Bryan Tolar
Tolar Capitol Partners, Inc.
Thousands of products flood consumer markets each year. Many of these innovations seek to replace those that have come before them. Science and technology stop for no one.
Telephones, for example, have been used across the globe over multiple generations. They seem simple enough but hand an old rotary phone to young folks and watch their reaction. Likewise, hand a new smartphone to a more “seasoned” generation and you’ll often witness an entertaining response. Familiarity makes all the difference.
A similar comparison can be made for homeowners caring for their lawns. Years of experience with a home lawn is important, but not always ideal for the new turf cultivars dominating the market. Science is taking a new approach to using fewer resources to achieve even higher results. While new turfgrasses do not require a steep learning curve, increased familiarity will benefit both the lawn and the end-user.
Reduced water use is among the focal points of some new grasses. Historically, irrigation has been synonymous with caring for a lawn…just like phones, times have changed. “Lawns need 25mm of water per week in the spring and autumn,” is a well-established rule of thumb for many homeowners, but this amounts to wasted water and a needless expense for an increasing number of lawns today.
University research programs have made reduced water use a priority. Decades of turf breeding have ushered in new options that are indeed better than the lawns familiar to most homeowners.
Case in point, TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda Grass is a product of turfgrass science, and it is the leader in landscapes to help conserve our water resources. It came from 20 years of research and, when compared to the most commonly used bermudagrass previously, it has a proven record of top aesthetics with less irrigation, maintaining high turf quality under drought stress, and providing outstanding durability for active pets and families. When it comes to bermudagrass, TifTuf is often referred to as the “Alpha Grass” because of such superior performance.
From the University of Georgia’s renowned turf breeding program, TifTuf has shown it can achieve a top-quality lawn with 38% less water use.
This is a great achievement. Having such a product available for homeowners, as well as golf courses, sports fields, parks, and commercial properties, is saving water everywhere bermudagrass thrives. Product marketing helps to promote the water conservation aspects of this wildly successful turfgrass, but water savings can be maximised by further engaging end users.
With a focus on water conservation, farms that grow and sell TifTuf in the US in the Atlanta and Georgia areas reached out to customers who planted TifTuf lawns in recent years. The communication served to remind them of the water conservation characteristics of their new landscape turf.
US Turf Producers Buy Sod, NG Turf, and Super Sod voluntarily took this extra step to help homeowners avoid wasting water on their TifTuf lawns while also saving them money through lower water bills.
A letter, coupled with a concise TifTuf Easy Care Guide, was mailed to each resident in this pilot initiative. The guide focused on the characteristics of TifTuf genetics along with tips on achieving the best results for their lawn. It tracked each season, spring through winter, with pointers on mow height, fertilisation, and weed control, while also encouraging less irrigation. Research findings show that once TifTuf is rooted in and established, its turf genetics dictate it will rarely need irrigation, even during a moderate drought. Homeowners and the environment benefit from this reminder. This is an important message in Australia also, with the very hot and dry conditions experienced so far this season and forecast to continue.
The care guide was developed to be a tool to help these homeowners best manage their new grass in comparison to what they may have been accustomed to in the past…out with the rotary phone and in with the smartphone. New technology needs education.
It’s important to note TifTuf is available only as blue tag-certified sod in the US and AusGAP Certified in Australia, which protects genetic purity. This assurance of quality is provided by each certifying agency with farm inspections of fields where it was grown. Genetics is the key to the water-saving success of TifTuf, but only if information and education are reaching the ones that control the water spigot. Marketing the benefits of any turfgrass cultivar is essential, but education on important characteristics such as reduced water use is imperative to achieve the best results.
When it comes to technology, consumers must trust science and be familiar with its benefits to achieve the most reward. For turfgrass, we can reduce water use, achieve better turf quality…and save money. With smartphones, we have access to information worldwide and countless cat videos…while still receiving phone calls. Rotary dial not included.
