Where Can the Children Play?

Hello

I live on a quarter acre and would like to fill some areas with what I have heard is drought resistant turf that requires less water but provides a play space for children.  

What companies make drought resistant grass like they use in Phoenix?  

Where do I buy this product in San Fernando Valley?  

I am a pediatrician and the obesity crisis and motor development in children is also a challenge in this generation.  

Frances 

Hi Frances,

After doing a little research I found out that a Bermuda grass variety called 'Midiron' is the most popular water saving grass for the Phoenix area. You can plant Bermuda in the San Fernando valley but you should be aware that because it gets fairly cold here compared to Phoenix that Bermuda grass lawn can take on a straw-like appearance from November through April when it goes dormant because of the cold. You can overcome this problem by over-seeding the grass with red fescue or you can spray the straw colored lawn with turf colorant (mostly harmless -just make sure you get a water or latex based type and not one that contains polyethylene glycol -the active ingredient in anti-freeze).

I would look at the following grasses (links provided for information and do not constitute a recommendation of the companies providing them):

Eco-lawn

A blend of California native and  U.S. native fescues developed for California. This preforms a little better in shadier areas or half sun in the San Fernando Valley and might be best mixed in with the others below for sunny areas.

UC Verde  Buffalo Grass

Has a long establishment period and cannot be played on in the wintertime unless it is over-seeded with Red Fescue or Perennial Rye.

Native Carex

Great looking lawn that requires no more than once a week at the most watering, however playing sports on it could be a nightmare of skinned knees and twisted ankles as the texture of the thing is defined by the woody basal clumps it can develop. 

Creeping Red Fescue

This can save maybe half the water of a traditional lawn and you can mow it and play sports on it (occasionally). It does tend to get lumpy when planted by itself. 

Bermuda Grass

Besides what is mentioned above, Bermuda grass makes an excellent sports surface and requires half the water of lawns like dwarf tall fescue. Local sod growers will have varieties that perform better here in Southern California. 

Rhizomatous Tall Fescue

A new introduction by Valley Sod Farm, this is like the traditional dwarf tall fescues like 'Marathon' except that it doesn't require as much water, about half of that of traditional fescues, and is does not get as lumpy as dwarf tall fescue lawns tend to get. 

Also, the UC schools are busily researching better alternatives to the traditional turf lawns. For more information on this quest go here.  

Sod Growers Located Near Los Angeles

Hunkering Down With Your Lawn to Survive the Drought

So you're not going give up your lawn until they pry it from the dry parched ground it's now growing in. What can you do to help it survive until you can find a reasonable California friendly replacement? Below are a few ideas:

1. Mow your lawn on your lawnmowers highest setting; cutting grass low stimulates growth which encourages water loss. Mature grass leaves develop a thicker cuticle (skin) which helps them stand up to drought much more readily.
2. If your lawn is old and water runs off of it when you irrigate, rent a power lawn aerator and aerate your lawn. Aerators remove 3”4” plugs from your lawn which allow water to penetrate deeper into the soil beneath your lawn. Remember to irrigate for to runoff the day before you aerate in order to allow for the deep penetration of the aerator tines.
3. Cut back your lawn watering to once a week for 10-20 minutes. Do not allow the irrigation water to run off, if it does, stop the irrigation and resume an hour later; if you haven’t aerated your lawn do so.
4. Do not walk, play games on , or have parties on your dormant lawn; it is now very susceptible to physical damage and the repair process takes both water and nutrients from the grass that it needs to get through the drought.
5. Do not feed your lawn; nitrogen makes lawns more prone to drying out. 
6. If you really can’t stand your lawn being the golden state’s official color then you can make it green with lawn dye. It will not look the same close up, but most people view lawns from a distance.  
7. Use this time contemplating your close-to-death lawn’s replacement later on with either more drought tolerant grasses, water saving ground-covers, or a major reduction in its size.

Don't think you're all alone in your struggle, the state of Texas has made holding on until the last blade of grass is standing an art. 

Even our own state agriculture wonks have some tips on helping your lawn survive this dry onslaught of naught (drought).