Enviro-friendly cleanup

Spring Lawn and Landscape Tips, from our friends at the MDA:

  Our snow is finally melting, and spring rains are here! All that runoff is funneling down streets and alleys into storm sewers that carry it to our lakes, creeks and rivers.

Here’s How To Keep Your Spring Runoff Clean:

• Remove pet waste and trash from streets, sidewalks and driveways. Double bag and put in garbage. 
  
• Sweep up sand and reuse it next year or call Minneapolis Solid Waste & Recycling at 673-2917 for disposal information.
• Clean your gutters regularly. Put leaves and twigs in your compost pile or bag for collection with your other yard trimmings.
• Direct water from your downspouts away from your house and paved surfaces, and onto your lawn.

Here’s How To Restore Your Lawn:

• Remove debris and yard trimmings. Prepare for garbage or yard trimming collection as noted above.
• Reseed bare spots. If spots are caused by salt, reseed with a salt-tolerant grass mix like Salt Survivor™.
• Keep newly seeded areas moist for 3 or 4 weeks.

Here’s How To Keep Lawn Care Products Out Of Your Runoff:

• Always read and follow label directions when using lawn care products and disposing of their containers.
• Don’t apply lawn care products to frozen ground — wait until the grass starts growing.
• Sweep up and reuse any lawn care products that fall on streets, sidewalks, and driveways.