Marvelous Mycorrhizae (continued)
Water is a precious natural resource, and lawns have rightly been targeted for using more than seems reasonable in the landscape.
NASA calculates lawns are our number one irrigated crop in the United States. To combat this trend, outdoor water use, most of which goes to maintaining lawns, has been severely restricted in many areas.
Research has shown mycorrhizae can reduce the amount of irrigation needed to maintain turf grass. Mycorrhizae inoculated lawns withstand drought conditions far better and for a longer term than lawns that have not been treated. They also recover more quickly when water does become available. Turf treated with mycorrhizae maintains more chlorophyll and photosynthesizes more than non treated lawns, and this has been show to increase drought tolerance.
Being able to extend times between watering, or perhaps eliminate irrigation of the lawn, except in the longest drought periods will contribute significantly to your green goals of a sustainable lawn.
Turf grass growth is another factor that is influenced by treating lawns with mycorrhizae. Substantially reducing the time it takes to establish a lawn definitely decreases the costs associated with new turf grass.
Photo Credit: Keith Weller, Ag Research Magazine
It does not matter if you have planted sod or seed, disturbed soil is deficient in mycorrhizae. Inoculating the soil with mycorrhizae at planting will give the grass a superior root system, requiring less maintenance, less water and helps eliminate failure during establishment.
Lastly, mycorrhizae helps turf grass resist diseases and destructive nematodes. You will find that a healthy lawn does not succumb to summer invasion because of the improved plant nutrition that mycorrhizae provide your grass. Studies have shown that pecific mycorrhizae species Glomus mosseae and Glomus intraradices control parasitic nematodes.
In the long run, inoculating your lawn when it is established or when aerating, will save time, money and maintenance. Such an eco-friendly practice is well worth your investment. The healthy lawn you have been hoping for can be yours in a sustainably green fashion with mycorrhizae.
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