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Reimagining Lawns: Creating Less Resource Intensive Landscapes
Monoculture Lawns require excessive:
- Water
- Fertilizer
- Weed Control
- Pest Control
- General Maintenance Cost
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Most Lawns in Austin
A mix of St. Augustine, Zoysia, Bermudagrass, Dandelions, Horseherb, Crabgrass and other ‘weeds’
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Turn it into Something Beautiful
Perennial butterfly gardens are my current favorite but there ae many options to consider.
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Things to Avoid
It must be said, before getting started, do not use river rock in mass, landscape fabric, invasive species, and avoid monoculture.
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Don’t Rock Your Landscape
Rock Mulches hold heat – almost 100 degrees more heat than hardwood mulches – and then release it over night
Rock mulch can reach 140-170 degrees in the summer
Organic mulches 80-85 degrees
Have no nutritional value
Are not maintenance free
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Too Much Rock
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River Rock with Purpose
Places river rock does work well:
- Dry river beds for water movement and erosion control
- Gutter drainage
- Gutterless overhangs
- Parking areas
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Native grass mixes
Buffalo grass – High maintenance! Monoculture
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Lawns should have a purpose
Determine how you use your space
- Sports
- Play Area
- Large Dogs
- High Foot Traffic
Create Useful Areas
- Meditation
- Sitting area
- Garden stroll
- Wildlife Habitat
- HOA requirements
Ideally as little lawn as possible – small enough to use a reel mower
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Play areas example
Path example
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Determine problem areas
- Heavy foot traffic
- Deep shade
- Heat – hell strip
- Repeated pest and disease issues
- Shallow soil depth – caprock
- Slopes
- Poor soil – Black Walnut or Chinaberry? allelopathic properties
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Reduce turf where it has no purpose
- Utilize areas that already have healthy lawn
- Enlarge existing beds
- Dig Deep
- Add quality Soil
- Adjust irrigation
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Mass Plant Anything Else
Monoculture
Keep in mind – lack of Biodiversity leaves room for pests, disease, more noticeable undesirables – aka weeds
Biodiversity is beneficial for pollinators.
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Water
Lawns require a lot of water
Lawns need 1-2” of water a week on average
Protect our Waterways
- Reduce water usage
- Reduce fertilizer, pest and disease control products
- Reduce fuel and equipment maintenance
- Save money and water
Multi-stream rotational nozzles (finger sprays)
- Reduces evaporation – less misting
- Avoids runoff because water is applied at a slower rate
Slopes
- Cycle and Soak
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It’s Not a Weed
- Wood Sorrel
- Horseherb
- Dandelions
Once you embrace the weeds as lovely plants it gets much easier to maintain the lawn.
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A Word on Bermudagrass
Invasive
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How to Care for Lawn You Keep
Soil Improvements
Topdressing and Compost Tea
Fertilizers
Weed Control
Corn gluten and hand pulling
Irrigation
August Tasks
Check Irrigation – Do a full system check looking for breaks and poor coverage. Make sure the box is set properly and each zone will provide about 2″ of water per run.
Pruning – Cut back perennials by 1/3 if no bloom set and deadhead. Prune any dead, damaged, or diaeased limbs.
Liquid fertilizer – A gentle liquid fertilizer with seaweed will help plants get through the rest of the summer. Soil activators will also improve soil texture.
Hardscaping – Start the heavy tasks now so that you are ready to plant as soon as the temperatures cool down.
Planning for fall planting – Fall is the best time to plant!
Enlarge beds and reduce lawn
Resources
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center https://www.wildflower.org/
– is the best place to visit to see native plants doing what they do best: thriving. It is also a great place to take the kids for a day out.
The Natural Gardener
– has a beautiful butterfly garden just off the parking lot next to their pottery area. It is an excellent example of plants for all seasons. They also have vegetable and herb gardens behind the main shop as well as some perennial planting throughout the property. Of course, there are also many many plants for sale and a wonderful, knowledgeable staff.
Grow Green Austin https://www.austintexas.gov/department/grow-green
– is an excellent source for landscaping, particularly within the Austin city limits. They have information on city rebates, water restrictions, and educational opportunities for homeowners and landscape professionals.
Native and Adapted Landscape Plants: an earthwise guide for Central Texas http://austintexas.gov/department/grow-green/plant-guide
– is my go to guide for most of the landscape plants I include in my design plans. I adore this book. It is available for free at most garden centers, or you can download it as a pdf from the Grow Green website. It is also available as a searchable plant guide from the link above.
Native American Seed https://www.seedsource.com/catalog/
– has a huge selection of native seeds and extensive information on native plants. If you have an area that you want to naturalize, this is a wonderful source for seed.
Central Texas Gardener https://www.centraltexasgardener.org/
Monthly Gardening Calendar for the Austin Area
https://travis-tx.tamu.edu/about-2/horticulture/monthly-gardening-calendar-for-austin-area/
Articles referred to in this presentation
How the Perfect Lawn Became a Symbol of the American Dream
https://www.history.com/news/lawn-mower-grass-american-dream
Don’t Rock Your Landscape