高温致草坪枯黄 屋主喷漆应对

今夏，美国各地遭遇高温天气，各家的草坪也因此变得枯黄，甚至干死。不过，纽约和新泽西州一些社区的草坪却格外翠绿，原因是他们的主人给这些草坪喷了纯植物的绿漆。据悉，这种喷漆为可生物降解性质，是从植物中提取、无毒的草坪颜料，每平方米的喷涂价格为1.61美元；除草坪外，还可用于灌木和树木的喷涂。如果草坪的草确已干死，喷涂的绿色可一直持续到次年春天新草长出；若是草坪还在生长，那么要等草坪割过两三次以后颜料才会消褪。随着高温干旱天气的持续，草坪喷涂服务的需求不断增长，而且人们的要求也不限于草坪绿色。据悉，曾有客户要求在美国独立日前将自家草坪喷成美国国旗的颜色。不过，该业务发起人表示，目前还没有研制出红色和蓝色的颜料，不过可能性还是有的。

Despite the summer's persistent heat waves, the grass really is greener in some neighborhoods in New York and New Jersey.

Homeowners with brown, dried-up lawns are turning to "lawn painting" to liven up their yards.

Business is booming, according to Joe Perazzo, who launched his lawn painting company in New York's most suburban borough of Staten Island a few years ago, inspired by the tinting process used to color professional athletic fields. Other companies have sprung up in the region and elsewhere in the country.

"We've had a lot more calls and jobs in the past few weeks," said Perazzo, who added that this season's heat has been particularly hard on lawns due to a lack of rain.

For about 15 cents a square foot ($1.61 a square meter), or $150 for 1,000 square feet ($161.40 for 100 square meters), Perazzo will spray a plant-based, non-toxic turf dye on lawns or even dried-up shrubs and trees.

The biodegradable spray can last up until next spring's new growth if grass is truly desiccated, he said.

For lawns with a bit of life left in them, the paint will last for "two to three mows," he said.

In such hot weather, with temperatures hovering near the triple digits, lawns are not growing very fast, he said.

Rich Pacailler of Howell, New Jersey, had his 1,500 square foot lawn sprayed this week.

"It gave me the green lawn I've been working for," he said. "I come home and see I've got the greenest lawn on the block."

He said it was very natural looking, "like new sod."

"It's not hampering the lawn, but really showcasing it and giving it that curb appeal," he said.

Perazzo said he can custom mix the lawn shade, "depending on how yellow or brown the turf is."

Someone recently suggested painting a lawn red, white and blue for the Fourth of July holiday, he said.

"I haven't gotten into blues and reds," he said. "But I've researched it, and it's a definite possibility."