Turfgrass Alternatives

Increased understanding of environmental and ecological impacts due to the use of herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers, and their runoff, leads many homeowners to seek more environmentally friendly alternatives to the common turfgrass lawns. In addition, the traditional lawn contains limited species and little food or shelter for local wildlife, which limits biodiversity.

Leave the “Weeds” and Let the Grass Grow

The perfectly manicured lawn ideal that most of us grew up with focused on eliminating “weeds” from the turfgrass. While “weeds” like white clover were eliminated from our lawns, it was commonly included in grass seed as recently as the 1970s, and for good reason. It along with many other “weeds,” such as black medic (Medicago lupulina), birds-foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), thyme-leaf speedwell (Veronica serpyllifolia), bugleweed (Ajuga reptans), creeping thyme (Thymus serpyllum), ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea), common cinquefoil (Potentilla simplex), and the native common blue violet (Viola soraria) are beneficial to lawns as fertilizers by providing nitrogen to the soil. An added benefit is that they provide much-needed sustenance for a wide variety of pollinators throughout the growing season. So, discontinue expensive lawn weed and fertilizer treatments and watch how green your yard grows.

No-Mow Grasses

If mowing infrequently or not at all while still maintaining a green, grassy space is the objective, plant native grass species as an alternative. Most will grow to 12-15 inches in height and only need to be cut once a year. For shady areas, plant native sedges, such as Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica), plantain-leafed sedge (Carex plantaginea), or spreading sedge (Carex laxiculmis). Creeping lilyturf (Liriope spicata) makes an excellent choice for sunny areas as it is both sun and heat-tolerant.

Tree and Shrub Beds

Create natural areas in the garden by adding native trees and shrubs. This works particularly well for borders - creating weather breaks and providing privacy. These areas also provide critical habitats for birds and small mammals. They also help prevent erosion and combat water pollution.

Native Meadows

An open, sunny lawn area provides an ideal location for creating a native meadow. A native meadow creates a beautiful show and a habitat for food and shelter for various wildlife such as birds, bees, butterflies, and small mammals like rabbits and short-tailed shrews. Meadows generally contain native grasses and flowers and include both annuals and perennials. Perennial meadows will take up to three years to fully establish, so be patient.

Create a meadow garden by either removing existing grass and vegetation and planting with seeds and plants or by simply stopping mowing and allowing nature to take its course. If option one is chosen, use one of the following methods to remove existing vegetation:

• Mechanical: digging out the sod, plowing, or rototilling.
• Solarization: covering the ground with plastic, cardboard, or newspaper with mulching material.
• Chemical: applying herbicides. Ensure to follow instructions on when it is safe to plant in the area where the herbicide was applied.

Once the area is prepared, plant the seeds of flowers and grasses. As mentioned, many meadows can contain both annual and perennial native flowers. Many mixed flower seed packets contain a variety of both annuals and perennials. But before selecting one of these, read the contents to avoid including invasive plants that must be managed and removed. Even without accidentally adding invasive plants, some may “blow in,” and the gardener will have to periodically weed those out, especially when the meadow is just getting established.

It will be necessary to mow once or twice a year to prevent shrubs and trees from growing and turning the meadow into woodland. Refer to the Penn State Extension article, Meadows and Prairies: Wildlife-Friendly Alternatives to Lawn, for lists of excellent native wildflowers and grasses to include and plants to avoid.

Before establishing a native meadow, check local ordinances, as many communities have restrictions. If some apply, adapt your plans to smaller areas or see if you can apply for a variance.

Combining turfgrass with any or all of these alternatives will create a beautiful yard while improving the local environment and ecology by reducing water runoff issues caused by lawn chemicals and creating a habitat that encourages biodiversity.