摘要 :
Although turfgrass benefit assessment studies require information on the extent of residential turf, no nationwide surveys or other means of systematic data collection have yet been conducted to estimate total U.S. home lawn area....
展开
Although turfgrass benefit assessment studies require information on the extent of residential turf, no nationwide surveys or other means of systematic data collection have yet been conducted to estimate total U.S. home lawn area. In an attempt to measure this statistic, two methods of estimating home lawn acreage by state have been employed. The first utilizes FHA average lot size data that have been inflated to conform to a national average lawn size derived from recent state turfgrass surveys. Thesecond method is similar but employs FHA median lot size data reduced by an assumed percentage allotted to lawns. An upper limit to the nation's total lawn area based on total housing units and national median lot size is approximately 26 million acres.Through the study's two techniques, this figure has been adjusted downward, with the first method producing an approximate total of 18 million acres and the second 14 million acres of U.S. home lawn turf.
收起
摘要 :
Despite the importance of lawns in landscaping in Brazil they are mostly comprised of a small number of exotic species. A number of native Brazilian genotypes in the genus Paspalum have been identified as having a high potential f...
展开
Despite the importance of lawns in landscaping in Brazil they are mostly comprised of a small number of exotic species. A number of native Brazilian genotypes in the genus Paspalum have been identified as having a high potential for use as lawns. Embrapa (Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation) maintains a Paspalum germplasm of accessions with potential for use as lawns at Sao Carlos-SP, southeast Brazilian region of accessions. This study aimed to characterize and identify Paspalum accessions for use as lawn for ornamental purposes in the Brazilian northeast conditions. Twenty four accessions were evaluated for a year according to survival rate, soil coverage rate, general appearance, lateral growth, color homogeneity and the occurrence of weeds. From the 24 Paspalum accessions, 11 accessions and the commercial Paspalum cultivar 'Bahiagrass', which was the control, covered the plots completely. Based on the results obtained at the end of the first year of cultivation, the accession 023728 hadthe highest scores and demonstrated ornamental quality equal to or greater than the commercial lawn cultivar 'Bahiagrass'.
收起
摘要 :
Lawns have a significant influence on the cityscape as one of the essential elements of green spaces and an important part of people's everyday lives. Most people in the Western world view lawns as a compulsory element of the urba...
展开
Lawns have a significant influence on the cityscape as one of the essential elements of green spaces and an important part of people's everyday lives. Most people in the Western world view lawns as a compulsory element of the urban landscape, almost an icon, without questioning their social, symbolic, ecological or aesthetic values. This research is a part of the conceptual framework and methodological approaches that are being used in an ongoing transdisciplinary collaboration project to study lawns in Sweden as a social and ecological phenomenon.
收起
摘要 :
The three-year experiment dealt with 12 lawn grass mixtures with different composition of species and varieties. Two sowing rates were applied: N1-25 g/m(2) and N2-35 g/m(2). Lawn colors were assessed in spring, summer and autumn ...
展开
The three-year experiment dealt with 12 lawn grass mixtures with different composition of species and varieties. Two sowing rates were applied: N1-25 g/m(2) and N2-35 g/m(2). Lawn colors were assessed in spring, summer and autumn with the visual method, with a 1-9 scale assigning a score to each plot of grass according to the Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart. It was found that in the spring the mixtures with the highest proportions of Festuca rubra L. and in the summer and autumn those where Poa pratensis L. dominated had the best color. The effect of the sowing rate was studied only in the summer and autumn. On average, the best and darkest color was reported in the spring and summer. The least intense color of the lawns was in the second year of the studies due to weather conditions during that growing period, affecting the level of chlorophyll in plant leaves. It was found that a definite choice of a lawn mixture was extremely difficult and should be preceded by a detailed analysis of local conditions. The species and varieties selected for a lawn should ensure the right color as long as possible during the growing season.
收起
摘要 :
We evaluated aesthetic (lawn quality), biological (weeds and insect pests), and economic (management costs) effectiveness of a commercial (managed by a professional company), consumer (managed using consumer lawn care products fol...
展开
We evaluated aesthetic (lawn quality), biological (weeds and insect pests), and economic (management costs) effectiveness of a commercial (managed by a professional company), consumer (managed using consumer lawn care products following labeled instructions), integrated pest management (IPM) (pesticide applications based on monitoring and thresholds), organic (monitoring and need-based organic and natural product applications), and an untreated lawn care program. Percent weed cover was the lowest in the commercial followed by IPM, organic, and consumer programs. The commercial program had lower white grub density than all other programs, and the organic program had lower white grub density than the untreated program. The commercial program had the highest lawn quality while the untreated program had the lowest. The 1PM and organic programs did not differ significantly in lawn quality, but both rated significantly higher than the consumer program. Annual costs were highest in the commercial ($382/0.05 ha) followed by the organic ($305/0.05 ha), IPM ($252/0.05 ha), and consumer program ($127/0.05 ha), respectively. We conclude that the commercial program produced the highest lawn quality, and weed and insect control, and was the most expensive. The IPM and organic programs were cheaper than the commercial program and produced slightly lower lawn quality. Although the consumer program was the cheapest, it produced the lowest weed control and lawn quality among treated lawns.
收起
摘要 :
Public concern for the conservation of pollinating insect communities, such as bees, has created demand for more florally diverse landscapes. In urban environments, lawns form a large portion of cultivated land, and are typically ...
展开
Public concern for the conservation of pollinating insect communities, such as bees, has created demand for more florally diverse landscapes. In urban environments, lawns form a large portion of cultivated land, and are typically managed to exclude flowering species richness. In this study, we investigated the establishment of eight flowering plants with pollinator value (plants that provide floral nectar and pollen for visiting insects) when coseeded with the turfgrass hard fescue ( Festuca brevipila Tracey). The study was established as a dormant seeding at two locations in central Minnesota with substantially different soil types. Plots were maintained at either a 6- or 9-cm mowing height. We monitored these plantings over the 2014, 2015, and 2016 growing seasons for vegetative establishment and flowering of planted forbs. Of the eight forbs tested, Trifolium repens L., Prunella vulgaris ssp. lanceolata (W. Bartram) Hulten, Thymus serpyllum auct. non L., and Astragalus crassicarpus Nutt. established in at least one location. Mowing height did not affect vegetative establishment, but had a negative effect on the number of blooms produced by P. vulgaris ssp. lanceolata . Vegetative establishment was affected by location, with P. vulgaris ssp. lanceolata establishing in higher abundance in the moist loamy site, whereas T. serpyllum and A. crassicarpus established in higher abundance at the dry sandy site. This study represents an important first step in identifying appropriate plants and management practices for improving lawns as a resource for pollinators.
收起
摘要 :
Human choices regarding land cover management practices may influence ecosystem services provided by urban green spaces. We conducted a 2-year study to compare biological (weed, insect, and disease), aesthetic (lawn quality), and ...
展开
Human choices regarding land cover management practices may influence ecosystem services provided by urban green spaces. We conducted a 2-year study to compare biological (weed, insect, and disease), aesthetic (lawn quality), and economic (lawn care program cost) attributes of an integrated pest management (IPM) program, in which pesticides are applied on the basis of treatment thresholds, with a standard program, in which pesticides are applied on a calendar basis without pest monitoring. Both programs were managed by a professional lawn care operator. Although weed incidence was low, the IPM program had significantly more lawns with weed presence than the standard program during 2005 and 2006. However, only 21% of the IPM lawns required herbicide applications in 2005, and none exceeded the treatment threshold (5% weed cover) in 2006 as compared to 100% of the standard program lawns being treated for weeds in both years. The IPM program also had significantly more lawns with insect damage than the standard program during June 2005 and August 2005, but not September 2005 and throughout 2006. Only 28% of the IPM lawns required insecticide applications in 2005 and none exceeded the threshold (5% insect damage) in 2006 whereas all of the lawns in the standard program received insecticide treatments in both years. Rhizoctonia blight was present on some of the lawns, but was not a common problem. Although lawn quality was high for both programs (>8, on a scale of 1-9), it was significantly higher for standard than for IPM program lawns during 2005, and June 2006 and September 2006, but not August 2006. The annual lawn management costs were lower for the IPM ($281.50) than the standard program ($458.06). Thirty one percent of the IPM program customers who continued with the study in 2006 did so because they were satisfied with the IPM program. Among those who did not continue with the program, 33% cited weed or insect problems, while 33% expected better results. The implications of these findings for implementation of IPM in professional lawn care are further discussed.
收起
摘要 :
Mark Schlossberg always wondered how plants grew from seeds. Now he knows the answer to that question as well as how to grow a business. The seed for Mark Schlossberg's career was planted in his grandparents' garden while he was a...
展开
Mark Schlossberg always wondered how plants grew from seeds. Now he knows the answer to that question as well as how to grow a business. The seed for Mark Schlossberg's career was planted in his grandparents' garden while he was a young boy. "My grandparents had this huge garden behind their house, and I was always fascinated with how plants could grow from a simple seed," he recalled. That fascination clearly took root within Schlossberg, and his passion for plants only grew stronger during his years in the University of Maryland's turf/urban botany department. Of course, turf students tend to head in one consistent direction, and Schlossberg was no different. "I was going into golf because that's what the curriculum was all about, but one of myprofessors knew someone at Jerry Faulring's company, Hydro Lawn," Schlossberg related. "So I went to work for him in 1978, earning 12,000 dollar a year." But it wasn't until Schlossberg joined Frank Stevens at Pro-Lawn-Plus in 1985 that his career reallybegan to bloom. "The company was floundering at the time, and Frank had severe arthritis so he couldn't get out into the field at all," explained Schlossberg. "He hired me as his vice president and told me he would eventually sell the company to me if Icould get it turned around." Thanks to his extensive relationships and sales experience with commercial clients in the area, Schlossberg was able to help the company grow almost immediately. "The mid- to late 1980s were a good time in lawn care, but wedidn't have anyone really focused on sales," he said, adding that he had to deal with other problems as well, such as the company having its warehouse and office in separate locations. Like caring for a neglected plant, Schlossberg returned Pro-Lawn-Plusto health, and Stevens sold him the company in 1988. Since Schlossberg joined the business, it has grown six-fold, from
收起
摘要 :
Autonomous (i.e., robotic) lawnmowers offer a number of environmental sustainability and labor-reduction benefits. Despite increasing popularity throughout Europe, autonomous mowers have yet to gain a significant market share in t...
展开
Autonomous (i.e., robotic) lawnmowers offer a number of environmental sustainability and labor-reduction benefits. Despite increasing popularity throughout Europe, autonomous mowers have yet to gain a significant market share in the United States (US). Common US landscaping styles present obstacles for expanded robotic mowing. We compiled a list of these limitations, then evaluated 117 properties submitted to the Awards of Excellence program administered by the National Association of Landscape Professionals. Award submissions included landscape architecture plans, written descriptions and photos of completed projects, which allowed evaluation of properties for ease of maintenance by autonomous mowers. Properties were scored based on limitations present and severity of the obstacle in each case. Of the 117 properties surveyed, 70% were classified as "non-friendly to autonomous mowing", meaning they had obstacles that impeded successful property maintenance. Obstacles that received a severity ratingleading to this classification were predominantly associated with accessibility of lawn areas. The obstacles that most frequently occurred on the properties were separated lawn areas, obstructions at lawn edges, and obstructions within the lawn area. The obstacles that most frequently led to a property being disqualified for autonomous mower care were separate lawn areas, landscape features obstructing access, and stairs. Overall findings from this research indicate that landscape design modifications,rather than further technological advances by manufacturers, would provide the greatest improvement to the success of autonomous mowers.
收起
原文获取