Lawns and Turf

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English

A healthy lawn increases the value of a property, reduces soil erosion, cools the air, and reduces glare and noise. It also filters and traps sediment and pollutants that could otherwise contaminate surface waters and groundwater.

Narrower Topics

Establishing a Lawn

Lawn and Garden Care: Irrigation

Lawn and Garden Care: Pest Management

Lawn Fertilizer

Professional Lawn and Landscape Services

Turfgrass Diseases

Turfgrass Nutrient Management

Turfgrass Weeds

Turfgrasses

Publications

Homeowner Best Management Practices for the Home Lawn

Alex J. Lindsey, Marco Schiavon, J. Bryan Unruh, and Laurie E. Trenholm

A healthy lawn is an important component of an urban landscape. Not only do lawns increase the value of a property, but they also reduce soil erosion, filter stormwater runoff, cool the air, and reduce glare and noise. A healthy lawn effectively filters and traps sediment and pollutants that could otherwise contaminate surface waters and groundwater. This publication is intended for those who maintain their own lawn and landscapes.

Florida Turfgrass Identification

Alex J. Lindsey, Claude J. Jean, Marco Schiavon, Kevin E. Kenworthy, and J. Bryan Unruh

Proper turfgrass identification is required before considering any lawn maintenance practices. Each of the different grasses used for Florida lawns have different management and without accurate identification, mismanagement could occur, leading to undesirable results. Turfgrass identification can be challenging due to the lack of inflorescence or seedheads at certain times in their life cycle or due to being mowed off. Thus, other plant characteristics are used to help with turfgrass identification.

Promoting Turf Recovery Following a Hurricane

J. Bryan Unruh, A. J. Lindsey, Marco Schiavon, and L. E. Trenholm

Devastation from hurricanes can cause multiple problems for turfgrass managers, sod producers, and homeowners. Damage may include visible factors such as prolonged periods of standing water, uprooted trees, shading and obstruction from demolished structures, deposition of silt or mud, and damage to irrigation systems. Less visible problems may include damage to root systems resulting from compacted soil from heavy equipment used during cleanup and recovery, reduced drainage, and injury resulting from effects of saltwater intrusion. Suggested guidelines for correcting these problems are included in the text.