Native Meadow - Buffalo Grass Blend
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)
Included Species: Carex pansa, carex praceagalis, Boutlouea gracilis, Festuca californica, Dune Sedge, Meadow Sedge, achillea millefolium
Native to dunes, meadows and wildflower fields up and down California. Buffalo grass, Sedge lawns and yarrow meadows are often used individually as monoculture-style lawns. For a more diverse native micro meadow option that's shade and damp tolerant (as well as sun & drought tolerant) we've chosen to blend them together!
These mowable meadow grasses and wildflowers are only available in 4" pots. Plugs & small pots can be laborious to install so they're better for smaller lawn areas or slopes. Space grasses and yarrow at 12-18" apart for full coverage. Or even further to seed poppies, lupins and other wildflowers in during Winter. Further spacing requires more weed management. Moderate foot traffic. Frequent mowing not recommended but mowing several times of year does freshen up. Some winter dormancy/patchiness.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ONLY
CALIFORNIA COMPANION PLANT SUGGESTIONS
Suggested California Native Grasses to Add: melic grass, muhlenbergia, purple three awn grass and alkali drop seed (sporobolus)
Suggested Wildflowers to Add: Blue-eyed Grass, Dwarf Verbena, Creeping Thyme, California Aster, native Columbine (shade), Yerba Mansa (shade)
Our favorite borders? Add Wild Grassland or Superbloom Selfie for a seamless meadow look. Or dress it up yourself with Clarkia, Penstemon, Native Salvias and Douglas Iris.
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.
