Cut back on mowing your lawn and grow a ‘pocket meadow’ with a free kit from Pa.
To encourage “meadowscaping,” or “rewilding,” Pennsylvania this week is giving away seed mixes that cover 1,000 square feet. Unlike lawns, meadows don't require regular mowing or watering.
If you have been thinking about growing a meadow in your yard, you may be in luck.
The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) is offering free “pocket meadow kits” to residents in the eastern section of the state beginning Tuesday.
“Pocket Meadow Kits give residents a simple and accessible way to transform small areas of lawn into thriving native habitat that supports pollinators, improves stormwater absorption, and strengthens biodiversity in communities across Pennsylvania,” DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn said in a statement.
“Meadowscaping,” or “rewilding,” has become more popular in recent years, especially among climate-conscious homeowners who are concerned about their environmental impact. Meadows have been shown to contribute to cleaner air and water, and they don’t require regular watering like lawns do.
Pennsylvania has been offering financial support for lawn-to-meadow conversion since 2020. As part of its latest effort, officials have 300 kits to distribute statewide, with 100 allocated for residents of eastern counties.
Each kit contains native seed mix, which can cover up to 1,000 square feet and includes grasses and wildflowers that can grow as high as four feet tall, according to the DCNR. Recipients also get a printed guide on how to prepare, plant, and maintain the meadows.
The giveaway is part of the Lawn to Habitat program, which supports Pennsylvanians who want to convert at least some of their yards into meadows or woods for environmental or practical reasons. One of the pros of a conversion, according to the website, is that it “reduces the time you spend mowing.”
Interested Eastern Pennsylvania residents can apply on the DCNR website between 9 a.m. Tuesday and 4 p.m. Friday. Western and Central Pennsylvanians have been able to apply since last week, but have the same Friday afternoon deadline.
Kits are expected to ship the week of May 11, according to the DCNR.
State officials say the kits should be planted in the fall, due to cooler temperatures and moisture that better supports meadows, though some people may want to prepare their planting areas now. Officials say the kits should be stored in a refrigerator until it is time to use them.
With the Lawn to Habitat program, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has made it a statewide goal to convert 10,000 acres of lawn to meadow and forest, which would represent about half a percent of the state’s 2 million acres of turf grass.
