Michael Pettigrew/istockphoto
DCL
Our lawns are like the proverbial cake that we want to have and eat at the same time. We love our lawns. They are an attractive thing to keep in front of the house. We can roll around on out lawns or put little statues of gnomes on them. It's a free country. But lawns come come with a heavy environmental price.
Environmentally, lawn maintenance can be very problematic. You may be tempted to use pesticides, herbicides or damaging fertilizers on your lawn. You may want to bag your grass clippings, or you may water your lawn way too much. These things are not eco-friendly.
About 50% of home water usage goes towards the lawn. There is no real benefit to over-watering. In fact, it weakens the grass. Excess moisture gives the grass no incentive to grow deeper roots. This leaves your grass open to pests and disease.
Most people over-water simply because they do not know any better. How much water does your lawn need? If you don't know the answer to that question, then you should consider installing a moisture sensor.
