Understanding Your Soil
A Green Yard
Yards are at the forefront of local environmental stewardship. Because residential land use is the most dominant land use in urban communities, we have the power to create a healthy landscape with high functioning ecosystems. Our design and plant choices can filter pollutants, supply food to pollinators (and us!), slow floodwaters, save energy…all the while allowing us to have fun and creating spare change in our pocketbooks.
Like soil and water, human health can always be managed better. About 80 million U.S. households dump nearly 90 million pounds of herbicides and pesticides on lawns per year. At times, pesticides are used as a last resort to save crops or homes, but is their use for purely cosmetic pursuits worth the health of children, pets, and our environment?
Everyone loves extending their living room outside in the summer. When you gauge how much lawn you actually need, there are ways to have a healthy lawn without toxic treatments.
More Articles for a Healthy Yard and Home
How To Fight Stream Pollution Through Effective Stormwater Management
In this guide, we’ll explore and address how pollutant loading in streams is crucial for the well-being of both watersheds and communities.
Roots of Sustainability: Understanding the Importance of Trees in Urban Living
A healthy urban tree canopy has a profound and positive impact on community quality of life in various ways. Recognizing the value of urban trees and investing in their preservation can contribute to sustainable, resilient, and vibrant urban living.
Shrink Your Lawn: A Guide to Growing More Native Plants
In this guide, we’ll explore the importance of reducing your lawn’s size and explain the many benefits it brings, both for your wallet and the environment.
Cold-Weather Cultivation: 8 Steps to Winter Sowing and Seed Stratification
It is important to determine when native seedlings are ready for harvest. Not sure how to? Check out our guide to harvesting native seedlings.
How to Know When Native Seedlings are Ready to be Harvested
It is important to determine when native seedlings are ready for harvest. Not sure how to? Check out our guide to harvesting native seedlings.
Harvesting Guide for Native Seedlings and Plants
Stearns Native Nursery is always in need of native trees and seedlings. To get your native plants to the Stearns Nursery, follow this harvesting guide.
How to Add Native Plants to Your Garden
Many of us have chosen to cultivate species and landscapes that are not naturally-occurring in our region. It’s wasteful, expensive and detrimental to wildlife who encounter reduced availability of the native species upon which they feed.
Wildlife-Friendly Fall Yard Cleanup
Before any landscape program begins, assess the current conditions of your home landscape. This assessment will help you to identify and prioritize future projects and allow you to appreciate all the positive changes you’ve made.
Composting 101
Before any landscape program begins, assess the current conditions of your home landscape. This assessment will help you to identify and prioritize future projects and allow you to appreciate all the positive changes you’ve made.
Turf Grass Care
Before any landscape program begins, assess the current conditions of your home landscape. This assessment will help you to identify and prioritize future projects and allow you to appreciate all the positive changes you’ve made.