Magazine

By Editor in {CATEGORY} on 19 Jun 2011

Drought was all about water restrictions and unviable permanent crops. But spare a though for grass grower Max Ancell.

Not only was he paying for water to grow his crop; but he was up against a market where people all over Australia were letting their lawns die. Water restrictions, particularly in South Australia, asked that people only water their lawns on certain days, or not at all.

Turf grower Max Ancell says during drought, turf "copped an unjust beating." So it's been a tough road.

But following the breaking of the drought and more rain, things are looking up for this grower of grass. "You never hear me complaining about getting rain, I love it." "The grass responds really well to natural rainfall and we use less irrigation water."

"It even makes the grass grow a little bit too fast for us, which increases our mowing to some degree."

But Max's battles aren't necessarily over. During drought, one of his toughest competitors rose from the soil.

The fake turf.
"I can see there is a place for fake turf in small areas or whatever." "But I've had a good look at it, and I've walked on it in bare feet in summer.

"Really at the end of the day, apart from looking green in the front yard, you don't get the benefits of cooling and those other things you get from natural turf."

Source & More: www.abc.net.au

Read more articles in {CATEGORY}, by Editor or from June 2011.