Sustainable Lawn Care - 8 Eco-Friendly Ways to Maintain Your Edmonton Lawn

Keeping a lush, healthy lawn in Edmonton can feel like a battle against the elements. Between our unpredictable weather and short growing seasons, it’s tempting to rely on quick fixes like excessive watering and synthetic treatments.

But what if you could have a thriving lawn and be kind to the environment? Good news—you can!

Sustainable lawn care isn’t just better for the planet; it saves you money, reduces maintenance, and keeps your yard safe for kids and pets.

Ready to go green (in the best way possible)? Here are five simple, eco-friendly tips to keep your lawn looking its best—naturally!

1. Smart Watering Practices

Overwatering wastes resources and weakens grass, while under-watering can leave your lawn dry and stressed. It’s all about finding the balance with hydration that encourages deep-root growth and long-term resilience.

The Right Way to Water

Instead of frequent, shallow watering, aim for deep, infrequent watering to train roots to grow deeper into the soil. This makes your grass more drought-resistant and less dependent on constant watering.

Water early in the morning or late in the evening to minimise evaporation. Midday watering wastes water as the sun quickly dries out the soil before roots can absorb moisture.

Rainwater Collection & Drip Irrigation

Instead of using tap water for your lawn, collect rainwater in barrels to hydrate your grass naturally. Rainwater is chemical-free, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly.

Install a drip irrigation system that delivers water directly to roots, reducing runoff and evaporation while maximizing absorption. This method saves water and keeps your lawn consistently hydrated without waste.

2. Invest in Drought-Resistant Grass Varieties

Choosing the right grass type makes a huge difference in water conservation. Native and low-water grasses like fine fescues, ryegrass, and Kentucky bluegrass thrive in Edmonton’s climate while requiring less water than traditional turf varieties.

These grasses are hardier, recover faster from stress, and stay green longer, even with minimal watering.

3. Use Grasscycling

Why bag grass clippings when they can feed your lawn? Leave grass clippings on the lawn after mowing to return essential nutrients like nitrogen back to the soil. Clippings break down quickly, acting as a natural mulch that retains moisture. Plus, it’s less work for you!

4. Topdressing with Compost

A thin layer of organic compost spread across your lawn improves soil texture and enhances microbial activity. This encourages strong root development and creates a lush, green lawn. Compost also improves water retention, reducing the need for frequent watering.

5. Crowd Out Weeds Naturally

The best defence against weeds is a strong offence. A dense, healthy lawn leaves little room for weeds to take root. Keep your grass well-fed, watered, and mowed at the right height to shade out weed seedlings before they are established.

In garden beds, apply mulch to suppress weeds while retaining soil moisture. Organic mulches like wood chips, bark, or straw also break down over time, enriching the soil.

6. Encourage Beneficial Insects & Birds

Not all bugs are bad! Ladybugs, lacewings, and nematodes will naturally control common lawn pests like aphids and grubs. Attract the insects’ mortal enemy—birds—by planting native flowers and adding bird feeders.

7. Mow Smarter, Not Harder

Mowing might seem like a straightforward task, but going about it wrong can leave your lawn stressed, patchy, and vulnerable to weeds. Smart mowing means healthier and more eco-friendly grass with less effort on your part.

• Don’t cut it super short! Never remove more than one-third of the grass blade in a single mowing session. Cutting too short weakens the grass, making it more susceptible to drought, pests, and weeds.
• A dull blade tears grass instead of slicing it clean, increasing the risk of disease and discolouration. Sharpen your mower blades at least once per season for a clean, healthy cut.
• Mulching mowers return nutrients to the soil, acting as a free, organic fertilizer. They also reduce waste. Fewer bags of clippings mean less work for you and less landfill waste.
• Gas-powered mowers produce pollution and noise. Switch to battery-operated, electric, or manual reel mowers for a quieter, cleaner alternative.
• Bonus: Reel mowers give you a workout and a perfect lawn—no emissions included!

8. Improve Soil Health for a Sustainable Lawn

A truly eco-friendly lawn starts with the soil beneath. Healthy soil improves water retention and strengthens grass naturally, making your lawn more self-sustaining.

Aerate Annually for Natural Water Conservation

Compacted soil prevents water from soaking in, leading to runoff and wasted irrigation. Core aeration loosens soil naturally, improving water absorption and reducing the need for frequent watering. Well-aerated soil encourages deeper roots, making the grass more drought-resistant and self-sufficient.

Overseed for a Dense, Low-Maintenance Lawn

A thick, healthy lawn acts as nature’s weed control, preventing unwanted plants from taking hold without herbicides.

Reseeding with drought-tolerant, low-maintenance grass varieties ensures your lawn stays full and green with less water and upkeep. Choosing native and climate-adapted seeds supports biodiversity and reduces dependency on artificial inputs.

Green Drop’s Commitment to Sustainable Lawn Care

At Green Drop, we believe a beautiful lawn shouldn’t come at the cost of the environment. That’s why we’ve integrated eco-friendly practices into our lawn care services, helping you achieve a lush, healthy lawn with minimal environmental impact. And here’s how we do it:

• Instead of relying on harsh methods, our SoilBooster™ improves soil quality by providing it with 70 different nutrients. Our lawn fertilizer treatments are designed to promote long-term soil health.
• We also prioritize smart water management with aeration and overseeding, which help improve soil structure and moisture retention, reducing the need for excessive watering.
• Our approach to weed control focuses on preventing problems before they start and minimizing chemical use.
• Our eco-friendly approach and practice ensure that beneficial insects, pollinators, and microorganisms that contribute to soil health and biodiversity remain protected.

Our GreenKeepers are available in Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Regina, Red Deer, and Saskatoon, helping homeowners make sustainable lawn care easy.