This ground cover is the perfect choice for areas with high foot traffic. In fact, it can act as a green fertilizer for other plants if you trim it down and use it as mulch or work it into the ground at the base of the other plants.Ĭlover is a perennial, but it does need some reseeding every couple of years to fill in the gaps. The clover lawn doesn’t need mowing or fertilizing. But as it matures, it gradually needs less water to no water at all due to its strong root system. Reaching the blooming stage will take a bit of patience though, as most clover varieties will mature and bloom only after their first year.Īs it’s getting established, clover requires a bit more watering during hot dry summers. Its roots permeate deep into the soil and aerate it while its flowers provide a nutritious snack bar for pollinators. And for good reasons too.Ĭlover is a low-maintenance ground cover that is often planted for off-season growth in vegetable garden beds due to its nitrogen-fixing properties. I chose to start with the humble clover because it’s becoming a popular lawn alternative. And you should definitely ask for the advice of your local native plant society. You can consult local sustainable landscape designers and regenerative landscape advisors. You can start by seeking advice from your local university agricultural extension. It’s always a good idea to do more localized research before you embark on any large lawn overhaul.
A popular ground cover such as the dwarf periwinkle ( Vinca minor) is easily manageable in most temperate climates, but it may be considered invasive in warmer climates. Take this list as a starting point from which to zoom in on what works in your specific (micro)climate.įor example, it may take two years to get a clover lawn started in a hot and dry climate while it only takes one season in a mild and humid one. Grasses and lavender drifts work well as a slope lawn replacement.Īnd one more thing: since our readership spans all USDA gardening zones, not to mention other countries and continents, I decided to keep my recommendations more general rather than too specific. While others grow taller and can be used to fill up the vertical space. Some of these no-mow options are ground covers, so they’ll just behave like a lawn that your kids and pets can happily play on. and they should be perennial (or at least not require replanting annually).Lawn alternatives should provide good ground coverage.Lawn alternatives shouldn’t require too much water.Lawn replacements have to be low maintenance.When selecting these suggestions, I kept a few simple criteria in mind: If you’re also looking for solutions and figuring out what the best no-mow lawn alternatives are, read on. I’d like to spend the rest of this article focusing on solutions rather than reiterating the problem with lawns. There is a transitional way to get rid of high-maintenance grass while still maintaining that lawn look. I won’t go deeper into why lawns should be a dying breed of landscaping, but if you want to read more, have a look at this article on Rural Sprout where Cheryl shares facts and figures that will hopefully convince you that lawns aren’t worth the trouble.īut don’t be discouraged if you’re not quite ready to turn your lawn into a food-producing space described in Food Not Lawns. Waterwise lawn replacements can be a combination of ground cover plants.
But the most valuable resource that lawns squander is time wasted on maintenance … as if our lives aren’t hectic enough.ĭespite being so resource-intensive, lawns do very little for their surrounding environment because they offer nothing to pollinators or to other beneficial insects. Lawns are resource hogs – they gobble up vast quantities of water and require fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides to keep them looking good (by traditional standards, of course). Since you started reading this article, I’ll assume you have at least a vague idea of the disadvantages of maintaining a well-manicured lawn. It’s been sixteen years since Heather Jo Flores published the book Food Not Lawns, and the #nolawn revolution is picking up pace faster than you can say “No Mow May.”
0 kommentar(er)
