Defining a Healthy Lawn

Many American home owners have an idea about what a healthy lawn looks like. It's probably somewhere between a half acre to an acre lot covered in turf grass. The grass is kept neatly short, mowed in tight rows, perhaps there are a few other plants in the yard. Maybe they've planted some evergreen bushes or boxwoods in the front, perhaps tulips flower early in the Spring and later peonies and lilies open. During the Summer potted petunias, geraniums, and impatiens are planted, and the yard features a Colorado Blue Spruce and whatever shade tree was cheapest, likely a Norway Maple. Perhaps the yard gets treated twice per year to prevent weed growth.

Is the image above truly a healthy yard?

To answer the question, take a moment to think about what makes an ecosystem healthy. Keep in mind that while your yard may not be the Great Outdoors, it is in fact outdoors. By what standards do we measure a healthy environment? One of the best indicators for health is biodiversity; in other words how much life can outside sustain.

Keep in mind that life in this sense means a lot of things that people forget about or overlook. Plants, fungus, and insects are all forms of life that have their place outside. The yard which the typical home owner imagines lacks the biodiversity needed to call the yard healthy.

If you are interested in improving your lawn's biodiversity there are some really easy steps which you can take:

1. Stop treating your lawn - dandelions, wild violets, chicory, and clover aren't bad for your lawn. While if not totally kept, some of these "weeds" can get tall and somewhat unsightly, but they also have some benefits such as soil aeration, nitrogen fixing, and providing food for butterflies, bees, and finches.
2. Raise the blades on your mower. Let gross grow a little longer. This will not only help prevent it from getting burnt in the summer, but it will also allow it to seed itself as well as providing some cover for insects and small animals.
3. Don't worry too much about the bugs. While a hornets' nest over your front door or termites in your house should probably be dealt with, my general rule when the bugs are outside is to leave them alone. Not only do insects provide food for birds, reptiles, mammals, and amphibians, but some also provide beneficial services to plants like pollination.
4. Plant something (preferably something native). While there is an appeal to having some flat, open, useable green space; many people do not make use of their entire yard. Plant a variety of plants in your yard. In the Midwest, prairie wildflowers, sedges, and grasses will all do well. Also native oaks, maples, and birches make for excellent additions to a lawn; these trees provide food and shelter for a variety of insects, birds, and mammals.

If you aren't sure how healthy your yard is, take some time to survey what you see. Do you see bees and butterflies in your yard often? When is the last time you had an amphibian in your yard? How many different species of bird visit your lawn? These are all indicators of your lawn's health. The amphibians are an especially good indicator as their porous skin can make them vulnerable to changes in the environment. There has been a nationwide decline in pollinators so active bee and butterfly activity in your yard is a good indicator that you are doing something correctly. Just remember, a truly healthy lawn is one that supports the most life.

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