Excessive Use of Water and Fertilizer by Homeowners: Why It Happens, How It Affects the Environment, and How the Nursery Industry and Extension Outreach Can Help

Despite global concerns regarding climate change, one thing remains constant: homeowners want gardens and landscapes that serve them functionally and aesthetically. The strong affinity homeowners have for their land can lead to excessive use of water and fertilizer. This literature review explores the relationships between homeowners and their residential landscapes and the efforts that can be made to address misuse and overuse of resources. Governmental organizations should work together with community groups, nursery and landscape associations, and university Extension faculty to understand homeowner desires and behaviors before instituting policies regarding resource use that are unpopular, resented, and ignored. Networking between the nursery industry and university Extension faculty and Master Gardener volunteers can provide educational opportunities for homeowners to understand and implement more sustainable landscape practices as well as showcasing ornamental landscape plants that can help meet both personal aesthetics and resource conservation goals.