09.04.2018 Views

Horticulture Principles and Practices

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

FIGURE 18–1<br />

(Source: George Acquaah)<br />

A lawn.<br />

A healthy <strong>and</strong> beautiful lawn is obtained through good installation <strong>and</strong> effective<br />

management practices. It starts with the proper turfgrass species <strong>and</strong> is followed by good<br />

management practices including mowing, irrigating, fertilizing, <strong>and</strong> pest control. The<br />

culture <strong>and</strong> management of turfgrasses often impose stress on the growth of individual<br />

shoots. However, it is the totality (population) rather than the individuality that counts in<br />

turf culture. To begin, turfgrass is cultivated to provide a dense ground cover (a carpet),<br />

<strong>and</strong> thus seeding rate is excessive, resulting in crowding. Turfgrasses are mowed regularly,<br />

reducing the photosynthetic surface of the plants. Under limited moisture conditions,<br />

there are more shoots per unit area to compete for the available moisture. Careful<br />

stress management is, thus, critical to good turfgrass culture.<br />

18.1 PURPOSE OF LAWNS<br />

Turf has three main functions in the l<strong>and</strong>scape—ornamental, sports <strong>and</strong> recreation, <strong>and</strong><br />

utility.<br />

18.1.1 ORNAMENTAL<br />

A lawn is often the least one can provide by way of l<strong>and</strong>scaping a home environment. In<br />

this capacity, turf has a decorative value <strong>and</strong> enhances the home or site where it is<br />

installed. Turf is found not only in the home l<strong>and</strong>scape but also in public parks <strong>and</strong> commercial<br />

building sites.<br />

18.1.2 SPORTS AND RECREATION<br />

Many sports surfaces, including tennis courts; golf courses; <strong>and</strong> soccer, football, athletic,<br />

<strong>and</strong> baseball fields, are covered with turf. Horse racing tracks <strong>and</strong> polo grounds<br />

may also be turf covered. Community <strong>and</strong> home playgrounds use turf to some extent as<br />

ground cover.<br />

18.1 Purpose of Lawns 543

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!