I often read articles describing lawns as boring or requiring too much effort to maintain. These comments cannot go unchallenged by those of us who love lush, green grass because turf is far from vanilla in flavor in terms of environmental, functional, and health benefits. More importantly, all of these benefits can be achieved using natural products to improve and work with your existing lawn. Turf is more than just grass and it is anything but boring: try golfing or playing catch on ground covers or flowers!

The Environment
A healthy lawn reduces water runoff and soil erosion that in turn protects our lakes and streams from sediment moving from the land into the water. Turf is a living filter that protects ground water quality through a vast network of roots, thatch, and leaves. A healthy lawn will also absorb six times as much rainfall as a common hay field, and sustainable grass entraps pollutants with the help of soil microbes and biodegrades them safely.
Functional
A healthy lawn dissipates heat and reduces the energy required to cool homes and buildings, thus saving resources, and turf grasses abate noise and reduce glare too. A mown lawn decreases habitat for disease-carrying ticks and reduces fire hazards near wooded areas. Additionally, well maintained turf grasses reduce injury from sports played at home, school, or elsewhere. A well cared for lawn is actually a low cost asset that can be physically used or enjoyed for pure viewing pleasure.
Health
Studies show the cycle of growing grass and the color green lift human spirits and provide both thoughts and feelings of happiness, privacy, and serenity. Well maintained turf is known to have therapeutic effects on humans as measured by heart rate and blood pressure, thereby increasing the recovery rate of hospital patients.

There are some who prefer alternatives to grass in their landscapes for a variety of personal reasons. But for those of us who love turf, with today’s eco-friendly care and maintenance techniques, we can have our green and feel good about it too!