Call Alii Turf for Sod Honolulu, Sod Grass, Lawn Grass, Turf

Grass Is Good For the Environment

Although it would seem unnecessary to state the obvious, sod turf grass is good! Just like trees and other plants, it supports and enhances the environment. But, with the current hyper-focus on water use, grass has become the subject of undeserved environmental criticism. Of course grass uses water, but so do all other plants. Despite the voices of its critics, here are some of the good things grass does with water.

Grass Reduces Greenhouse Gas

?Grass absorbs greenhouse gas and converts it into life-giving oxygen. Grass does this at a much higher rate than native plants because grass has higher leaf density and a faster growth rate. A 2500 square foot lawns converts enough carbon dioxide into oxygen to sustain a family of four!

Grass Is Nature’s Air Conditioner

Trees seem to get all the credit for naturally cooling the air because they provide shade, but grass lowers surface temperatures through “evapotranspiration” which is a process similar to that used by old-fashioned evaporative coolers (“swamp coolers”) for home air conditioning. On a hot summer day, lawns will typically be 30 degrees cooler than asphalt, 14 degrees cooler than bare soil and a huge 35 degrees cooler than artificial turf! Aside from just creating a comfortable setting, grass also reduces energy demand by lowering the ambient temperature around a home.

Grass Purifies Water

Turf (grass) roots act as a natural environmental filter, and in combination with soil biology make lawn root zones an ideal medium for the biodegradation of contaminants that are carried in runoff water.

Grass Purifies the Air

?Grass absorbs particulates and some of the worst atmospheric pollutants such as sulfur dioxide and ozone.

Grass Provides Urban Habitat

We think of cities as places where people live, but they are also places where native birds and animals reside. Landscapes provide the habitat and forage areas for our wildlife co-inhabitants. Turf is a highly productive forage area for birds and small mammals.

Dwarf St. Augustine (Stenotaphrum secundatum)

Establishment: Sod (Stolens: 6 weeks summer, 10 weeks winter)
Texture: Course leaf (dwarf type is finer)
Wear: Fair
Adaptation: Good for wetter conditions
Drought Tolerance: Good
Shade Tolerance: Very good
Acid Soil Tolerance: Good
Weeds: Good competitor, low maintenace
Maintenance: Low requirement

El Toro Zoysia (Zoysia japonica)

Establishment: Sod (Stolon: 8 weeks summer, 13 weeks winter)
Texture; Intermediate leaf
Wear: Excellent
Adaptation: Wide, attractive summer & winter
Drought Tolerance: Very good
Shade Tolerance: Good
Acid Soil olerance: Good
Weeds: Very good competitor minimum maintenance
Maintenance: Low requirement, fertilize & mow

Tifway Bermuda (Cynodon dactylon)

Establishment: Sod (Stolons: 5 weeks summer, 8 weeks winter)
Texture: Fine leaf, intermediate thatch
Wear: Excellent (used on golf greens, fairways)
Adaptation: High sunlight, summers
Drought Tolerance: Good
Shade Tolerance: Poor
Acid Soil Tolerance: Poor
Weeds: Poor competitor, slow to fill in
Maintenance: High requirement (especially mowing)

Seadwarf Paspalum (Paspalum vaginaturm)

Establishment: Sod (Stolons: 4 weeks summer, 6 weeks winter)
Texture: Fine leaf, very tight
Wear: Excellent (used on golf greens, tee boxes, fairways and roughs)
Adaptation: Wide, attractive
Drought Tolerance: Good, excellent salt tolerance
Shade Tolerance: Fair
Acid Soil Tolerance: Poor
Weeds: Fair competitor, some maintenance
Maintenance: Intermediate requirement

Emerald Zoysia (Zoysia matrella)

Establishment: Sod (Plugs: 4-6 months)
Texture: Fine leaf, tight thatch
Wear: Excellent
Adaptation: Wide
Drought Tolerance: Good
Shade Toerance: Good
Acid Soil Tolerance: Good
Weeds: Very good competitor
Maintenance: Very low requirement when fully grown in