reduce water use. Trickle irrigation, drip irrigation or smart controller systems help reduce water use and meet the needs of plants. Or, when drought conditions exist, [...]
Eco Tips for Green Space Care – Part 1
In the early 20th century, lawns became a central part of the American landscape. The White House without its lawn, for instance, would be unthinkable. Today, home lawns throughout the nation comprise roughly 21 million acres. Back yards and front yards are undeniably part of the human landscape, and along with trees, shrubs and other [...]
Discovery Education and OPEI Foundation Partner
Discovery Education and the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute’s Education and Research Foundation announce the launch of TurfMutt, an online, science based program designed to help elementary educators teach an appreciation of backyard and community green spaces and landscapes. Check out the new face of TurfMutt with Discovery Education at http://turfmutt.discoveryeducation.com/homepage.cfm The goal of the TurfMutt [...]
New Grass Species Not as Thirsty
TurfMutt talks about the value of green space, while at the same time discussing the need to lessen our impact when maintaining lawns and landscapes. A new study published in HortScience identified four alternative turfgrass species — two bentgrasses and two fescues — as promising for use as ‘low-input’ grasses, meaning that water and fertilization [...]
Sacramento 4th Grade Students Win TurfMutt Poster Contest
Last year, TurfMutt sponsored a poster contest. Students were asked to design a poster that illustrated how they and their family could help create and save green spaces After reviewing many entries, three winners at Herman Leimbach Elementary – a 4th grade class in Sacramento, CA –were selected and each received an Amazon.com gift certificate. The [...]
