Yard care tips for clean water

Posted: Thursday, April 26, 2012

Follow these tips to maintain your yard and protect water resources.

1. Keep the storm drain clear of leaves, twigs and debris.
2. Don’t fertilize brown grass, only actively growing grass. Misapplied fertilizer is wasted and it washes into bodies of water where it fosters algae and weed growth.
3. Cover exposed soil to prevent erosion.
4. Pull and smother weeds. Use a few sheets of newspapers and mulch to smother weeds, instead of herbicides. Avoid plastic weed barriers.
5. Tolerate some insect damage. Use caution if you apply soil drench insecticides. They must be used appropriately to be effective and to avoid contaminating water resources. For more information visit http://bit.ly/HwYLlX.
6. Choose the right plant. Check the plant tag or other resources to determine the ideal conditions for the plant before you buy it.