CALIFORNIA SILVER - Native Fescue Lawn Sod
ESTABLISHMENT PHASE
WARM SEASON PLANTING (cut in half for Nov-Feb plantings):
First 7-14 Days: 2x Day / First 2-4 Weeks: 1x Day / First 4-8 Weeks: 1x Day / Next 3 Months: 3x Week
AFTER ESTABLISHMENT
WINTER: no irrigation
SPRING: 1-4 x a month
SUMMER/FALL: 1-2 x a week*
(*see guide for more details)
California Silver - Native Fescue
Festuca rubrum, Festuca occidentalis, Native Mow-Free, Hillside Fine Fescue Blend, etc.The deepest green, the softest look and the lushest year round vibes. This no-mow meadow lawn is long, soft and sweepy. With finer blades than other native ornamental grass. It does awesome on slopes and in slightly cooler climate regions (though can take some heat with part-shade & extra care). Ideal for accent lawns or moderately used areas.
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Great for Accent Lawns
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Works Under Trees (even Oaks!)
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Handles up to %75 Shade
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Light - Moderate foot traffic
VIDEO ABOVE: California Silver - Native Fescue Lawn in fall in a South-facing L.A. frontyard
Perfect for nearly naturalizing in USDA zones 3-8, native fescue has recently been trialed in a number of full sun applications in hotter regions of Southern California and is holding up just fine (with occasional extra evening watering). In Northern California it is suitable for almost any sun exposure. This cool-season grass LOVES being planted on slopes.
Native Fescue sod is comprised of a blend of sophisticated seed engineering from grass strains native to many regions of North America that've been hybridized, naturalized or are native to California. It can handle light foot traffic only. But is not dog friendly (like, UC Verde buffalo grass, it suffers from dog urine). They require 50% of the water of conventional lawns when planted in shade. Dense coverage means it's not ideal for interspersing wildflowers. But it does choke out weeds. Suitable for a variety of sun exposures in Northern California, even cool corners and less light.
IRRIGATION
Fescue sods prefer to be irrigated at night and will suffer dramatically if watered during the heat of the day. In extremely hot periods multiple evening irrigations are recommended to maintain verdancy. Infrequent mowing to 6" in height can refresh it in cool seasons when needed. Native fine fescue has up to %50 water savings over conventional lawn grass when planted in shade.
WHY PLANT NATIVE LAWN?
Right now, 4 million acres of California is covered in lawn... that's %5 of our states ecosystem.
When we choose native grass species for our lawns we're actually doing a pretty big thing for the environment. Native grass species serve our ecosystems at their roots. And cut out a BIG chunk of unnecessary (and often high maintenance) foreign grass species. Planting natives wherever possible helps plant the future of our environment. And support microbial wildlife.
FAQ's
Around one week. Select your preferred delivery date at checkout and we'll do our best to make it happen! Please note: Alta Lawn Ultra - Kurapia Groundcover plugs are delivered on Wednesdays only.
Kurapia & California Meadow products come in sod or plugs. Plugs are small plants that you plant every square foot with the help of a bulb auger drill bit. Sod is like a green carpet you roll out and apply heavy pressure to bond with soil.
Kurapia grows very slowly when temperatures are cool, so rarely spreads much at all from late November to about February. If you're thinking you'd like to do plugs, just be advised that you will have to wait a little extra (and weed regularly in the mean time) for it to fill in fully. Sod on the other hand gives instant coverage.
California Meadow on the other hand has a mix of warm and cool season grasses so will fill-in at about the same rate most times of year. Though in general most plants spread faster with generous warmth.
Plugs are spaced at 12" but you can space further (just lower your squre footage order) if you're not in a rush. Or want to fill in with something else later. We have a 200 sq.ft. minimum on all lawn options. Orders under 400 sq.ft. are subject to a slight price increase to accomodate current shipping rates.
More or less the same as regular sod or lawn except with less fertilizer. Here's some basic guidelines:
HOW TO PREP YOUR DIRT
Remove Nasties: Pull out weeds, stumps & any plants you don’t want
Loosen ‘er Up: Use a shovel or tiller to loosen the top 4-6 inches of soil. If you have sandy or uncompacted soil this isn't necessary.
Groom: Remove smaller rocks & roots. clean it up so it’s smooth and buttery as possible.
Rake-in Amendments: Rake a light dressing of organic compost, lime &/or Mycorrhizae evenly across
the ground.
Wet soil: to a minimum of 6” deep to before laying down your sod. This will give a nice moist surface for the roots to bond with when lain down.
Irrigation requirements: sprinkler irrigation is recommended for all sod and most plug products (except in shadey or passively irrigated conditions). Hand-watering not recommended.
The first 2 weeks establishment requires multiple daily waterings. First month's establishment progresses to once a day watering. Then reduce to a regular 2x a week watering schedule (more may be required if planting in hot times of year). Native grasses typically need 2x a week waterings for heat waves in Southern California. Kurapia survives on 1x a week watering in times of water shortages but looks better with 2.
About half of these lawns require no winter irrigation! Contact us for details.
