Finally, try "grasscycling." This is a labor-saving practice that also has big benefits for your landscape. As you mow, leave those clippings right on the lawn rather than collecting them in a catcher or bag. Frequent mowings produce shorter clippings that decompose quickly and act as a self-fertilizer. You'll need less of the commercial fertilizer you use now and reduce the amount of yard waste you set out for pickup. You'll also use less water because the self-mulch cuts back on the amount of moisture lost to evaporation.

Grasscycling" simply requires a person to mow a little more frequently, Boyd said. "Grass clippings are 90 percent water so in a few days they're gone," he explained. " If you mow frequently, the clippings are very small. I don't ever pick them up. It's too much work.