Florida Realtors® Shares 6 Benefits of Your Grass Lawn
ORLANDO, Fla. — What does grass do for you? More than you think, according to the TurfMutt Foundation: From being an environmental superhero to providing a safe place for kids and pets to play, a healthy grass lawn is a good investment.
Here are just a few of the benefits of grass lawns:
Provides space for creative 'backyarding'
“Backyarding” has become a way of life as people take their indoor lives into the green space around them. The lawn is the backdrop for everything from an at-home soccer field to a movie showing, picnic lunch or quiet place to enjoy a good book.
Captures carbon
Turfgrass is one of the most effective carbon capturers. The dense canopy and fibrous root system in a healthy lawn sequesters carbon so well that researchers estimate it outweighs the carbon used in maintaining the grass by as much as seven times.
Reduces heat
Lawns can be about 30 degrees cooler than asphalt and 14 degrees cooler than bare soil.
Produces oxygen
Grass is one of Mother Nature’s oxygen producing machines. In fact, one 5,000-square foot grass lawn can produce enough oxygen each day to support 14 to 34 people, depending on location, according to The Lawn Institute.
Captures rainwater
Rainwater sheets off hard surfaces like hardscapes, artificial turf, parking lots, driveways, and roads. When that happens, instead of going into the ground, rainwater becomes fast-moving storm water runoff, which pollutes water systems. But, acting like a sponge, grass slows down and absorbs runoff, cleanses water of impurities and dust, and recharges groundwater aquifers.
Creates a natural firebreak
Ongoing and worsening drought across the country has increased the risk of wildfire danger for millions of Americans. According to the American Society of Landscape Architects, “green infrastructure” can help protect communities from natural disasters like drought and fire. Living grass has a low fuel value and can act as a natural firebreak, so healthy turfgrass can be a significant deterrent to wildfires.
Homeowners are urged to select the right grass species for their yards that can thrive in their specific microclimate.
Other tips include:
- Mow to the correct height recommended for the specific type of grass
- Water wisely to promote a strong root system
- Leave grass clippings on the lawn, if possible, to help fortify it
Proper care and maintenance will help keep a lawn healthy and maximize its benefits.
Florida Realtors® is The Voice for Real Estate® in Florida. It provides programs, services, continuing education, research, and legislative representation to 238,000 members in 50 boards/associations. Florida Realtors® Newsroom website is available at floridarealtors.org/newsroom.