Defining preferred turfgrass features for lawn choice for Floridian homeowners

Turfgrass lawns provide many environmental benefits, including temperature moderation, soil stabilization in urban centers, and surface water runoff reduction in the rapidly urbanizing societies. Recently, more sustainable management of urban vegetation have arisen to encourage Florida homeowners to shift from high-input (e.g., fertilizer, water) to low-input landscapes through initiatives such as the Florida Friendly Landscapes and Florida Water Star Programs. To support the water conservation programs in Florida, and better understand homeowners' lawn choices, the objective of this study is to identify and evaluate homeowners' preferred turfgrass features for lawn choices and understand the context of promoting sustainable landscaping practices in the state of Florida. Approximately 1000 Florida homeowners were surveyed online and ranked their most preferred turfgrass features out of a set of 12 alternatives. A rank-ordered logit model was utilized to evaluate Florida homeowners’ preferences for different turfgrass features and determine if they influence turfgrass selection for Florida homeowners. The results showed that the top features were drought tolerance, color, frequency of mowing, disease resistance, and pest tolerance. Identification and communication of water proficient, low fertilizer input turfgrass cultivars that are tolerant to environmental stresses (e.g., drought, traffic, shade) are needed in Florida. Policymakers should promote strategies to combat drought tolerant cultivars. Extension agents should educate homeowners on grass dormancy and drought tolerance (affecting color change) as well as promote disease resistance and pest tolerant species through the Florida Friendly Landscape and WaterStar Programs.