Residential Water Use Lawns, Gardens & Landscapes

Home and Yard Pollutants

Water pollution can arise from a variety of sources. Soil, grass clippings, fertilizer, pesticides, paint thinners, and motor oil can pollute water if picked up by stormwater runoff. These pollutants can harm lakes, rivers and streams in many ways. Read on for more information on how our water supply can be polluted and how to do your part to keep it clean while maintaining your landscape. 

Managing Leaves in Your Lawn

Leaves on the lawn in the fall

Fall is a great time of the year. Trees develop beautiful fall colors, and then those leaves fall to the ground. Tree leaves are fun to play in as a kid and most everyone loves the crunch sound under your feet as we walk over fallen leaves. However, leaves should not be left on the lawn. This can be damaging to turfgrass and to surface water. It is best to use leaves or remove them.

Why Rake

Read More

Plant Trees for the Environment, But No Need to Use Root Stimulants Now

Newly Planted Tree

There is still time to plant shade trees this fall, but know that fertilization and the addition of root stimulant products have been shown to have little or no effect on how quickly a tree establishes.

However, the unnecessary use of these products could lead to an increase in nutrients in surface water that can impair water ecosystems. Fertilizer and root stimulant products are not recommended unless a soil test indicates they are needed.

Read More

To Fertilize or Not to Fertilize

Fertilizer

You see a bright shiny package at the garden center saying that it can help you have the most bountiful garden ever, the greenest lawn in the neighborhood, your plants will have miraculous growth, or it will supply every element on earth to make sure that your plants are living their best life. It’s got what plants crave….It’s got electrolytes! You reach out to grab that package and ……. Woah!  Pump the brakes!  Do you know if your plants even need to be fertilized?  Are you just falling for that shiny marketing, or do your plants really need added fertility to grow?

Read More

Lawns, Fertilization and Surface Water

Pesticides on Concrete, Photo from John Fech, Nebraska Extension Educator

During the lawn fertilization season, use responsible practices to help keep nutrients out of streams, rivers ponds, and lakes.

For those who live in town, it is important to know that most curbs and storm sewer systems drain directly into surface water. As rainwater flows over surfaces like pavement and bare soil, it collects materials such as soil, plant and animal waste and fertilizers, which contribute nutrients to surface waters.

Read More

Rainwater Harvesting in Residential Scale Landscapes

Photo of a Raingarden in Columbus

When it rains, do you know where rainwater from your property goes? Does it spread out and soak into the lawn or landscape beds to recharge soil moisture and benefit plants; or does it run off into the street and down a storm drain where it often transports pollutants to surface water?

Read More

Sign up for updates from UNL Water

Sign Up Here