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Lawn
Choose an electric or push mower
Black & Decker electric mowers
Choose from corded and battery-powered electric mowers from Black & Decker, available at popular retail outlets such as Lowe's, Target, Wal-Mart and more.Neuton Mower
Buy a cordless electric Neuton mower with an optional mulching kit. The manufacturer claims it's the #1 selling battery-powered mower, that it runs for one hour on a single charge, and it's the only mower that comes with an optional trimmer/edger attachment.Robo Mower
For the ultimate in lawn-cutting ease, consider the no-push, no-gasoline mulching robotic Robomow.Sears electric mowers
Choose from Sears Craftsman and other top-rated electric mowers.
Use a mulching mower
Black & Decker mulching mowers
Choose from a variety of electric corded and cordless mulching mowers from Black & Decker, available at popular retail outlets.Neuton Mower for mulching
Buy a cordless electric Neuton mower with a side discharge chute, grass bagger, and an optional mulching kit. The manufacturer claims it's the #1 selling battery-powered mower, that it runs for one hour on a single charge, and that it's the only mower that comes with an optional trimmer/edger attachment.People Powered Machines mulching reel mowers
Check out environmentally friendly mulching reel mowers with optional grass catchers, including one model whose blades only need sharpening every 8-10 years, as well as an electrically-powered reel model.Robo Mower
For the ultimate in lawn-cutting ease, consider the no-push, no-gasoline mulching robotic Robomow.Sears electric mulching mowers
Choose from Sears Craftsman and other top-rated electric mulching mowers.
Set and sharpen your mower blade correctly
Eco-Lawn grass seed
Consider a grass you don't have to mow at all. Wildflower Farm states that drought-tolerant Eco-Lawn grass seed only grows to 9 inches left unmown, but it's fine texture causes it to "fall over" to a height of about 4 inches, creating a "flowing carpet-like appearance." Mow once a month for a lawn with a traditional 3-4 inch height.EZ Grip Utility Sharpener
Lawnbelt USA claims this tool will sharpen mower blades without removing them from the mower. It also sharpens shovels, spades, axes, gardening shears, and scissors.Wingfield Ag and Lawn
Buy a new mower blade to replace one that's severely nicked or damaged, or have a spare sharp blade on hand. This vendor offers blades for virtually all lawn mower makes and models and claims its blades often exceed OEM quality.
Use organic soil amendments
Dave's Garden
Search a database by state/and or country for companies that sell organic soil amendments, rated by readers.Extremely Green Gardening Company Organic Soil Amendments
Select from a variety of organic fertilizers and soil amendments.Foxfarm Soil & Fertilizer Company
Buy liquid, dry, or soluble granular organic fertilizers.Gardener's Supply Company
Choose from organic fertilizers and plant foods for vegetables, flowers, raised beds, and even compost "tea bags" for houseplants.Peaceful Valley Farm & Garden Supply
Choose from organic fertilizer, compost, and compost tea, as well as green manure seeds.TerraVive Soil Conditioner
Infused with beneficial bacteria, this natural soil conditioner is a bio-catalyst and bio-stimulant designed to improve soil structure, add organic matter, increase nutrient uptake, and stimulate microbial growth.
Use natural pest control
DIRT WORKS
Not sure which product to buy? Choose from pre-packaged kits: a "Garden Pest Control Kit for the Medium to Large Garden and Yard," a "Back Yard Personal Bug Protection Kit," or a "garden pack" of nematodes and beneficial insects. Other products include hot pepper wax and insecticidal soaps.Extremely Green Gardening Company Organic Soil Amendments
Select from a variety of organic fertilizers and soil amendments.Peaceful Valley Farm & Garden Supply
Choose from organic fertilizer, compost, and compost tea, as well as green manure seeds.Planet Natural
Select from all-natural remedies including traps, lures, barriers, repellents, beneficial insects, biological pesticides, insecticidal soaps, and oils. Check out their "Pest Problem Solver" to identify common insect pests and ecologically-friendly solutions.
Use natural disease control
Gardens Alive! disease control products
Buy Shield-All II Neem Fungicide for fungal diseases on vegetables, trees, shrubs, houseplants, roses, and ornamentals. Choose Plant Guardian Biofungicide (wettable powder or liquid concentrate) to prevent and fight especially challenging fungal diseases.HarvestSafe.com
Choose from a variety of organic fungicides including Green Cure, a non-toxic potassium bicarbonate formula, which can be used on 85 different flowers, trees, houseplants, fruits, vegetables, and turfs.Peaceful Valley Farm & Garden Supply
Choose from organic fertilizer, compost, and compost tea, as well as green manure seeds.
Reduce the size of your lawn
Aquascape Water Gardens
Aquascape specializes in water gardening and ecosystem ponds, created with Mother Nature's intricate designs in mind.Gurney's Seed & Nursery Co. trees, shrubs, groundcovers, and ornamental grasses
Gurney's offers a wide range of seeds and nursery plants, including trees, shrubs, hedges, ornamental grasses, and ground covers.The Vermont Wildflower Farm
The Vermont Wildflower Farm offers premium, proven wildflower seed mixtures for all regions of North America, plus wildflower seeds of over 100 individual wild perennial and annual
flowers.
Plant the right grass for your climate
Centipedegrass.com
If you live in the South, order some centipede—"the lazy man's grass."DIRT WORKS
Not sure which product to buy? Choose from pre-packaged kits: a "Garden Pest Control Kit for the Medium to Large Garden and Yard," a "Back Yard Personal Bug Protection Kit," or a "garden pack" of nematodes and beneficial insects. Other products include hot pepper wax and insecticidal soaps.Dirt Works Seed
If you live in the North, try one of Dirt Works' cold-season grass mixtures to address all sorts of needs: Green Mountain Special, Grub-R, Playground, Premier Shade, Sandy Soil, Super Blue, or Shorty.Eco-Lawn grass seed
Consider a grass you don't have to mow at all. Wildflower Farm states that drought-tolerant Eco-Lawn grass seed only grows to 9 inches left unmown, but it's fine texture causes it to "fall over" to a height of about 4 inches, creating a "flowing carpet-like appearance." Mow once a month for a lawn with a traditional 3-4 inch height.Garden's Alive! Northern Turf Grass Seed
Northern Turf Grass Seed resists drought and common insects, eliminates thatch, crowds out weeds, and uses only 50 to 66 percent of the nitrogen needed by bluegrass.
Plant a "low-mow" grass or lawn alternative
Eco-Lawn grass seed
Consider a grass you don't have to mow at all. Wildflower Farm states that drought-tolerant Eco-Lawn grass seed only grows to 9 inches left unmown, but it's fine texture causes it to "fall over" to a height of about 4 inches, creating a "flowing carpet-like appearance." Mow once a month for a lawn with a traditional 3-4 inch height.High Country Gardens Legacy Buffalo Grass
Legacy buffalo grass grows 4 to 6 inches high and is propagated from cuttings. It is pollen-free and spreads quickly from runners. It will grow in a wide range of soil types but prefers heavy clay. Requires minimal mowing and water, and little or no fertilization (depending on soil type). Best adapted to regions that receive 10” to 35” of annual precipitation.Nature Hills Nursery
Nature Hills Nursery offers ground covers, ornamental grasses, ferns, turf grasses, and many other types of landscaping plants and seeds.
Practice xeriscaping
Cacti.Com landscaping succulents
Cacti.Com is a Southern California-based web nursery specializing in landscaping succulents. It offers a wide variety of plants including cacti, aloes, agaves, euphorbias, and many other drought-tolerant materials.Dryland Gardening by Jennifer Bennett
Dryland Gardening covers all types of perennials, annuals, bulbs, shrubs, vines, herbs, grasses, and ground covers that survive and thrive in tough conditions.High Country Gardens drought-resistant plants
Low-water and native plants great for the western gardener. Choices include ornamental grasses, shrubs, conifers, cacti, succulents, groundcovers, perennials, low-water grass seed, planned gardens, and more.Xeriscape Handbook by Gayle Weinstein
The Xeriscape Handbook is a how-to guide to natural, resource-wise gardening. It's one of a series of books from Fulcrum Publishing that includes the Xeriscape Plant Guide and the Xeriscape Color Guide.Yucca Do Nursery drought-tolerant plants
Yucca Do Nursery specializes in drought- and heat-tolerant plants and trees, with over 300 plants to choose from. Their offerings include palms, cyads, shrubs, vines, bromeliads, bulbs, succulents, perennials, ferns, and grasses.
Choose the correct watering system
Clean Air Gardening
Clean Air Gardening, a carbon-neutral company, offers a variety of rain barrels.Nelson
Nelson products are available at popular retailers and include sprinklers, nozzles, automatic watering devices, brass "quick connects," hose repair kits, and the Simple Soaker, a soaker hose that can be set up in 15 minutes.The Drip Store
The Drip Store offers a variety of drip irrigation systems. Download the free "Drip Irrigation Installation & Planning Guide."
Comments
11:42am
Submitted this earlier .... should mention this type of turf-grass. It only grows 6 inches ... needs to be mowed once a year.
Originally used out west, but cultivars are being created for the northeast.
4:58pm
Hi B Dietz,
Thanks for the suggestion. Check out "Plant the right grass for your climate" where I mention buffalo grass. Have you ever grown it? I haven't, so I'd be interested in hearing about your experience with it. If there's anything else you'd like to see added to the Lawn or Gardening pages, please let me know. Thanks for taking the time to comment!
Lynn