Seattle and King County unveil 'Natural Yard Care Smart Watering for Dry Times Tool Kit' to help area residents prepare landscapes for summer

2005 Archived News

King County, the City of Seattle and 26 other agency partners today announced the start of Northwest Natural Yard Days. This program is an effort to promote environmentally friendly yard care by offering up to 25 percent off natural yard care products such as mulching lawn mowers and natural organic fertilizers. Sales will be at 58 participating retail locations from Bellingham to Olympia between April 15 and May 15.

Anticipating low water conditions during the summer months, local government leaders today unveiled a 'Natural Yard Care Smart Watering for Dry Times Tool Kit,' comprised of products available at a discount during Northwest Natural Yard Days: compost; natural organic fertilizer; electric mulching lawn mowers; mulch; water timers; and weed pullers.

'You can still have a beautiful lawn and garden, even if conditions are dry, if you prepare your yard and build healthy soil now,' said Carl Woestwin, environmental specialist for Seattle Public Utilities. 'Healthy soil and healthy plants are better able to withstand difficult conditions, like a dry summer. By spreading mulch around plantings, using natural organic fertilizers and installing water timers and soaker hoses, you can help plants thrive this summer,' Woestwin said.

This is the eighth year for the Northwest Natural Yard Days effort, part of King County and Seattle's ongoing efforts to encourage wise use of water, reduced application of pesticides, and use of mulching lawn mowers to reduce collection of grass clippings at the curb. Northwest Natural Yard Days encourages people to practice five steps to natural yard care: build healthy soil, plant right for your site, practice smart watering, think twice before using pesticides and practice natural lawn care. Products available at discount at participating retail locations include:

Electric mulching mowers
Push reel mowers
Natural organic fertilizers
Weed pullers
Compost
Water Timers
Soaker hoses
Insecticidal Soap
Less-toxic Moss Control
Less-toxic Slug Bait
Bark Mulch

'Practicing natural yard care is a way to build healthy soil. And a healthy soil is the foundation for a healthy yard,' said Sharon Aller, a King County recycling and environmental services program manager. 'For example, an electric mulching mower blows clippings back into the soil, adding moisture and nutrients, and you don't have to bag the clippings to the curb.'

King County and Seattle have a variety of educational materials about natural landscaping available free of charge. The natural landscaping brochures and a full list of participating Northwest Natural Yard Days retailers are available at www.yarddays.com