Taking care of lawns can be a chore for some people.
Mowing, watering, fertilizing, these are some aspects people in homes deal with in taking care of lawns.
Ongoing research at the University of Idaho laboratory in Aberdeen is hoping to change that.
Tom Salaiz says, “There's a lot of interest in quote-unquote low maintenance lawns. And low maintenance really means a lot of things to a lot of different people. it can mean lower inputs, fewer inputs, to some, it means no inputs at all, in terms of irrigation, fertilization and mowing.”
U-of-I turf specialist Tom Salaiz is working with different types of grasses to test which ones can work best in a Southern Idaho-type of climate.
In the first year of the study, Salaiz has different grasses segregated into rectangular plots.
Salaiz says, “And see how they persist over time under a low maintenance management regime.”
Research is expected for the next five years.
Salaiz expects the results to show a drastic impact, economically and environmentally, for Idahoans
The homeowner will see a direct benefit by a reduced water bill, if they're irrigating correctly and irrigating to take advantage of the low-maintenance characteristics of these grasses.
He says, “And less water used in the city means agricultural water users also reaps the benefits.”
If we're saving water, there's more water to be used elsewhere.
Andrew Logsdon, kmvt news.