When you look at what minimalism is all about, you may wonder how it fits with having an organic lawn in your yard. After all, is a perfect lawn not part of the American dream and is it not difficult to maintain an organic lawn in perfect condition? Surely all of this goes against the minimalist ethos of having freedom from stress, guilt and the trappings of everyday life.
You may be surprised to learn that traditional lawn care can be harmful to the environment. Naturally, practicing organic lawn care techniques aligns well with the minimalist approach to life. After all, you do not have to rely on commercial fertilizers; nature takes control. It’s also important to remember that an organic lawn should be perfect for you but not necessarily perfect in the sense that it’s pristine.
Bringing minimalism to your outside space
Whatever type of minimalist you are, you probably do not want an outside space that is full of glass, plastic and metal. A natural garden that is allowed to thrive, with as little human intervention as possible, is far closer to the minimalist approach to life. Obviously, lawn care is one aspect of any yard that requires some intervention. You cannot just allow grass to grow as it wishes, or you would end up going on a jungle trek every time you venture outside.
Caring for an organic lawn in a minimalist way
Organic lawns are well suited to a minimalist lifestyle. The idea is that they should be able to survive using only natural nutrients. This means that there should be no need to use traditional fertilizers that are harmful to the environment. There are other points about minimalist organic lawn care to consider.
- Pesticides should not be used. Some insects, such as butterflies are actually beneficial visitors and should be welcomed. To deter any less welcome bugs, you can plant certain flowers around your yard, as a deterrent. They can then do all of the work for you, completely naturally.
- Weeds in a lawn are not always a bad thing. Some weeds, such as dandelion and clover brighten a lawn, and attract beautiful butterflies to your yard. This type of weed can be happily left to grow in your lawn, as long as you make sure that they do not take over completely. Leaving these weeds can help to protect top soil if any grass dies during hot weather.
- Organic matter that is raked off a lawn should be used as a natural fertilizer for your yard, enhancing the nutrient levels that are present in the soil.
- Any weeds, or fast growing plants that need to go, should be removed by hand.
Caring for a lawn in this way brings great satisfaction and removes the pressure of having to maintain a ‘perfect’ lawn in the commercial sense. What could be more minimalistic than having an organic lawn that uses nature’s resources to grow and has a natural appearance instead of looking like a picture postcard.
