The Right Lawn For The Right Home

Have you ever been frustrated by dry patches on your lawn? Is Southern California’s inconsistent weather causing your lawn to be brown, and dry instead of a beautiful, lush and healthy green? Would you like to learn how to solve this challenge?

Especially during the hot summer days throughout Los Angeles County where some cities are limited to watering their lawn once per week. There are some ways to help alleviate this problem, join me as we discuss potential causes and solutions to get to the root of your lawn troubles.

Poor Soil Quality in Long Beach

In some cases, even with adequate watering, your lawn can still begin to dry up. The reason being that the soil under the grass may be compacted. Compacted soil doesn’t allow water to penetrate it leaving puddles of water on the surface where it eventually evaporates. Compacted soil can lead to a lack of moisture driving away small organisms which help the soil to stay healthy. 

One of the most effective ways of loosening your compacted soil is with core aeration. Where small bits of soil are pulled up through the lawn. The space created by core aeration relieves pressure, softens and creates small gaps in the compacted soil to allow water to penetrate the surface and roots to grow deeper. Though aerating your lawn can be done on your own, it’s best left to professionals. Aerating your lawn is labor intensive and season dependent. If the timing is wrong, aerating can further damage your lawn.

Amending Your Soil

A healthy lawn can only be grown on healthy soil. Healthy soil should be more than just dirt. If you have noticed dead or dry patches in your lawn, you may need to amend your lawn with compost. Adding organic material can help retain moisture under the surface of the soil. If you are seeding your lawn, consider mixing organic compost with any dry patches of soil you see. In severe cases you may need to have your entire lawn amended before reseeding. When seeding, moisture is crucial which makes it difficult during a seasonal drought. 

Drought Resistant Grass  

Being prone to droughts makes landscaping your home difficult. Fortunately, finding drought resistant grass is not as hard as it used to be. As there has been a widespread adoption of drought resistant grass in Southern California in recent years. With water restrictions becoming more strict these drought resistant grasses require less than 25% of water compared to traditional grass.

Zoysia grass is a low-growing grass that grows so dense it can prevent weeds from growing. Zoysia grass spreads fast, and resists insects and diseases that could harm other kinds of grass. A shortcoming of zoysia is that it’s not green year round and in our weather it can remain dormant for longer than some people would like.

Bermuda grass has a few variations though most commonly grows 1 – 4 inches long and has rough edges. It also is a fast grower and can tolerate heavy foot traffic. Like zoysia, bermuda grass also goes dormant during the colder seasons. Although drought tolerant, bermuda grass needs plenty of sun and doesn’t do well in shade.

Kikuyu grass thrive in hot weather due to them growing deep roots combined with disease resistance, kikuyu grass can remain green year round. Rapid growing and resilient to neglect the kikuyu grass can quickly recover from heavy foot traffic making it ideal for homes with children and pets. 

Buffalo grass grows up to 8 inches, is dense and spreads through horizontal root- forming stems called stolons and it can tolerate heavy foot traffic. Newer cultivars are more drought tolerant and  resistant to weeds compared to traditional buffalo grass, though may still require weed care. Like many other grasses on this list, buffalo grass also goes dormant during the winter which can be a deal breaker for some.

Grass alternatives

If you don’t expect any foot traffic on your lawn, and want to conserve water while still having something beautiful to look at there are alternatives that can be used instead of grass. Creeping thyme can produce a vibrant color with violet flowers. Usually used around pathways and areas smaller than a traditional lawn. Another popular option is to use plants native to Southern California such as:

• California Fuchsia
• California Poppy
• Kidney Weed
• Chalk Liveforever
• Sedum

Being native, they are drought tolerant and rarely need extra care to thrive. 

How would you feel with a yard expressly designed to fit your unique home and personality?

Our staff is dedicated to delivering unique landscapes that 100% fit the needs of homeowners. Each yard is designed in-house by our landscape designer. Our expertise and experience in the cities of Long Beach, Lakewood, Seal Beach, Rossmoor & surrounding communities allows us to custom design the perfect landscape for you.

Your project is carefully managed by our team of experts. Whether you are looking to turn your front yard into a showpiece or creating the backyard of your dreams we are here to help. Fill out our Landscape Design Free Quote today.