This is the time of year when many Canadians turn to things like home renovations, especially those outside – and they also turn to things like home equity loans and home equity lines of credit in order to pay for those renovations and remodels. If you’re one of the many that are doing that very thing, you might want to think about creating a low-maintenance lawn, rather than a conventional one. Making the choice of low-maintenance not only means that you need to care for your lawn less, but that you’ll save money too – money that can be put back towards the loan you took out in order to get it!
Low-maintenance lawns are those which use a special blend of different grasses in order to limit the amount of pests in the yard, reduce the amount of watering needed, and increase natural fertilizers. These last two are especially beneficial to homeowners, as they’ll save money both in energy costs and on yard maintenance products. Not to mention that all of these things mean a greener environment that’s much more environmentally-friendly. Not only does this help owners feel good about what they’re doing for their lawn, but it also helps place the home in the “modern” category – something that matters when resale value is being talked about.
In order to create a low-maintenance lawn, a special blend of certain types of grasses needs to be used, as each grass has its own benefits for the overall maintenance of the lawn. While there’s no concrete formula for the type or amount of grass that should be used, the general one to go by is 40% of fescues, 40% clover or treoils, and 20% broadleaf grasses. These grasses should also be kept at six to eight centimetres to detract pests and keep the lawn in low-maintenance condition.
Low-maintenance lawns may not be the lawns of choice just yet in Canada, but a recent survey by CMHC recently found that those who have already installed low-maintenance lawns in their yards are already well ahead of the game. Respondents said that in total, they spent: 50% less time on their lawn; 100% less water; 85% less money; 50% less fuel; 100% less pesticide; and 85% less fertilizer than those with conventional lawns.
At a time when just about everyone is concerned about our rising levels of household debt, we could all certainly stand to save some money somewhere, and your lawn could be just the place. If you’re working on your lawn this year and think it could stand a complete overhaul, contact CMHC at msalerno@cmhc.ca for even more tips on how to achieve a low-maintenance lawn.
