Think about the millions of tons of waste materials that are hauled away, buried, or burned each day from landscaping and grounds keeping operations—trees, shrubs, brush, lumber, asphalt, and concrete, just to name a few. Also, consider the millions of gallons of water, pesticides, fuels, and oils in use each and every day. The costs of these materials—both economic and environmental—can be easily reduced or eliminated with updated landscaping methods. Think how you might be able to incorporate the following elements into your daily operations:

Reduce: Reducing the production of waste is the first and most important step toward efficient material use. When planning a new landscape design or updating a current one, avoid products that require frequent replacement or regular maintenance to reduce future waste.

Reuse: Reuse serves as the second key component to environmentally beneficial landscaping. Reuse of products prolongs the useful life of these materials, thus delaying final disposal or recycling. Many items can be reused effectively without adding much time or energy.

Recycle: Recycling is the segregation, collection, storage, and removal of recyclable or compostable materials from the municipal solid waste stream. Recycling minimizes waste generation by recovering and reprocessing usable products that might otherwise be disposed of (e.g., plastics, green trimmings, food waste).

Rebuy: Rebuying means re-thinking your purchasing habits. Look for products that meet your needs but have a better environmental profile than your current product purchases. Consider biobased, recycled content, and other environmentally preferable aspects in your purchasing decisions. Recycled products, for example, are often more durable than those made with virgin materials, saving money and raw materials over time.

Spring, March-May

Flower and Vegetable Gardens

• Prepare new planting beds and gardens by mixing in one to three inches of compost.
• Pull weeds when they first start growing, while soil is moist and roots are short, before they go to seed.
• Buy plants that resist disease and use less water. Tree and Shrub Beds
• Prepare new tree and shrub beds by mixing compost into the entire bed (not just planting holes).

Lawns

• Start mowing, about three inches high for most lawns in northern states, two inches for lawns in southern states. “Grasscycle”—leave the clippings for free fertilizer.
• For lawns in poor condition: aerate, overseed and top-dress with 1/4 to 1/2 inch of compost.
• Fertilize lawns if needed in May with “natural organic” or “slow-release” fertilizer.

Watering

• Check soil moisture at plant roots before watering—don’t water until they need it.
• Lay out soaker hoses in beds and cover with mulch.
• Prepare sprinkler systems by testing, adjusting and repairing leaks.

Composting

• Harvest compost from your bin. Throw any uncomposted sticks or stalks back in for another cycle.

Remember the Four R’s: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rebuy