Turf Replacement And Groundcovers

By Leslie E. Stevens   UCCE Master Gardener

What steps can I take to eventually make my yard less thirsty?  Karen B.  Paso Robles

Now that the punishing drought is officially behind us, it's the perfect time to retool our landscapes to better adapt to a drier future.  This is especially true when you consider it often takes about three years for drought-tolerant replacements to become fully established.

This Saturday's UCCE Master Gardener's Advice to Grow By workshop is designed to get you started.  Master Gardeners will discuss two planting strategies home gardeners can employ to reduce water demand, while enhancing their landscapes and reducing maintenance.  The focus of both methods is to shrink or replace water-demanding lawns with drought-tolerant alternatives.

Groundcovers will be discussed and is a category of plants which includes numerous low growing shrubs and perennials. Workshop attendees will learn about California native and Mediterranean climate plants that adapt well to our Central Coast wet winters and warm, dry summers. Since many of these groundcovers grow only 2 to 18 inches tall, they make excellent lawn replacements or transitional plants between lawns and taller shrubs. They also provide opportunities to add color, texture and movement to your landscapes.

A segment about turf replacement will focus on several drought-tolerant grasses native to California and other Mediterranean climate areas that can serve as potential replacements for our traditionally water-hungry lawns.  These alternatives use substantially less water and many require little to no mowing or fertilizers to remain attractive and healthy.  Workshop attendees will see examples of how these plants vary in appearance depending on the level of water provided and how they look if mowed or not.

Saturday's workshop, September 16, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Garden of the Seven Sisters, 2156 Sierra Way in San Luis Obispo.  Garden docents will be available after the workshop to answer questions until 1 p.m.  You may want to bring sunscreen and a bottle of water. Come and join your fellow gardeners under the pergola in the garden.

For more information about UCCE Master Gardeners or to register for workshops, visit their website at http://ucanr.edu/sites/mgslo/.

Are you interested in being a UCCE Master Gardener but need more information? Join us at the New Master Gardener Class Informational Meeting on Thursday, September 14th from 1-3 in the UCCE auditorium at 2156 Sierra Way, San Luis Obispo.