Eco Lawn Service Opens in Scotland

Horticulture Week

The Great Lawn Company has launched with eight franchisees offering environmentally-friendly domestic lawn care in the Edinburgh and Glasgow areas.

Founded by ex-greenkeepers Ian MacMillan and Andrew Turnbull, the company has adapted the range of chemical-free lawn care products and petrol-free reel lawn mowers offered by All Turf Management to meet the needs of the domestic market.

Turnbull said:  "We intend to compete with the likes of Greenthumb when we roll out nationally with a focus on being family friendly.  When you have companies doing lawn care and spraying people's lawns with all sorts of chemicals - for the kids to then go and roll in; to us that's just not right."

Turnbull has been producing carbohydrate nutrition mixes in Belfast and MacMillan has trialled them on turf grass in Scotland over the last two years.

They plan to trial the business model with the eight franchisees for another year before rolling out nationally in 2011.

Five of the eight lawn service franchisees are ex-greenkeepers and all have undergone an intensive training course in carbohydrate nutrition.

Turf care machinery dealer SGM have already endorsed the new business and they have opened their premises to house the product range and for training and help in the management of the business.

Oregon Town Becoming 'Reel' Green

Sandy Post

Gas-powered lawn mowers produce as much air pollution as 43 new cars each being driven 12,000 miles thanks to high levels of carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide and other compounds they create, according to peoplepoweredmachines.com.

The site also notes that each year, approximately 17 million gallons of fuel, mostly gasoline, are spilled each year when people try and refuel their mowers – an amount greater than the oil spilled by the Exxon Valdez.

Sandy’s Jay Bradshaw hopes to help abate that impact with his new business, The Quiet Garden. Born out of the downturn in the economy and difficulty with his job selling blueberry plants wholesale, The Quiet Garden offers lawn care, including mowing, edging, pruning and even his own natural pest repellant, in an environmentally friendly way. That means methods such as using a reel mower rather than a gas-powered one and composting trimmings.

“People say, ‘find the job that you like to do,’” Bradshaw said. “I could go out and work in the yard until dark. I really enjoy it; it’s peaceful, good therapy.”

Bradshaw sees the green lawn services business as a way to save gas, decrease emissions and build healthier lawns. And he noted that reel mowers offer a better cut for the grass and provide some good exercise, while the option of leaving clippings, which contain nitrogen, can also be beneficial to a lawn.

“When you use reel mowers to cut a yard, the blade cuts the grass instead of tearing it, so it’s healthier for the grass,” said Bradshaw, who also worked in the landscaping business in Chicago for the Theodore Brickman Company after attending Michigan State University. “And if you leave (the clippings) on the grass, you don’t have to worry about fertilization as much.”

Meanwhile, Bradshaw is also taking to heart that others have been affected by the recent economic difficulties and plans to incorporate that into his business. Last December, when his job took a turn for the worse, he noticed a Post article about the homeless around Sandy.

“I’m in a warm house and turning up the thermostat and thought of people in the woods,” Bradshaw said. “That really gets to my heartstrings.”

As part of his business, he plans to donate 10 percent of his earnings to the Sandy Action Center, with the hope that an endowment can be created to fund the organization’s activities.

“The more money you get in it, it starts growing,” Bradshaw said. He encourages others to help too, noting that a lot of people each doing a little bit will add up.

For more information, call 877-432-GREEN (4733) or visit thequietgarden.com.

Did you know?

• Americans burn 800 million gallons of gas each year trimming their grassy yards, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

• One gas mower running for an hour emits the same amount of pollutants as eight new cars driving 55 mph for the same amount of time, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists.

• One hour of mowing is the equivalent of driving 350 miles in terms of volatile organic compounds.

• One gas mower spews 87 pounds of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, and 54 pounds of other pollutants into the air every year.

Facts taken from peoplepoweredmachines.com

Winter and Spring Lawn Care - What to Do Next

All About Lawns

Wondering if you're off the hook yet with your lawn? This helpful list includes a few simple guidelines for what maintenance steps you can still take with your lawn (unless winter has come early--hello, Denver), and what things on which you should hold off until spring.

There is still time for:

    * "Clean" your lawn in preparation for winter. Removing leaves, branches, and any debris from your lawn before colder temperatures and/or snowfall is a great idea, and in most areas of the country, you still have time. (Sorry, states like Colorado; hopefully your lawn was ready!).

    * One last meal for your lawn, in warmer climates. Seeding in late fall is called "dormant seeding." This practice enables seed to take root while your lawn is dormant during the colder months. If your local temperatures have already begun to sip into the 40s, hold off until spring. You can keep opened bags of fertilizer, too, if sealed and stored properly.

    * Tackle those weeds. Some kinds of weeds grow healthily during the winter, so if snow and cold temperatures don't keep them away, you can continue weed killing all the way until spring.

Wait until spring to:

    * Install new landscaping elements. Unless you live an area like the Southwest, where winter temperatures may get cool but never cold, and you have plenty of sun, wait until spring to install new landscaping elements like edging, trees, ponds, and more.

    * Seed patchy areas. Chances are, those pesky patches in your lawn won't get worse during the winter. Your lawn will be preserved beneath snowfall or simply by the colder temperatures.

    * Start a new lawn. Processes like soil testing, seeding, and even hydroseeding are best done right before prime grass growing season in the spring and summer. When you do plant a new lawn, plan ahead for next winter if you like rich, green grass. Rye and Kentucky bluegrass are great grass choices for their deep color.

Remember, in order to get the most from your lawn come springtime, it's best to let it rest during the winter. Most grass grows when temperatures are above 46 degrees Fahrenheit. If you live in an area where temperatures will never get this low, feel free to continue light maintenance like mowing. If you are using reel mowers, keep your setting high. You want to give your lawn the best chance to rebound and thrive again in just a few months.

Grow Fenway Park Grass in Your Backyard

Boston Globe

Want your yard to look as lush and as green as the grass at Fenway Park? That gardener's dream may now be easier to achieve, thank to a new sponsorship agreement between Major League Baseball Properties and Scotts Co. LLC, an outfit known for garden-care products such as ScottsMiracle-Gro.

"Fans will now be able to purchase grass seed blends and fertilizers featured in some of the most iconic Major League ballparks," Major League Baseball Properties and Scotts said in a press release. "These products, designed by Scotts in consultation with the head groundskeeper at each ballpark, utilize the same Scotts varieties and technology used on the fields. Grass seed blends and fertilizers will debut in 2010 for fans of the Boston Red Sox (Fenway Park), Chicago Cubs (Wrigley Field), Cincinnati Reds (Great American Ballpark), Philadelphia Phillies (Citizens Bank Park), and St. Louis Cardinals (Busch Stadium)."

As part of the agreement with Major League Baseball Properties, Scotts, makers of push reel mowers, becomes the "official lawn care company of Major League Baseball."

7 Steps Towards An Eco-Friendly Lawn And Garden

Courier Press

As the author of "The Green Gardener's Guide," I've written the book on essential ways to green your garden while protecting the planet. But at the risk of hindering future sales, if I had to narrow it down to just a few things, the following list of seven will get you well on your way.

Right Plant, Right Place

If there were only one bit of advice I'd give for creating the healthiest garden possible, it would be to put the right plant in the right place. Plants that are growing in the most appropriate conditions have the best possible chance to thrive. Conversely, plants in distress will shut down or try to divert precious energy, all in an effort to survive.

Often our misguided solution is to pour on the fertilizer or pesticide, when all that was probably needed was to change the plant's location to the proper setting.

Feed the Soil

Healthy soil is alive with a complex array of creatures that all play a vital role in water uptake, nutrient availability, soil drainage and moisture retention. Feeding the soil means providing natural amendments like compost, aged manure and organic matter to fortify what's already there, and fuel a nutrient-rich ecosystem to sustain future needs.

Mulch, Mulch, Mulch

One of the easiest ways to make our garden less dependant on water and chemicals is to mulch generously. Applying about a three-inch layer around your trees and plants acts like an insulating barrier that helps retain moisture, moderates soil temperatures and suppresses weeds. In addition, a protective mulch barrier blocks many soil-dwelling diseases from splashing up onto foliage and infecting plants.

Whether you buy mulch in bulk or by the bag, it's a great investment that does so much. Even as it breaks down, it's improving your soil with valuable organic matter.

Water Deeply, Infrequently, and Responsibly

With a looming worldwide water crisis, one of our worst offenses at being more eco-friendly is how we waste water in our gardens and landscapes. More plants die from over-watering then under. Plants respond more favorably to infrequent, deep watering, as close to the root zone as possible, rather than short applications often. Deep watering promotes deep root growth, which in turn promotes more vigorous top growth and a more drought-tolerant plant.

If Using Chemicals, Act Responsibly

By applying the steps mentioned so far, you'll eliminate many problems that would otherwise require chemical intervention. Yet quite often the bigger problem with using chemicals lies with the person applying them. We incorrectly believe that if a little is good, more is better. If, when using chemicals, you simply stick to the label instructions, keep on target and use them only as a last resort, you'd be making a big improvement to a more sustainable landscape.

Select Tools That Don't Pollute

We gardeners work hard to promote so much beauty; in the process we do a lot of not-so-pretty things to the environment, including using tools that spew plenty of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Lawn mowers, weed whackers and leaf blowers are some of the biggest culprits. Fortunately, battery-operated and electric models are now formidable replacements, and there are plenty to choose from.

Even manual push reel lawnmowers have made a strong comeback lately. It's my mower of choice. I love the quietness of these human-powered rotary lawn mowers along with the simplicity and no-fuss ease of operation.

Manage Horticultural Waste Properly

Being a greener gardener also means making wise decisions when disposing of horticultural waste such as plastic pots, yard debris and chemicals. One of the biggest culprits in greenhouse gas emissions comes from landfills. And according to the USDA, about 65 percent of any landfill is unnecessary because it can be composted or recycled. Moreover, 25 percent comes from compostable yard debris and kitchen scraps.

So as you do your part to green your garden while protecting the planet, remember to consider everything that leaves your property, too. There are plenty of other ways you can garden in a more environmentally responsible way, but starting with one or all of the steps above will get you well on your way to making a big difference!