Landscape Tips
Articles available
- Caring for Citrus in the Low Desert
- Catch the Rain
- Fill Your Landscape with Color
- Growing Desert Wildflowers
- Plants for Poolside Landscaping
- Pruning Tips
- Things To Do If You Don’t Overseed
- Tips for a Healthy Lawn
- To Green or Not to Green
- Transform Your Thirsty Bermuda Lawn
- Water Conservation For Swimming Pools - NEW!
- Watering Schedule Guidelines
- Weed Control
Skip Overseeding Your Lawn This Fall
In
our continuing efforts in effective water conservation measures, the Town
of Gilbert will not be overseeding its parks and municipal turf areas
again this year. Town residents can reduce their water use and save money
by choosing not to plant a winter lawn. Overseeding with rye requires
high volumes of water in the months of October and November, continuing
into the months of December through April.
Remember that sewer fees are based on your water use in the winter. Reducing your water use during these months may result in a significant decrease in the sewer rate included on your monthly water bill.
If you’re still undecided whether or not to plant a winter lawn, here are the Top Ten Reason’s Not to Overseed
10. Save time - No need to scalp the lawn, prepare the seed bed, seed, water and mow.
9. Save water - Getting ryegrass seed to germinate takes a lot of water. Spikes in water usage are always noticeable in Oct./Nov. Once established, ryegrass needs water every 3-7 days. Dormant Bermuda only needs water once a month.
8. Save water quality Less fertilizers and pesticides will be needed. Much of our water pollution comes from runoff of these products from residential landscapes.
7. Save money - Cost of seed, water, gasoline for mowing….
6. Save landfill space - Scalping Bermuda creates a great deal of waste for the landfills, then ryegrass clippings to take to the landfill all winter and spring.
5. Save the air - 2 and 4-cycle lawnmower and blower engines contribute greatly to air pollution problems. Compared to a car, an average lawn mower emits 11 times the amount of hydrocarbons: a weed eater, 21 times; and a leaf blower, 34 times as much. Cough! Cough! Wheeze… anyone up for a little yard work?
4. Decrease noise pollution - There’s nothing like the whir of your neighbors lawn mower while you’re trying to read the Sunday paper on your patio.
3. Save frustration - Seed germination problems, fertilizer problems, disease problems, irrigation problems….
2. Set an example - We do live in a desert and water is our most precious resource.
…and the number one reason not to plant a winter lawn…
1. Because you don’t have to - There are no federal, state or city laws requiring winter lawns.
Okay, okay, you say you have to overseed because 1. your spouse will divorce you if you don’t, 2. your homeowner's association (or some other power) says you have to and you need a year to get the policy changed or 3. you just LOVE green grass. Here are some tips to help you be more environmentally friendly:
- Overseed selectively - Only overseed if it is extremely important for aesthetics or functional use.
- Don’t seed too early - Seed mid-October to mid-November for best results. When you seed too early, it is more stressful on Bermuda grass and warm temperatures (>90 F) cause more disease problems for the ryegrass.
Thanks to Donna DiFrancesco, Water Conservation Specialist for the City of Mesa for the Top 10 list.
If you are experiencing high water consumption, contact the Water Conservation office to schedule a free home water audit. (480) 503-6098