A Central Texas Lazy Lawn

16 years ago

I'm looking for lazy lawn ideas? I'd much rather spend time planting flowers than mowing.

My yard is a 1.5 acre prairie. It's as tall as I am (seriously!) and we just can't keep up with it. Most of the property is actually in the front yard and it is embarrassing being so wild. I need something I can just overseed on top of the current "lawn". I don't have any kind of sprinkler system so it's got to be very drought tolerant. I would love to go with Buffalo but just can't afford it. Bermuda is cheap and aggressive... maybe too aggressive. St Aug does not come in seeds. :(

A little of the yard has horseherb - I love that stuff. Can it grow in full sun? Where can I buy bulk seed? I have also considered white clover? Anyone know if it does ok in Texas? I certainly do not need the golf course look. But this Wild Kingdom look has got to go!

I might be asking for too much? Any advise is appreciated!

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Comments (11)

shadester
16 years ago
I think you might, want to consider going WILD as in Wildflower's........If done properly, you will only have to buy seed one time. Then set back and enjoy the blooms!!!
David
lou_spicewood_tx
16 years ago
Just plant wildflower seeds. White clovers wont do good in central texas. Seems to do better in neutral to acidic loamy soil with plenty of rain like houston...

Just mow every once in a while...
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new_in_texas
16 years ago
Were you looking at buffalo grass seeds or plugs? The plugs are expensive but the seeds, while more than bermuda, don't seem to bad. How about making your own St. A plugs by cutting up the pieces.

As for the horseherb, I have quite a bit of it, mostly in dappled shade but I do have patches in full sun as well. I just gather the seed and drop it wherever and I've even transplanted it to other areas with success.

I too want to go with buffalo on the front lawn but the thought, not even doing it, of getting rid of all that bermuda is just too much for me.
rcnaylor
16 years ago
While bermuda is tough to get rid of in an improved lawn, I think you might be able to plug buffalo grass (there are several improved varieties now, see Tech Turf among others) and have it outcompete the bermuda IF you give the buffalo what it wants: lots of sun, little irrigation once established, a very high mowing height and virtually no fertilizer.

Bermuda wants lots of fertilizer and some water and low mowing height.
sandradee
16 years ago
This place has buffalograss seed as well as several other wildflower mixes and other grasses. I ordered some buffalograss seed from them this spring to fill in some torn up areas in our lawn. They're very nice to deal with.

I wish I had some acreage that I could use some of their other products on...

Here is a link that might be useful: Bamert Seed Co.
jabee
16 years ago
WAIT!

"I need something I can just overseed on top of the current "lawn""

What plants constitute your so-called lawn? Are you going to dig ou everything that's there now?

I'm not sure how well anything will take trying to grow in what you have now.

Wildflowers don't grow all by themselves, they grow among bunch grasses and wildflower "lawns" don't always look as beautiful as the moment the photos you see were snapped. (Ask me how I know)

Also, you might try a mix of buffalo and blue gramma. Most grasses are warm season and need to be planted in the spring.

Here is a link that might be useful: Native American Seed
austinwildflower
16 years ago
Hi there--it's hard to say without seeing it, but maybe take some pictures in to a local nursery and ask what they recommend. I don't know if you're near Natural Gardener outside of Austin but they have a lot of bulk buffalograss, blue grama, bermuda and even horseherb. I have a backyard area that is mostly horseherb... I'm not a big fan of it because it dies out in winter, at least here, leaving a big empty dirt patch. It does grow in shade and in sun though. A couple years ago I started weeding out some of the horseherb and replacing that area with wildflowers and buffalograss. It's taking a long time to fill in but I'm being patient...

take it from me, though, who tried this without thinking--sowing grass seed in fall (unless it's rye) doesn't produce much. It doesn't have enough time to germinate and grow... it likes warm soil. I'm curious what the tall grass is, though, especially if it's native... You might be able to incorporate it somehow and show it off--by giving it a more controlled look by making paths or something and planting flowers at the edge of the paths... kind of like "framing" the wildness! Have fun experimenting... it's so cool to start with a canvas like that!
amy
rumbum
Original Author
16 years ago
From Native American Seed the Buffalo/blue Grama mix is $999 for an 80 lb bag. 80 lbs. covers 27,000 sq. ft.
One acre > 43,000 sq feet. So we're talking almost $2K!That's an expensive lawn!
Wouldn't wildflowers only grow in the spring/ some summer? Then you'd have nothing but dirt through the rest of the year?
I guess I should wait until spring to sow a lawn. All the current stuff dies off over the winter. I don't want to have to till a whole acre. I plan to use a seed spreader and pray for rain!

I will try to take a picture this evening of the yard.
jjfrisco
16 years ago
What about zoysia? Its lower maintenance than bermuda, its higher drought tolerance than St. Augustine, and it can be seeded for about half the price as buffalo.

There are pro's and con's to it like any grass, but it seems to meet your needs (low maint, seeded, drought tolerant).

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.zoysias.com/
marlingardener
16 years ago
I worked with buffalo grass at Temple College. It never saw a weed it didn't like. Buffalo grass is a prairie grass, never meant to be a monoculture as in a lawn. It has deep roots, but will allow bermuda and weeds to establish. It is a good grass, but not for a lawn. If you want to be lazy, avoid buffalo grass!
rumbum
Original Author
16 years ago
I feel more confused than I did before. Okay, here are some follow-up questions:
1. Is Bermuda high-maintenance? i.e. lots of mowing and fertilizers?
2. I read on the net that Zoysia can't be seeded in anything existing because it won't make it. Is this true in your experience?
3. What will the wildflowers do in late summer, fall, and winter? Will they all die off? Would I want to sow wildflower seeds now? I did sow some early this spring (Feb?) but they just didn't take off. I do have lots of wildflowers mixed in with the wild grasses like there is scattered blue-eyed grass, fleabane, some Mexican hat, and lots of yellow flowers in spring. Once the prairie grasses get taller, though, all the pretty flowers are lost.
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A Central Texas Lazy Lawn

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