Surprising Benefits of Texas Sod Grass

September 19, 2014 | Grass, Sod, posted by Sasha

photo field of spring grass and sunset

Turfgrass might seem like a dry topic to some, but some facts about it may surprise you. Grass isn’t just something that covers our lawns; it provides an abundance of benefits to our earth, our health, and even our economy. It’s even great in the hot, humid climates of Texas. Read below to find out more about the strengths of this often-overlooked plant.

Grass Keeps Us Healthy

Most people know that trees are beneficial to the earth’s health, but did you ever realize that grass offers similar benefits? For example, a 50 x 50 square foot lawn emits enough oxygen to provide for a family of four while also absorbing carbon dioxide and hydrogen fluoride from the air. If that isn’t impressive enough, the oxygen released by the grass and trees along the U.S. Interstate highway system can support 22 million people.

Do your allergies flare up every time the seasons change? Your lawn can help! Healthy grass minimizes airborne pollen that can aggravate allergies.

Small Plant, Big Strength

A single blade of grass may not seem very powerful, but there’s even more to these plants below the surface. In fact, nearly 90% of a grass plant’s weight lies in its roots. What makes this figure even more impressive is the fact that grass plants are 75 – 80% water by weight. Those of us who only think about the green grass that covers our lawns may be interested to know that there are over 10,000 different species of grass in the world that range from short lawn grasses to those scaling over 120 feet tall.

Grass Saves the Environment

Just like trees and other plants, grass bolsters the earth’s health. Turfgrass absorbs dust and smoke particles from the air, which helps keep the atmosphere cleaner. It also reduces the number of nuisance pests like snakes, rodents, mosquitoes, and ticks invading your property. Grass is even an energy-saver: the front lawn of one average-sized home in the United States has the same cooling effect as almost 9 tons of air conditioning. That’s more than twice the cooling power of most single-home central air units!

Turf is Cost-Effective

The turfgrass industry cultivates over $30 billion for the U.S. economy each year. Even better, sod is both the safest and least expensive form of outdoor surface for sports and recreation. It’s also considered the most cost-effective method for controlling water and wind erosion, a valuable asset in the U.S. where soil erosion costs us at least $6 billion per year.

It’s pretty easy to see that grass brings a lot more to our world than just beautiful green lawns. 

If you are in need of fresh sod, don’t hesitate to contact The Grass Outlet for assistance today!