Horticulture Principles and Practices

FIGURE 18–1
(Source: George Acquaah)
A lawn.
A healthy and beautiful lawn is obtained through good installation and effective
management practices. It starts with the proper turfgrass species and is followed by good
management practices including mowing, irrigating, fertilizing, and pest control. The
culture and management of turfgrasses often impose stress on the growth of individual
shoots. However, it is the totality (population) rather than the individuality that counts in
turf culture. To begin, turfgrass is cultivated to provide a dense ground cover (a carpet),
and thus seeding rate is excessive, resulting in crowding. Turfgrasses are mowed regularly,
reducing the photosynthetic surface of the plants. Under limited moisture conditions,
there are more shoots per unit area to compete for the available moisture. Careful
stress management is, thus, critical to good turfgrass culture.
18.1 PURPOSE OF LAWNS
Turf has three main functions in the landscape—ornamental, sports and recreation, and
utility.
18.1.1 ORNAMENTAL
A lawn is often the least one can provide by way of landscaping a home environment. In
this capacity, turf has a decorative value and enhances the home or site where it is
installed. Turf is found not only in the home landscape but also in public parks and commercial
building sites.
18.1.2 SPORTS AND RECREATION
Many sports surfaces, including tennis courts; golf courses; and soccer, football, athletic,
and baseball fields, are covered with turf. Horse racing tracks and polo grounds
may also be turf covered. Community and home playgrounds use turf to some extent as
ground cover.
18.1 Purpose of Lawns 543