Managing a lawn can be exhausting, both physically and financially. The average lawn upkeep — which includes mowing, pest control, fertilization, and more — can cost thousands of dollars, and if you're doing it yourself, it takes tens of hours.
With all that work, it's understandable why some would call it quits. There's even an entire subreddit dedicated to those that do. The subreddit, which has nearly 50,000 members, encourages users to "bring forward the biodiverse lawns era."
One Redditor joined the movement, mowing their lawn for the last time.
"So sick of watering and mowing all summer," the post read. "I just mowed this down … and spread red and white clover over the whole thing."
Clover is a popular choice for those looking to ditch the monoculture lawn. Clover is great for managing garden pests, supporting pollinators, and keeping a low-cost, low-maintenance yard. It's even safe for pets.
🗣️ If you have a lawn, what aspect of it do you value most?
🔘 The way it looks 🤩
🔘 The way my family uses it 👪
🔘 It's enjoyable to mow 😎
🔘 It's cheap to maintain 💰
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
Native plant lawns offer a variety of benefits, both to homeowners and the environment. Native plant lawns require less water, reduce air pollution, host wildlife, and create natural beauty in your yard.
Additionally, native plant lawns save homeowners money. In a 2,000-square-foot yard, a monoculture lawn can use nearly 50,000 gallons of water per year, according to research from the University of California cited by Lawn Love.
A native plant lawn of the same size uses just 18,000 gallons — saving 60% of the water. Saving water means saving money, and homeowners also save on maintenance costs, like mowing and fertilization, in the long run.
Ready to ditch the monoculture lawn? First, check what plants are native to your area. Then, identify factors like temperature, light, and size, as these will affect what plants will grow best in the space. You'll also want to review any local restrictions in place like those often imposed by homeowners associations.
As far as the OP's choice to make the switch and ditch the grass, commenters were in full support.
"Die Die My Darling," wrote one, addressing the old grass.
"Make sure you come back to show progress," said another to the OP.
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