FLORIDA STUDY SHOWS GRASS ADVANTAGE vs. ORNAMENTALS

            A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Florida has shown that established turfgrass uses less water than native and drought-tolerant ornamental mixed species.  D.M. Park, a Ph.D candidate and Dr. J.L. Cisar measured the evapo-transpiration (ET), rainfall and percolate of both landscapes over a four-year period and found that in the fourth year, the turfgrass landscape used less than a third of the irrigation that the mixed species landscape required.

            Floratam St. Augustine grass was used for the turfgrass landscape.  The mixed species landscape consisted of twelve commercially available species with relatively low maintenance requirements.  Most were considered native to Florida.

            In the year of establishment, turfgrass used more water than the mixed species.  That makes sense since the ornamentals were small.  As they grew the canopies increased and more water was lost to evapotranspiration.  In contrast, evapotranspiration  remained nearly constant for the turfgrass.

            So when you hear cities or your neighbors talking about taking up grass and planting shrubs and trees in order to save water, tell them they are making a mistake.  A more complete write-up on the research can be found in the May/June issue of TurfNews.

            The study was funded by the Florida Department of Environmental Protectiion, the Sarasota Bay National Estuaries Program and the International Turfgrass Producers Foundation.