Landscape Management, November 2017
step by step How to do an effective turf conversion A s droughts continue to plague regions throughout the country more contractors face the challenge of keeping their clients lawns green and healthy while using less water Landscape watering can account for nearly 30 percent of the average residential water bill and performing a turf conversion is one way to reduce water use Turf conversion is replacing selected sections of turfgrass with drought tolerant native plants or other landscape materials Some municipalities offer rebates or other benefits for reducing turf areas on both residential and commercial properties The average client is accustomed to the look of lush green grass and turfgrass makes sense in areas where people will sit or play Contractors should ask themselves and their clients if its necessary to have turf in areas such as parking strips islands or on south facing slopes Is it worth it to retain turf in these hard to maintain areas In some regions its not Contractors should start with a design that includes drought tolerant native plants that attract pollinators and beneficial insects and create wildlife habitats Its common to include rain gardens and water features Next contractors should modify or replace the propertys irrigation system using the most efficient techniques to accommodate the sites current and future needs Follow these steps to perform a basic turf conversion Source EcoLandscape California Terracare Associates download it Visit landscape Management net StepbyStep to download a PdF of this page to use as a training tool for your team illustrations DaviD Preiss news how tos STEP 2 sheet mulch the soil to kick start its development and kill any remaining turf or weeds saturate the area and cover it with inch of corrugated cardboard or newspaper and 2 4 inches of compost top it with 6 8 inches of mulch Water the area and keep layers moist LANDSCAPEMANAGEMENT NET November 2017 10 STEP 1 Remove the sod using hand tools or a sod cutter If working with a flat surface use this opportunity to regrade the landscape building berms and swales to capture and infiltrate stormwater into the soil STEP 3 take note of the different hydrozones i e shady full sun moist dry in the landscape and install appropriate plantings and other landscape elements Maintain the new landscape as necessary
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