For many Florida homeowners, lawn mowing can feel like a never-ending chore, especially in the heat of summer.
New guidance from experts suggests autonomous or robotic lawn mowers can ease that burden while effectively managing Florida’s hardy lawns, including St. Augustine grass by using frequent, low-impact mowing that produces denser, healthier turf more resistant to pests and disease.
“The simple question was, can a robotic or autonomous mower’s lower cut height at 2.4 inches maintain hardy St. Augustine grass?” asked Bryan Unruh, UF/IFAS West Florida Research & Education Center (UF/IFAS WFREC) associate center director. According to the recently published UF/IFAS WFREC research, the answer is yes.
That was a major concern since for most warm season grasses a height average between three and four inches is recommended.
Autonomous mowers not only reduce manual labor and gas emissions but also improve the overall health of warm-season grasses. While they reduce labor and emissions, proper precautions are needed to manage fire ants and protect docking stations from lightning.
To learn more, visit: UF News.
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ABOUT UF/IFAS
The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS brings science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents.
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