...but is it also more drought resistant than yours or even fake? This is the question of the spring season in California because, and let's face it, we will be confronted with another drought and city ordinances which will limit the watering of lawns.
Those of you who reject switching to an attractive desert landscape theme with succulents and nopales and are not thrilled with fake grass, should wise up on drought-resistant grass seeds which are summer dormant and require only little or even no watering during the hot season.
Thirsty Bluegrass, which 95% of American lawns consist of, is not the best choice unless you live in a climate that gets sufficient rainfall.
According to a NASA study on lawns, 50,000 square miles of grass covers the US, which it says should be turfgrass to reduce watering, which the EPA estimates accounts for one third of Americans' water usage.
I found the following suggestions at Treehuger.com - great alternatives in a time when water should be conserved where ever and when ever we can.
Zoysia grass
Flexible. Loves sun and shade. Slow growing. Tolerates traffic. Produces lush carpet. El Toro, Empire, Jamur, and Palisades most drought-resistant.
Bermuda grass
Loves the sun, responds well to watering, good traffic tolerance, but needs lots of mowing. Many varieties are drought-tolerant. Best in sub-tropical southern zones.
St. Augustine grass
Floratam is most drought-tolerant variety but generally it prefers dappled shade. Got trees? Ask your local municipality if it's giving them away. LA gives up to seven but palms don't count. Water-wise arbors here are crape myrtle, London plane and silk tree.
Buffalo grass
Midwest prairie native needs full sun but so-so with traffic. Warm season but tolerates cold. Low rainfall and slow grower. Most are drought-tolerant.
Bahia grass
Decent choice for infertile soil. Needs full sun. Course but thick covering.
Fescues
Cool season grasses for more northern climates. Absorbs water well after drought.
Establish your turf
Determine if cool or warm season grass is best for your location. Keep in mind, not all varieties of warm season species are drought-friendly. Check with a local nursery or master gardener for natives. The key is deep roots and deep watering. Over-watering can damage roots.
Be a conservative when watering your yard, even if you're growing food, try drip irrigation, and harvest rainwater instead of using the tap.
Those other things to do: make it a smaller patch of lawn by surrounding the plot with drought-tolerant plants and ground covers. Might be a good time for thyme, and at the risk of another pun, think sedum.
