Roots Need “O” Too™

Most homeowners take care of their lawns as if they don’t understand the most important factor underneath the surface, and they probably don’t!

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL (April 3, 2003) - Oxygen is the lifeblood of our planet. It goes to the very core of human existence and plant growth. As humans we need oxygen to breathe and survive, but so do plants.  We all know that plants rely on photosynthesis to create their food, yet we forgot or never knew that they need oxygen (respiration) to consume the food created by photosynthesis.  All grass plants have basic needs of light, air and water, yet today billions of dollars are spent trying to maintain lawns without the basic knowledge about the virtual source of its growth.

Think in terms of your grass being on life support. Without oxygen beneath its surface, the lawn will die. Most people take their grass off life support because they were never taught any better. Respiration is the forgotten process that completes the growth cycle when oxygen is taken into the roots.  Yet, most elementary school textbooks  leave out information about the plant roots fundamental need for oxygen, most teach that roots only need water and nutrients for plant survival.  It’s little wonder that the importance of oxygen in the soil remains a question mark to most Americans.

Should we be surprised when most homeowners think the way to heal bad looking grass is by applying fertilizer and water, but it’s only a band-aid for the cure?  Understanding the importance of the oxygen (aeration level) in soil is the healer.  Too much fertilizer and water are silent killers. The first step in recovery is to admit there is a problem.

Compare a golf course or athletic field to your lawn. It’s like night and day. Golf course superintendents look at it from a business perspective. Because of that, they have a lot more in their arsenal than the average homeowner such as aerators that remove cores of soil from the turf bringing air to the roots.

It’s just unfortunate that when we visit a local home improvement store to buy a simple hand-held aerator it makes us feel like Don Quixote in search of the Holy Grail.  This simple tool can help you rejuvenate your lawn, making it more resistant to insects, weeds and disease. It will also save you water.

We need to reset our understanding of the process and be willing to learn a new approach to lawn care. If we do, we’ll have an even more powerful tool -- nature herself -- to cultivate lawns naturally. To meet the needs, The Bulletproof Lawn Company has started the Roots Need O Too™ campaign to increase awareness of the importance of oxygen to  your lawn. We have teamed with Turf-Tec International, the world’s leading supplier of turfgrass diagnostic equipment to the golf course industry. The end result is more time to smell the roses and relax under the trees – or to even check out how nice the grass looks at your favorite golf course.

The Bulletproof Lawn Company is a publisher of a book on lawn care titled The Journey To a Bulletproof Lawn and markets lawn tools for the homeowner. For more information, visit www.bulletprooflawn.com.

Roots Need O Too is a trademark of Bulletproof Lawn Company.

Bulletproof Lawn is a registered trademark of the Bulletproof Lawn Company, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., 33308.