Eco-Cleaning the Backyard Can Be Made Fun

If someone mentions eco-cleaning in the case of the house or the garden, you probably think of extra money or more sweat that you need to put in. However, the truth could not be more different, as cleaning outdoor living outdoor space can be eco-friendly and fun at the same time.

Aiding weeding with colorful mulch

Exterior design seems to lack one thing: colors: Yes, the porch can be pained in a vivid color and you will be surrounded with greenery but there seems to be one palette missing. You cannot change the color of the ground and the lawn but you can choose the color of mulch. Natural mulch comes in all shapes, sizes, and colors, but the one you buy at a garden center is more colorful.

It is usually made from wood chips and bark that is then colored in red, blue, yellow or any other shade you fancy. By spreading it out around the base of trees and plans, you are actually getting a chance to play with the décor of the garden.

Cut the grass high enough

There isn’t anything appealing about a yellowish lawn that had been scorched by the sun. In order to prevent this from happening and obtain that sweet shade of green, never cut the blades of grass more than a third of their length. Furthermore, the clippings that fall down to the ground should be left there because they contain two-thirds nitrogen. Add to this the fact that they are rich in water and you get a natural composting solution.

Building a compost bin

Speaking of compost, you are probably aware of all the benefits it has for your household. However, actually building the compost bin can prove too much of a tedious task. That’s why most green thumbs just repurpose an old crate they have lying idly about. If the crate is deep enough, then this is a good composting solution but why stop there! You can make the bin more appealing by painting it with vivid colors. In fact, you can ask your kids to join in on this task and use their imaginative and creative ideas.

Having fun with water

You know how kids like to pick up a garden hose and run around the yard soaking everybody in the way? This might not constitute a cleaning technique, but they might be on to something. Namely, water pressure cleaning is perhaps the best way to clean the floor tiles in an eco-friendly fashion.

There are professional water pressure cleaning services that promise to get all the muck from between the tiles in no time. This is a highly efficient cleaning method that doesn’t cost much hand has the power to transform the look of your backyard. And as far as the kids are concerned, you might want to consider buying them a toy water fun.

Terracing to prevent erosion

There is hardly a backyard that doesn’t feature some sort of a natural slope. These can be quite steep in some cases that it proves impossible to prevent erosion. In the most extreme examples, such hillocks can even endanger the structural integrity of the structures above.

To assuage the effect of these vertical sections of your garden, you have the option to create terraces. Not only will they increase safety and prevent erosion but they are ideal beds for planting flowers. A few terraces around the yard will beautify the garden and allow for more plants to be grown.

Natural pest and weed control

Pesticides and herbicides might do what their declaration promises but in the long run, they are not beneficial to the soil and the air in your backyard. Pest and weed control should, therefore, include natural methods that won’t harm the environment and that are outright fun to apply.

We are not referring to weeding by hand but more to attracting beneficial insects such as praying mantises to perform pest control on your behalf. Even a chicken let loose in the backyard can help get rid of all uninvited guests.

As far as plant life is concerned, you have the option of planting native plants that possess a natural resistance to the most common pests and weeds. If you choose to go with exotic species, then the application of the aforementioned colorful mulch seems like a reasonable solution. Another neat technique for catching slugs is burying yogurt cups filled with milk or beer into the ground.

Whichever of the six methods listed you choose to apply in your backyard, you are bound to help protect the environment. Furthermore, you will not overspend and have hours of fun with the people you love watching those chicken go or behold how your floor tiles are restored to their former glory.