is estimated that 40% to 60% of residential water use in the United States is applied for irrigating landscapes, which are typically composed primarily of turfgrass ( White et al., 2004 ). In Texas, lawn and landscape use of municipal water is
been well reviewed ( Goddard et al., 2010 ; McKinney, 2002 ), and will become increasingly important as 68% of the world’s population is projected to live in cities by 2050 ( United Nations, 2018 ). Turf lawns are one of the dominant green spaces in
studies have reported beneficial effects of SWE applications to enhance the stress tolerance of turfgrasses. However, few studies have evaluated the effect of SWE on established lawn turf. Table 1. Summary of studies investigating the effects of seaweed
Master Gardeners (MGs) were paired with homeowners who volunteered their lawns for demonstration sites in Edina, Minn., as part of a yearlong community-wide campaign to teach low-input lawn care. Project objectives were to 1) promote locations where community members could see low-input lawn care, 2) provide individualized instruction to homeowners via MGs, and 3) explore the feasibility of home lawns as public demonstration sites. Surveys suggest that participants changed practices because of the individual instruction from MGs. Further recommendations are given for using private homes as demonstration sites.
turfgrass physiology and management CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group Boca Raton, FL Walker, K.S. Bigelow, C.A. Smith, D.R. Van Scoyoc, G.E. Reicher, Z. 2007 Aboveground responses of cool-season lawn species to nitrogen rates and application timings Crop Sci
Homeowner surveys conducted in Edina, Minn., showed varying levels of horticultural knowledge on lawn care. A majority of consumers, 75%, knew the value of lawn clippings was equivalent to one fertilization treatment, but 72% did not know the amount of fertilizer needed for a medium maintenance lawn. A total of 77% indicated spring as the single best time to control broadleaf weeds, and 39% thought spring was the best time to fertilize, whereas 48% indicating fall as the best time to fertilize. Current practices included the following: leaving clippings on the lawn, 75%; bagged and removed clippings,16%; 83% apply fertilize in the spring; 67% fertilize in the fall; 61% apply herbicides; 74% mow weekly; 51% mow at 2–3″, but 27% mow at 1–2″. Environmental attitudes were rated on a scale of 1 to 4, with 1 being strongly agree and 4 being strongly disagree. Consumers strongly agreed that pesticide (1.5) and fertilizer (1.7) applications should be posted in public areas. The statement “A well kept lawn increases property values” also found strong agreement, (1.6). Consumers disagreed that pesticides are not harmful to the environment (3.3) and public health (3.3); while fertilizers were only slightly less harmful to the environment (3.0) and public health (2.9). A 10% weed population was acceptable (2.2) but 25% was not (3.3). Areas for consumer education exist in the time and amount of fertilizer, timing of weed control, and mowing height. Because of negative attitudes toward pesticides and fertilizers, recommendations for medium to low input grasses should be well received.
Using three types of pesticides is related to selected lawn-care firm characteristics. The data were collected through a survey of 95 randomly selected firms, which yielded 68 usable questionnaires. From that number, 50 firms specializing in lawn-care services other than mowing were selected. Statistical relationships were formulated using herbicide, insecticide, and fungicide expenditures as dependent variables. In estimated relationships, the impact of variables significantly different from zero (i.e., firm's gross revenue, number of commercial customers serviced, annual labor cost, and size of the treated commercial landscape) was in the same direction but differed in magnitude. In general, commercial account additions and firm size (measured by gross revenue) increased pesticide expenditures. Pesticide expenditures decreased, however, as the labor cost and the size of the treated commercial landscape increased. The firm's perception of pesticide regulations had no impact in the specified relationships.
A survey indicated that the landscape maintenance and lawn care industry of the Atlanta metro area was localized in densely populated counties with a high concentration of commercial activity and residential housing. A relatively young age and limited size of most of the firms suggested a lack of barriers to entering the industry, which was supported by gross sales and equipment owned by surveyed companies. Most firms generated no more than $100,000 in sales in 1993 and owned equipment valued at less than $25,000. Most residential accounts were under 10 acres.
Mixed stands of grass species are used increasingly to enhance the quality and durability of turfgrass lawns. Mixtures of complementary grass species may improve turf quality because of greater tolerance to abiotic (cold, heat, drought) and biotic
and snow for traffic safety. Most of the deicing salts move into adjacent lawns ( Bryson and Barker, 2002 ). Excessive salts can cause nutrient imbalance or deficiency in turfgrasses, and some salts are toxic to plants ( Bowman et al., 2006b ; De Wit