Attitudes about Lawn Dormancy in Minnesota
Lawn dormancy is characterized by a browning of leaf blades and occurs when a lawn does not receive enough irrigation through rainfall or mechanical means (UMN Extension, 2021). Dormant lawns are in opposition to the current tradition of upkeeping a green, homogenous lawn (Nielson & Smith, 2005). Preventing lawns from going dormant is increasingly difficult as regions of the U.S. face shifting precipitation patterns due to climate change (Carrico et al., 2012; Clark et al., 2023). Determining homeowner attitudes about lawn dormancy will help to inform researchers and policymakers about the method of promoting water conservation in the yard. An online survey was distributed to Minnesota residents who are current or future homeowners. The survey was designed to measure attitudes towards lawn dormancy. Overall, the majority of respondents were willing to tolerate at least some dormancy in their lawns, and rated the importance of having a green lawn as fairly low. There were no calculated correlations between dormancy attitudes and any demographic variables (age, race, gender). This data can be used to inform future research paths and policy campaigns designed to conserve water in the yard.