This month, we introduce our new Low Water Sod, our most environmentally-friendly commercial grass sod product that requires the least amount of watering. It’s what our customers have been demanding; our Canadian summers are getting warmer – and just a short trip away from the moderating influences of the Pacific Coast, BC’s interior is experiencing record hot temperatures. They needed a way to adapt – and Low Water Sod will do the trick. Once the low water sod is established fully on a lawn, you don’t need to irrigate. In fact, it allows for full summer dormancy even in a drought!
We’ve been working on this for a while because we could see where climate change and government regulations are taking us, and it’s up to us to help our customers be proactive, whether they’re landscapers, city park or sports field managers, or the average humble homeowner who wants to have some green space around their home.
If your lawn in BC’s interior or other dry region from Vancouver Island to Alberta is in trouble, getting patchy or just requires way too much watering to look ‘normal’, Low Water Sod could be the solution for you.
The Growing Need for Low Water Sod. Water Laws and Climate Change
Just a two-hour drive away from BC’s soggy biggest city, into the province’s interior, you’ll find some of the driest places in Canada outside of the Arctic circle. Further east, out to Alberta, the microclimates turn the landscape into a hodge-podge of ecosystems. For the average homeowner, sports field manager, municipal lawn maintenance crew and others, getting the right grass sod products that can last through drought conditions can be a bit of a challenge (which is why we custom grow a variety of grasses to match your needs).
British Columbia’s new Water Sustainability Act might also put a bit more pressure on people to ensure that their grass sod is up to the task of beautifying their surroundings with minimal extra irrigation. The Water Sustainability legislation that is just waiting on royal assent now is expected to come into force in April 2015. What’s it all about? The Western Canada Turfgrass Association reports:
“This legislation delivers on government’s commitment to modernize B.C.’s water laws, regulate groundwater use and strengthen provincial water management in light of growing demands on water and our changing climate. Water is our most precious resource and this legislation will help ensure that our supply of fresh, clean water is sustainable – to meet our needs today and for generations to come.”
The part that most folks will care about is that we’re starting to talk about pricing; that is, paying more than we did for the water we use. Right now, everything is up in the air, with no real hard numbers about annual licensing fees or per/liter costs, but anyone can tell where this is going. British Columbians are eventually going to be paying more for the water they use everyday. It’s going to be more important than ever to ensure that if you live in a dry climate, the grass sod you put down around your property doesn’t require a whole lot of extra watering.
Fortunately, you’ve got options. In addition to our new Low Water Sod, we custom grow grass varietals that can stand up to dry and even drought-like conditions, without needing more watering than your average rice field.
