Positive Affects of Lawn Care

Key Benefits of a Well-Maintained Lawn:

• Lawns beautify the neighborhood.
• Lawns helps with weed allergy control. Turf controls dust, in addition to pollen from plants that can cause serious health problems for some individuals.
• Lawns are a pollutant absorption. Turf grasses absorb gaseous pollutants such as carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide, converting them to oxygen.
• Lawns trap particulates. Turf grasses trap an estimated 12 million tons of dust and dirt released annually into the atmosphere.
• Lawns are an fire retardation. Grass around buildings helps retard the spread of fire over higher growing vegetation.
• Lawns improve water quality. Reducing runoff, turf grass filters the water that helps to recharge groundwater supplies. Because of its filtering capability, turf has been used for years between agricultural fields as a buffer to prevent pesticide and excess fertilizer runoff.
• Lawns make for a secure relaxing atmosphere and aids in emotional well being.

More Facts On Why A Healthy Lawn Is Beneficial

COOLING

The front lawns of a block of eight average houses have the cooling effect of about 70 tons of air conditioning that is enough to cool 16 average homes. On a hot summer day, grass can be 10 to 14 degrees cooler than exposed soil and as much as 30 degrees cooler than concrete or asphalt.

AIR QUALITY

A 50' by 50' well-maintained grass area will create enough oxygen to meet the needs of a family of four every day. Acting like a gigantic sponge, lawns absorb all types of airborne pollutants such as soot, dust and carbon dioxide, as well as noise. Less weeds means less weed pollen, a relief to those with allergies. A Penn State University study showed thick lawns slow the velocity of run-off and allow the water to infiltrate; 15 times better from a high quality lawn than from a patchy lawn with a lot of weeds. An average lawn allows a run-off rate of about half a gallon a minute during peak rainfall. By comparison, 7.5 gallons a minute of run-off water may occur on a lawn that is thinly seeded and has bare areas.

WATER QUALITY

Studies show healthy lawns absorb rainfall 4 - 6 times more effectively than farm fields, being exceeded only by virgin forest.

SOIL QUALITY

A healthy lawn prevents erosion by water or wind and the loss of valuable top soil-less mud and dust in the house.

AESTHETICS

There can be no argument that a beautiful lawn is immediately pleasing to the eye and relaxing in its appearance. Lawns help to soften and reduce light - less glare.

EXERCISE

While some may scorn its needs, other find lawn maintenance requirements an excellent opportunity to enjoy reasonable exercise and a diversion. Homes, sports fields, and parks with healthy lawns provide safer recreation areas when grass acts as a cushion to reduce shock and potential injury.

NOISE REDUCTION

While your lawn is busily performing all of these functions, you may not have noticed... it's very quiet and has no moving parts! Good turf can absorb sound better than heavy carpeting.

VALUE

A recent Gallup Survey concluded that a 15% increase in selling price can be realized when the home is nicely landscaped. An average 2,500 square foot lawn contains approximately 482 million separate grass plants. One single grass plant can have 375 miles of roots.

THE EPA FAVORS HEALTHY LAWNS

To learn more click on lawnbenefits.pdf

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