5 messages from your backyard

According to the recent poll conducted by The Harris Poll for the TurfMutt Foundation, more than two-thirds of Americans who have a yard (69 percent) say doing yard work – either maintaining it or adding/updating features – is one the ways they like to de-stress. This is especially true among parents of kids under 18.

“Backyarding” – the act of taking indoor activities outside to the green space around us – is here to stay. This year, backyarders are taking their practices up a notch to master backyarder status, and they are listening to these messages from their yard:

Plant more, early and often. Adding trees, bushes, grass and flowering plants is a good yard investment, but they often take time to grow. Plant as early as recommended to enjoy the benefits faster. Remember the Golden Rule of backyarding: ”right plant, right place.” Location, maintenance, sunlight, and watering needs should all be considered, as well as your climate zone and lifestyle.

You work on me, and I work for you. The more time you spend in your yard, the more health and well-being benefits you gain. Backyarding means exploring, appreciating and spending time in your own personal patch of nature, which reduces stress, improves memory, boosts heart health, and offers a host of other benefits for our minds and bodies.

I have environmental superpowers. Family yards are environmental superheroes – producing oxygen, absorbing carbon, and capturing and filtering rainwater. By becoming a steward of your living landscapes, you can have a positive impact on our environment and help mitigate the effects of climate change on a micro level.

You’re not the only one who depends on me. Your yard is an important part of the connected ecosystem, and adding flowering plants, trees and shrubs give wildlife and pollinators food and shelter. Check your climate zone for landscaping options that support the birds, bees, butterflies and other wildlife that call your neighborhood home.

Please care for me properly. Only water when necessary. Over-watered grass gets lazy, growing roots in a horizontal pattern. With less water, grass sends its roots deeper – vertically – seeking water. By working harder, grass does a better job of sequestering carbon and releasing oxygen. Install watering solutions – like smart controllers on irrigation systems – that helps conserve water while maintaining your backyard. Additionally, find the just-right length to cut your turfgrass (typically between 2-3 inches).

For more information, sign up for Mutt Mail, a monthly e-newsletter with backyarding tips and all the news from the TurfMutt Foundation here. To learn more about creating the yard of your dreams, visit TurfMutt.com. Look for Mulligan the TurfMutt on the CBS Lucky Dog television show. Here is a link to the International Backyarding Fact Book, to learn why spending time in our yards and community parks is good for us…and the planet.