Protect water quality in your yard with these tips!

^{The following is adapted from Water Quality Friendly Lawn Practices While Sheltering At Home
prepared by New Hampshire Sea Grant and UNH Cooperative Extension.
Another spring has arrived, and warmer weather brings renewed opportunities to enjoy our
outdoor spaces! Are you thinking about your lawn care or garden plans? Whether you are
looking to get outside or engage your children in a project, this season is a great time to
develop some new habits that will improve your green thumb, help protect the environment
and save money.
Whatever we do in our yards affects lakes, rivers, streams, and bays downhill. By adopting a
few simple practices, we can protect the health of surface water bodies we love while taking
care of ourselves and the people around us. These tips will help grow healthy lawns and
protect water quality while we are spending more time at home. Keeping Water Quality in Mind}
Tip 1. Take caution with spring clean up
^{One of the first activities drawing us outside in the spring is tidying up the accumulation of twigs,
pine needles, and decaying leaves left behind during the winter. As this plant material
decomposes, it releases nutrients that plants need, so there is no need to aim for immaculate, but
it is important to let the sunlight through. The bulk of the raked-up yard waste should be put in an
area where it can compost away from any drainage area or water body. Never rake yard waste
into a storm drain, down a riverbank, or adjacent to any water body. Excess nutrients in a water
body lead to algae blooms that rob aquatic and marine animals of oxygen, obscure water clarity,
and even decrease adjacent property values.
Learn more about composting yard waste here: extension.unh.edu/resource/compostinghome-
gardener-fact-sheet} 

^{Other temptations in the spring include fertilizing too early and mowing too short. Different
formulations of fertilizer require different minimum temperatures. Hold off on applying until you
are sure your soil needs it, and the soil temperature is adequate. Likewise, resist the temptation
to mow too low. Encourage the early season grass roots to grow deeper into the soil by keeping
more of the grass blade growing above ground.}
Tip 2. Water wisely
^{Our lawns and gardens need about one inch of water per week, which is about the annual average
amount of rainfall in northern New England (source: NOAA National Climatic Data Center). During
dry spells, especially later in the summer, it may be necessary to water or irrigate to reach that
amount. On the other hand, overwatering lawns and gardens wastes water and can cause
nutrients needed by plants to run off the property or leach deep into the soil out of reach of plant
roots. Place a rain gauge or empty bean or tuna can out in the yard and check it weekly to see if
the rain has reached a one inch mark. Only water or irrigate when the rainfall drops below that
one inch weekly average.
Learn more about watering wisely here: extension.unh.edu/blog/water-conservationfundamentals-
gardening-and-landscaping}
Tip 3. Do a soil test
^{The University of New Hampshire's Soil Lab Testing is open! Soil test results provide important
information about nutrient and mineral levels in our soil, characteristics of the soil, and
recommendations for fertilizer. Without this information, we may end up applying products or
using practices that waste time and money, inhibit plant growth, and contribute to pollution.
Watch a short video about how to take a soil sample and learn more about soil testing
here: extension.unh.edu/tags/test-your-soil}
Tip 4. Measure the dimensions of your yard
^{Whether you are interested in overseeding a lawn, adjusting the soil pH with lime, top dressing
with compost, or applying fertilizer, you will need to know the dimensions of the lawn area in
order to purchase and/or apply the correct amount of seed, lime, compost, or fertilizer.
Overapplying compost or fertilizer, in particular, can create water quality problems in lakes,
rivers, and bays downstream, so it’s very important to apply only what’s needed, if it’s needed.
Here’s a handy guide to measuring lawn dimensions and calibrating a spreader to make sure
you are applying only what’s needed and no more: extension.unh.edu/blog/water-conservation-fundamentals-gardening-and-landscaping}