5 Tips for an Eco-Friendly Yard

Enjoying your backyard can be difficult to do when the weather is cold. Keeping your backyard eco-friendly during the winter can also be difficult when you do not feel like spending time outdoors. However, it is not impossible to enjoy your backyard in winter while still keeping it eco-friendly. Below you’ll find five ways you can turn your backyard into an eco-friendly, winter sanctuary that everyone can enjoy.

1. Turn off the Water
In certain places, people keep sprinkler systems on year-round. In other areas, sprinkler systems need to be shut off when temperatures begin dropping. Once winter arrives, plants, grass, and other shrubbery do not require as much water. However, many people may continue watering when it is not needed.

• Reduce the amount of water you use in your backyard.
• Even if you do not use a sprinkler system, reduce the amount of water you use in your backyard.
• Instead of watering your lawn and other greenery every day, only water it when it is needed.

Turning off your sprinkler system as temperatures become cooler can also help prevent wasted water. Cold temperatures can cause pipes to burst in sprinkler systems, which causes water waste.

2. Create Animal-Friendly Areas

An Eco-friendly backyard should have plenty of animal-friendly areas. When you want to create an animal-friendly backyard, you can set up a few areas where animals will feel safe and happy.

• Hang a few bird-feeders from the trees in your backyard or off your back porch.
• Scatter bird food around the bottom of the tree trunks, as well as underneath other bird-feeders. The food on the ground will attract non-flying birds, as well as scavenger birds.
• Use recycled materials to create bird-feeders.

3. Winterize Your Lawn in an Eco-Friendly Way

All lawns need to be winterized before the temperatures drop. However, if you want to keep your backyard eco-friendly, you should consider using organic or eco-friendly fertilizer on your grass and plants.

• Prepare your lawn before winter with eco-friendly fertilizers.
• Plant grass and plants that are intended for the area you live.
• When you use the right type of grass and plants in your yard, there is not as much need for fertilizer or water.

4. Pesticides are a Bad Idea

Pesticides can harm your pets, as well as any outdoor animals that visit your yard. When you want to deter certain animals, or lawn killers, consider using natural methods.

5. Trade Your Current Furniture for Eco-Friendly Items

Use eco-friendly outdoor lighting and furniture. You can still enjoy your backyard in the winter by using eco-friendly lighting and furniture.

• Enjoy the cooler weather by placing an environmentally friendly outside wood burning stove in your yard.
• Use eco-friendly yard lighting and holiday lights.
• Use outdoor furniture made from recycled materials outside on your porch or in your yard.

Just because the weather is cooler does not mean you cannot enjoy your yard. With bird feeders, outdoor wood stoves, and recyclable furniture, you can have fun outdoors, even in winter. When you make an effort to have a greener yard, it can be more enjoyable for you, and the environment.

Photo credits: Bird Feeder – Cardinal by Marni-/flickr; Solar Lights in backyard
by shidairyproduct/flickr

Author Casey Stevens owns his own landscape business and writes for truckertotrucker.com, a site where you can find a dump trailer for your renovation project or a flatbed trailer to haul all your heavy equipment.