eGuide to a WaterSmart Lifestyle

© SDCWA 2013

WaterSmart is where our San Diego lifestyle and water efficiency meet. Each step you take has the potential to enhance your lifestyle, increase the value of your home, save money and inspire a neighbor to do the same.

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How to Remove Turf Stays green in winter and turns brown in summer. Common types include fescue and bluegrass. Installation Installation Cool-season turf Option 1 Rent a sod cutting machine, which makes a horizontal cut about 2 1/2 inches deep and 18 inches wide. Then flip each strip so the soil is on top. If you have not removed your irrigation system, mark the locations of sprinkler heads before you start and be careful to avoid them. Option 2 Smother your turf under four to six inches of organic mulch, depriving it of the sunlight it needs to grow. With both options, water the turf area for the two weeks afterward and remove any new growth. More Information: UC Guide to Healthy Lawns Using Glyphosate Cornell University Warm-season turf Turns brown in winter and stays green in summer. Common types include Bermuda, St. Augustine and Zoysia. Option 1 If you want to avoid spraying herbicide, use solarization, which deprives the turf of sunlight and heats the soil to a level that kills weed seeds. First, mow the turf at the mower's lowest level. Then water intensively and cover with black plastic. The process takes six to eight weeks. Option 2 Apply glyphosate (Roundup®) in the spring or summer when warm-season turf is actively growing, and wait seven days for the turf to absorb the herbicide. Then mow the turf at the lowest level, water for two weeks, and spray the herbicide on any new growth. At the end of the process, remove the dead sod with a shovel or sod cutter. It's important to note that herbicide will not work in winter, when warm-season turf is dormant, and that you need to use it safely. Don't use it in windy conditions or if rain is expected within 24 hours, and don't water in the 24 hours following application. This is to prevent the herbicide from seeping into groundwater or washing into waterways. 121

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