As water restrictions and sustainability conversations continue shaping landscapes across the country, many of you are likely fielding more questions about irrigation, lawn performance and long-term water use.
In many cases, natural grass is broadly labeled as water-intensive, even though irrigation efficiency depends heavily on management practices, environmental conditions and turfgrass selection.
Public perception is often shaped more by inconsistent or poorly understood irrigation practices than by the performance of properly managed turfgrass. This also creates an opportunity to help clients better understand how natural lawns fit into today’s water-conscious landscapes.
Turfgrass Science Continues Advancing
Ongoing advancements in turfgrass science and breeding programs continue expanding the turfgrass options available for a wide range of site conditions and management goals. Newer varieties are increasingly being developed for traits like drought tolerance, density and improved performance under environmental stress.
Varieties like Lobo® Zoysia, Cobalt® Hybrid St. Augustine, Celebration Hybrid™ Bermudagrass, NorthBridge® Bermudagrass, CitraBlue® St. Augustine and Sola® St. Augustine reflect the industry’s continued focus on lower-input turfgrass systems designed for a wide range of site conditions and management goals.
While no turfgrass is maintenance-free, proper variety selection can play an important role in supporting more responsible irrigation practices and long-term landscape performance.
Helping Shape the Conversation
Today’s clients are exposed to a wide range of messaging around lawns and water use, much of it lacking context about proper management and turfgrass selection. Guidance on watering practices often comes from multiple sources, including municipalities, homeowners’ associations, online content, well-meaning neighbors and service providers. These sources do not always align.
That also places you in an increasingly important advisory role when clients have questions about irrigation, turfgrass selection and realistic performance expectations. Those conversations can help clients make more informed landscape decisions and better understand how natural lawns fit into today’s water-conscious environments.
Resources like Sod University can also help landscape professionals reinforce conversations on irrigation practices, turfgrass selection and long-term lawn performance.
Natural grass continues providing benefits, including surface cooling, erosion control, stormwater management and functional outdoor living space. As client expectations around water use continue evolving, improved turfgrass options are helping landscape professionals support healthier, more efficient landscapes across a wide range of environments.
