Landscape Architect Articles

Slower Growing Grass11-24-08 | News

Slower Growing Grass

Dr. Russell Nagata?EUR??,,????'?????<

Every weekend, about 54 million Americans mow their lawns?EUR??,,????'?????<

In the state of Florida there are more than 3.3 million acres of turfgrass planted in parks, athletic fields, homes lawns and businesses. A majority of the home lawns utilize St. Augustinegrass turf, in all, totaling more than a million acres. There is a need to select and develop new cultivars of St. Augustinegrass that will provide for current and future needs for a sustainable Florida.

Now, horticulturist Russell Nagata, Ph.D.?EUR??,,????'?????<

Nagata has bred a much slower-growing type of St. Augustine grass called Captiva. In one week, typical grass grows three to five inches. Captiva grows between one-and-a-half and two-and-a-half inches.

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That means less toxic runoff from over-fertilizing. As if that weren?EUR??,,????'?????<

Captiva will be available starting this fall and found across the country within a year.