This grassy area in North Shore is slowly being converted to meadow over the next few years . Invasives will be removed and native plants will be slowly added to the already existing shrubs , forbs and native grasses . These areas are a welcoming space for all sorts of wildlife .
There is a huge and marked difference between just letting a yard go wild , much like an abandoned lot , and purposefully utilizing low impact gardening techniques that create an aesthetically pleasing space within the neighborhood . There are several things that contribute to this that are called “ Cues to Care .” Here are tips to get started .
• For a meadow or pollinator garden , pick a sunny spot with 4-6 hours of full sun .
• Create an attractive , recognizable shape for your meadow or garden .
• Clearly delineate the meadow or garden from the lawn with mulch paths , mowed edges , or hardscaping .
• If you are converting a lawn to meadow , start with a steep slope or swale that is hard to mow and doesn ’ t get much traffic . You only need to mow it once in early spring . Add native grasses and flowers to it , either with a seed mix or plugs that you can order in large quantities . Add a few woody shrubs as well . Choose plants that need minimal pruning to keep things looking neat .
• Remove as many invasives as possible that appear when the area starts to fill in . Otherwise , they will compete with your natives and take over , voiding all your hard work .
• Test your soil and add sulfur if it is too alkaline ( 7.5 or higher ). Less alkaline soil will reduce the number of invasive weeds like thistle .
These guides have great information ( you can search the titles on your online browser to review ):
• Monarchgard
• UMD Extension " How to Make a Meadow "
• Xerces Society " Mid-Atlantic Native Meadow Guide "
• WeConservePA " From Lawn to Meadow Guide "
Why does all this matter ? Low impact landscaping , especially with native plants , is desperately needed to offset the environmental damage done over decades .
• 5,000 acres per day are converted to lawn . Twenty trillion gallons of freshwater in the U . S . are used to water lawns . That compares to 30 trillion gallons used for all US food crops .
• Kids today will see 35 % fewer butterflies and moths than their parents did 40 years ago , and 28 % fewer birds , mammals , amphibians , and fish .
• We have 50 % fewer birds than 40 years ago . 96 % of songbirds feed only insects to their young .
• Native plants support 35x the number of insects .
Converting lawns to low impact landscaping saves money and improves your well-being . Consider this :
• Replacing one acre of lawn with seeded meadow will save you over $ 4,500 per year in gasoline , seed , herbicides , water ( MD State Highway Cost Manual ). It reduces greenhouse gasses ( not to mention time spent ).
• Idling a gas leaf blower for ten minutes puts out as much toxic exhaust as driving a large pick-up truck for 235 miles .
Spend your outdoor time enjoying the biodiversity and beauty of a low impact landscape instead of the usual weekly mowing and maintenance of your lawn . Meanwhile , your efforts will help to preserve the natural features we all appreciate . If you want help , contact Erin Johnson at buffer . lakelinganore @ gmail . com for a free consultation . This work may be eligible for the Buffer Rebate Program .
LakeTalk August 2022 29