Tough on turf

Water restrictions may have adversely affected the swimming pool and spa industry, but they have reportedly devastated the turf industry in Victoria, with the ban on watering new lawns being blamed for a reduction in turf sales to only ten percent of the previous year.

 

The Victorian Government’s refusal to extend the stage 2, 28-day establishment period for new lawns is to blame, according to the Turf Producers Association of Victoria. The federal body, Turf Producers Australia (TPA), is attempting to thwart the trend by homeowners and sporting facilities towards artificial turf by producing a series of documents outlining the health benefits of turf, and decrying the perceived environmental and financial benefits of the artificial material.

 

Ray Moir, CEO of the TPA says that the turf industry is constantly bringing out low water, low maintenance lawns which need only minimal fertiliser and chemicals, as well as leading a rapid transition to drought tolerant varieties. For a link to the report click here.