GARDEN TALK
To Mow or to Grow?
By Matt Lahm,
Assistant Curator of Conservation Education
Have you ever wondered what
the largest irrigated crop grown in
the United States might be? Sur-
prisingly, it’s something that no one
is eating. Many Americans own and
encounter it every day — and it can
require a significant amount of time
and money. Did you guess? It’s the
American lawn!
Using a combination of satel-
lite data and aerial photographs,
researchers were finally able to
measure the amount of turf grass
around the nation. In the lower
48 United States, there
are 40 million acres of
residential and com-
mercial turf grass.
That’s approximately
the size of Texas and
three times the size
of the acreage dedi-
cated to growing corn
here in the States!
Lawns not only take up
a large amount of land, but also
use many other resources. Accord-
ing to the EPA, 9 billion gallons of
water per day are used across the
United States during the growing
season, with the average home-
owner using 10,000 gallons per
year to water their lawn. In the
U.S., 78 million residential house-
holds use about 90 million pounds
of chemical fertilizers, herbicides
and pesticides to treat their lawns.
In addition, these aren’t the
only costs. Other important
costs are the time we spend on
lawn maintenance and the costs
associated with
deteriorating
air quality. The
average American
household spends 70 hours per
year caring for their lawn, with
the majority of Americans viewing
cutting the grass as one of their
least favorite chores. Did you know
that lawn mowers have only had
emission regulations since 1995?
A single gas-powered lawn mower
operating for one hour will emit the
same amount of air pollutants
as a car operating for
one hour. Across the
country, lawn care
equipment produces
about five percent
of the nation’s
air pollution. This
pollution results in
high levels of ozone
and poor air quality
in our communities
— putting our friends and
neighbors health at risk with
increased respiratory issues, asthma
and more.
Are there any options to mini-
mize the work and resources of this
consumptive “crop”? The answer
is yes! One of the easiest and most
popular options is the creation of
“low mow zone” garden. These
gardens are designated areas with
mowing restricted to usually just
a couple of times a year. Typically,
when a space like this is created,
the pre-existing turf is removed
and native plants and grasses are
planted. Before developing a low
mow zone, be sure to check the
codes and regulations for where
you live. If you create a low mow
zone garden, you may want to con-
sider adding a nice sign so observers
understand the natural appearance
of your garden and perhaps may
even be inspired to start their own!
The benefits of creating a low
mow zone garden are numerous for
you and for our environment. You
are developing much-needed habi-
tat and waystations for wildlife and
pollinators. Low mow zones also
slow stormwater runoff and im-
prove water quality. You will appre-
ciate the money saved by using less
water due to native and drought-
resistant plants, less fuel and less
chemical products. Plus, along with
reducing pollution emissions by op-
erating your lawn mower less and
improving our air-quality, you’ll save
a few hours of labor on your least
favorite chore! It’s a win-win!
Did you know?
Your Louisville
Zoo also has low
mow zones and
will be convert-
ing approximately
five additional acres
of existing lawn and turf to
become “low mow zone” and
pollinator gardens this spring!
Louisville Zoo Trunkline • Spring 2018 • 19