A few years ago, the standard was a perfect lawn, immaculately green, manicured so that nothing would stick out. 100% single species grasses: a bright golf green at home! But those days are gone and a new trend is rising : we’re seeing sustainable lawns that may not look perfect, but are just as beautiful and interesting, and who fully fulfill their environmental role, by being better equipped to deal with weather and pest attacks. Residential lawns as we see them today are more diverse, containing different species of turf grasses, but also other plants, all of which have their role to play in the ecosystem. It is this optimal composition that creates resilient lawns, able to withstand the harsher weather conditions and the increasing presence of insects.
Turf for all types of terrain
Many seed mixes are now available on the market. There are mixtures that are ideal for both sunny and shady areas, some that offer faster germination and others that are low maintenance. There are also mixtures with varying percentages of other ground covers such as clover, millet and others. Even the turf producers who are used to producing a single variety of grass in their fields are following suit and working to develop products adapted to our new realities, such as the more frequent and intense heat waves, prolonged periods of drought, new insect pests, more restrictive municipal regulations, etc. Even on residential lawns, we now apply the principle of the right plant in the right place, which means respecting the needs of the plant and not forcing it to establish itself where conditions are not optimal for it. Each plant has its own needs and just as it would never occur to us to plant a cactus in an undergrowth, we should refrain from trying at all costs to have grass everywhere on our property. First and foremost, you must choose the right species according to the criteria that the land has to offer.
Changing the mindset
Habits can be hard to break and for some people, a green lawn free of unwanted plants is a constant quest. In an era of protecting pollinating insects, managing greenhouse gas emissions, consuming locally, and reducing our impact on the environment in general, is this reasonable? Wouldn’t it be better to increase our tolerance towards weeds and accept their presence on occasion? To work on improving the soil, to have healthy, well-nourished and well-positioned plants, to diversify our vegetation to improve air quality, water retention, to create shade and to offer food and shelter to wildlife? We’re not talking about letting your lawn be invaded by dandelions and other plants, but rather working upstream so that your lawn itself can fight off undesirables, by being more resilient and, therefore, more resistant. It is possible to have a beautiful, dense, healthy and durable lawn! And your openness should be commensurate with the amount of time you want to spend manually pulling out the plants you don’t want to see flourishing in your home. The health of our environment deserves our full attention.
The added value of the Nutrite Experts Network®
The Nutrite Experts Network® is committed to lawn health and to providing healthy, long-lasting lawns to its customers every day. Fertilization programs using state-of-the-art quality fertilizers, complementary services such as aeration, topdressing and overseeding, and responsible management of insects and undesirable weeds are all designed to offer the best with the least possible impact on the environment. In this sense, all Network franchisees are carbon neutral, which means that they must offset 100% of their GHG emissions through tree planting.(Learn more). For healthy and durable lawns, make us your allies.
