Category: Outdoors

Yard care resources on the EAC website

4/17/2026

Check out the resources on the restructured web page of the Swarthmore Environmental Advisory Council. There you can find information about EAC initiatives related to zero waste, energy transition, and supporting a sustainable environment. Under the heading of Sustainable Environment is a set of FAQs about sustainable yards and yard care. This document is full of tips about how to make your yard more beneficial to wildlife, how to switch to electric power for yard care, bird-friendly practices, beneficial plants, and non-toxic mosquito control. Check out these tips as you start working in your yard this season.

Clean your bird feeders

2/20/2026

Keep bird feeders clean to prevent the spread of disease among birds.

Keeping a filled bird feeder helps our avian neighbors find enough food in our human-transformed suburban habitat. However, it is important to keep those feeders clean to prevent spreading diseases among the birds. Plastic and metal feeders are easier than wood to keep thoroughly clean.

Photo by Sean O'Donnell

Potted holiday tree to reuse or plant

12/12/2025

This holiday, get a live tree that can either be planted after the holidays or used as a houseplant for the rest of the year.

Earth911.com lists a number of options as alternatives to either a plastic, artificial tree or chopping down a live tree. One option is to buy a live potted tree. If you would like to keep your tree as an indoor plant and use it again each year, some good options are Norfolk Island pines, dwarf Alberta spruces, or small junipers. If you have space to plant a new tree, there are a number of PA native pines, spruces, firs, and cedars to choose among.

Buy Bird friendly Habitat certified coffee

10/31/2025

When buying your morning java, select coffee that is certified as Bird Friendly Habitat Coffee to promote coffee growing practices that support birds.

To quench the international thirst for coffee, plantations have sprung up throughout tropical areas, replacing habitat used by both resident and migratory birds. Americans alone drink 1/3 of the world’s coffee. The issue has been made worse by the development of sun-loving varieties being grown on large plantations that have already replaced 40% of the shade-grown varieties. However, by employing sustainable practices, these shade-loving tropical plants can be grown in such a way to recreate necessary bird habitat. Look for coffee that is certified as Smithsonian Bird Friendly® coffee: it is sustainably grown in shade created by a canopy of at least 60% native plants.

Learn more from The Willistown Conservation Trust.

Lawn Alternatives to Traditional Grass: A Low-Maintenance, Pollinator-Friendly Option

10/3/2025

For homeowners seeking a sustainable alternative to traditional turfgrass, there are modern, eco-friendly lawn blends that provide a lush green appearance while supporting pollinators and reducing maintenance.

By Rhonda Hilt

One of the most promising alternatives combines low-growing fine fescues with non-flowering microclover or traditional flowering clover. These turf alternatives are drought-tolerant, resilient to foot traffic, and adapt to partially shaded areas.

Fine fescues, like creeping red, hard, or chewings fescue, grow slowly, require little or no mowing, and don’t require added fertilizers. Microclover is a smaller-leaved variety of white clover that doesn’t produce flowers, and blends well with fescue. The clover fixes nitrogen naturally, reducing or completely eliminating the need for fertilizers, and stays green even during dry spells. Unlike traditional flower-producing clover, microclover has a uniform growth habit and integrates well with grass.

Fescue (grass) - clover (microclover or traditional white clover) combinations are easy to maintain, easy on the planet, require little or no irrigation after establishment, and are durable.

Getting Started

Fine fescue, micro-/white clover mixes are readily available from reputable seed companies as well as local hardware stores. The following online companies offer quality seed blends and knowledgeable customer support.

Sourcing Seed
Hancock Seed Company - Microlawn Seed Mix
One Green World - EcoLawn Mix
Michigan Wildflower Farm - Bee-Happy Turf Mix
American Meadows - No Mow Lawn and Microclover Seed Mix and No Mow Flowering and Lawn Seed Mix
Swarthmore Hardware - Pennington Smart Seed Clover Grass Mix Part Sun Part Shade Grass Seed Mix.

Establishment and Care

Soil preparation: Remove weeds, rototill, and rake the soil smooth.
Seeding rate: Most blends require 5-10 pounds of seed per 1,000 square feet.
Planting time: Ideally in the early fall or spring when nights stay below 65°F.
Watering: Keep the surface moist until seedlings emerge (1-2 weeks), then reduce watering.
Mowing: For low-mow, cut to 4”, no-mow lawns can simply bloom and self-manage.
Let blooms stay: Allow clover to flower at least once a year to nourish pollinators.

Local Programs & Assistance

The following are excellent local resources and installation support in the Philadelphia area for converting traditional lawns to eco-friendly lawns.

Pennsylvania DCNR Lawn-to-Habitat Program - A statewide initiative offering free technical assistance, resources, and funding to convert lawns into pollinator meadows or low-input turf.

Journeywork (Greater Philadelphia) - Community-based organization offering Pollinator Palooza sessions, personal yard consultations & installation, and budget-friendly design and installation.

Local Nursery & Landscape Partners

Penn State Extension - Delaware County Master Gardeners - Provides plant recommendations and sells pollinator-friendly perennials each spring at local plant sales.

Pennsylvania Landscape & Nursery Association (PLNA) - Connects homeowners to reputable member nurseries and landscapers who specialize in native plants and sustainable lawn alternatives.

Recap On Starting Your Eco-Friendly Lawn:

Site preparation - measure your space, note light requirements, soil texture, drainage, and areas with high foot traffic.
Test your soil - ideal range is 6.0-7.0.
Prepare your soil - Loosen the soil to a depth of 3”-4” using a broad fork or tiller.
Add compost - top dress prepared soil 1-2” and lightly incorporate. Compost aids in retaining moisture and stabilizing nutrients.
Seeding - Select the appropriate seed mix for your space, taking into account your site preparation information. Time your seeding for early fall or spring (soil temperatures 50-65°F). Lightly rake or roll to ensure good contact between the seed and soil. Mulch with straw if runoff is an issue.
Water & care - keep the surface moist for 7-14 days (water lightly daily), and maintain watering until a dense stand is achieved. Then, reduce watering. Clover’s deep rot and fescue drought tolerance take over.
Mowing - Mow high ( 3”-4”) or skip mowing entirely. A thick stand of plants will outcompete most weeds, with occasional hand weeding as necessary.
Enhancements for pollinators & biodiversity - let clover bloom at least once per season. Avoid pesticides and herbicides - they harm pollinators.
Most important - START SMALL, by converting areas gradually to stay manageable. Refresh seed annually in areas where plants are thin, and tweak your mowing and watering as needed.

Replacing conventional turfgrass with a low-maintenance alternative is both ecological and practical. A blend of fine fescue and microclover or white clover offers a sustainable solution for partial shade, moderate foot traffic, and drought-prone conditions. These sustainable seed mixes require less mowing and water compared to traditional lawns, and support pollinators, especially bees, with their seasonal blooms.

Keep AC unit unblocked

7/25/2025

Your outdoor AC unit will work more efficiently if the area within two feet around it is kept clear of vegetation and debris that could block air flow.

Clear vegetation within two feet of your outdoor AC unit and clean debris from the interior and exterior of the unit. If airflow is obstructed, the unit will have to work harder, using more energy and driving up your electric bills. Leaves and grass clippings can also cause damage leading to costly repairs and shortening the life of the system.

Water outdoor plants in the morning

7/18/2025

Water outdoor plants in the early morning or late afternoon for better plant health and to minimize water lost to evaporation.

The best time to water your outdoor plants is in the early morning between 5:00-9:00 AM. This gives the water time to soak into the soil and time for the leaves to dry off, preventing the development of fungal diseases. Evening watering is also beneficial for minimizing evaporation, but it is best to use a soaker hose or drip irrigation at this time of day because when the foliage stays wet overnight, the plants are susceptible to diseases. Avoid watering in the middle of the day when more water will be wasted due to evaporation.

For more information, see Better Homes & Gardens

Photo by Susan O'Donnell

Buy sustainably harvested wood

5/16/2025

For your building projects, buy wood harvested from sustainably managed forests by choosing FSC and SFI certified materials.

When shopping for wood for building and projects, look for the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) certification labels. When you see these labels, you can be confident that the wood was harvested from sustainably managed forests.

SFI promotes responsible forest management in the US and Canada while the FSC operates worldwide. The certifications offered by FSC ensure that forests harvested for wood are “being managed in a way that preserves biological diversity and benefits the lives of local people and workers, while ensuring it sustains economic viability.” SFI certification requirements “include measures to help protect water quality, biodiversity, wildlife habitat, species at risk and forests with exceptional conservation value.”

Photo by Susan O'Donnell

Edible weeds

4/11/2025

Eat your weeds. Seriously, dandelions, purslane, and other common garden weeds are highly nutritious and can be eaten raw or cooked.

Dandelions are rich in vitamins A, C, and K. They also contain vitamin E, iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and B vitamins. Every part of them can be eaten raw or cooked. The list goes on.

Read more at TreeHugger.com

Photo by Susan O'Donnell

Mulch mow leaves into lawn

4/4/2025

Mow leftover leaves into your lawn to provide a natural source of nutrients, reduce weeds and insects, and require less water.

Spread out piles of leaves or simply go over fallen leaves with your mower. They will settle down into the turf and be decomposed by valuable microorganisms within the soil.

Read more at MSU Extension.

Photo by Susan O'Donnell

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