For most of us, our homes are the biggest investment we’ll ever make. We all want structurally sound homes that fit our individual needs and lifestyles. But, whether we realize it our not, the exteriors of our homes are just as important as the interiors. We form an opinion of a home when we pull into its driveway for the first time, and the beauty of its lawn often plays a huge role in our decision to buy.
A beautiful lawn doesn’t just happen, however. Lawns are living entities comprised of myriad organisms that live, grow, and die. Creating and maintaining a healthy lawn takes thought, planning, time, energy, and, yes, money. Your lawn is as much a part of your home as its bricks and mortar. And maintaining your lawn, like maintaining your house or your car, can save you money and heartache down the road. Let’s look at five reasons why this is true.
1. Maintenance is cheaper than replacement.
If you’re the do-it-yourself type who enjoys working in the lawn, then cutting grass, weeding and mulching flower beds, and trimming trees and shrubs can be pleasurable and therapeutic. These are all important parts of lawn maintenance. But the overall health of the living, breathing, biosphere that is your lawn is, quite literally, rooted in soil. Maintaining your lawn starts with maintaining its soil, which can be affected by heat, cold, wind, water, microorganisms, worms, animals, and, of course, humans. Healthy turf grasses, like St. Augustine, Centipede, Bahia, and Bermuda, are vital to soil health. Soil, itself, can be amended, but good, sturdy turf grass often makes amendment unnecessary. So, how much does it cost to keep your grass healthy? On average, maintenance treatments to combat pests such as chinch bugs, army worms, and web sod worms cost approximately $250 per 5,000 square feet of lawn per year. Is it worth it? Well, replacing 5,000 square feet of sod after a pest infestation has destroyed it can cost as much as $2,500. Add to that the mess and aggravation of having your lawn ripped up, and the cost of maintenance begins to look much more reasonable.
2. You might want to sell your home some day.
One of the great things about landscaping is that it grows in value over time. As trees and shrubs grow to maturity, the beauty of your landscaped lawn increases. A 1999 survey published in 2005 by Behe, et. al. in the Journal of Environmental Horticulture found that a well-landscaped lawn can increase perceived home value by as much as 12.7%. Respondents cited landscaping design sophistication, plant size, and diverse plant types as the three main factors affecting increased value. Their preferences for large deciduous and evergreen trees as well as diverse annual and perennial shrubbery mean that your lawn’s value grows as your landscaping does. This is good news when you’re ready to sell. It
makes your house stand out in a crowd.
Think back to the first time you saw your home. What caught your eye? What made you want to see more before you ever stepped foot inside? This is called curb appeal, and it’s value cannot be understated. Houses with great curb appeal sell faster, and nothing creates curb appeal like a beautiful lawn.
3. You can save money on energy costs.
According to the United States Department of Energy, well-planned landscaping can reduce heating and cooling costs as much as 25 percent. In hot, humid Louisiana, energy efficiency generally means cutting down on cooling costs by planting trees and shrubs to create shade and airflow. (Did you know the alley of live oaks at Oak Alley Plantation was designed to channel breezes from the river to the house?) But trees and shrubs can also act as windbreaks and insulation during those two or three weeks of winter we get each year. (Ok, maybe four weeks.) Simply creating shade over your central air conditioning unit can decrease its workload, increase its productivity, extend its life, and decrease your energy expenses. Win!
4. A well-maintained lawn protects your soil.
According to The Lawn Institute, healthy grass benefits your soil by facilitating water absorption and promoting proper drainage. Healthy grass enhances your soil’s fertility by trapping and breaking down organic nutrients from the surrounding environment. And healthy grass helps prevent costly soil erosion. When soil erodes, fertile topsoil washes away leaving behind a barren landscape. Worse, improper water drainage and erosion can cause structural damage to your home.
5. Some benefits can’t be measured in dollars and cents.
Take a look outside the window at your lawn. Try to imagine all the things happening out there. The growing grass scrubs carbon dioxide from the air and releases oxygen. Its roots cling to vital topsoil. Earthworms tunnel through the soil keeping it loose and fertilizing it with their castings. Trees shade your home so that your air conditioner doesn’t have to work so hard. Birds swoop down on crickets. Bees flit from one flower to the next. The kids play hide-and-seek. Open the door and step outside. Hear the kids’ squeals and laughter, the tinkling of wind chimes hanging from the eaves, the rustle of a squirrel in a nearby tree.
There’s a world outside your home that belongs to you, a little swatch of peace and beauty that is yours to care for and enjoy. How can you put a price on that?
To learn more about our treatment programs contact us at info@greengrasslawncareinc.com or visit our website at loveyourlawnagain.com.
