Watershed-Friendly Lawn Care: A Guide for Pennsylvania Residents
This guide provides residential property owners with practical, science-based strategies for maintaining healthy lawns while protecting local water resources. Covering everything from fertilizer use to sustainable turf care, it explains how everyday lawn practices impact streams, rivers, and groundwater—and how small changes can make a big difference. The guide introduces "watershed-friendly lawn care," an approach that helps reduce stormwater runoff, nutrient pollution, and soil erosion. It includes step-by-step guidance on proper fertilization using the 4R method (right source, rate, time, and place), soil testing, and understanding nutrient cycles. Readers will also find best practices for mowing, irrigation, aeration, and selecting grass types that require fewer inputs. Additional topics cover rain gardens, permeable surfaces, and reducing lawn size to improve environmental benefits.
Prepared by Timothy Abbey, Ruth Benner, Genevieve Christ, Tanner DelValle, Meagan Hopkins-Doerr, Sandy Feather, Peter Landschoot, Danielle Rhea, Jodi Sulpizio, Denise Uzupis, Beth Yount, and Andy Yencha
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