How do I kill off my current lawn in an ecologically friendly way?
Killing everything off with Round-Up or other herbicides is not good for the environment, you, your family, or your pets. SBPC will not certify a habitat that used chemical herbicides prior to planting the new yard. But there are environmentally friendly ways to prepare your yard for planting a native habitat.
First, cut down and remove the roots of your larger non-native plants. (No you don’t have to remove your mature trees or all your non-natives. Details to follow…) Then kill off your non-native lawn/ground over/small plants using ecologically friendly techniques. The two most effective ways are solarization and layer composting.
Solarization
Mow or weed-whack your yard as close to the ground as possible. Spread large sheets of clear or black plastic over your yard (Black plastic works best) and weigh down the edges. After a few weeks, your yard will be dead enough to start your native habitat. Shovel off the dead sod or ground cover and plant away.
This method works best in summer. Please dispose of your plastic responsibly.
Layer Composting
This is our favorite method and we highly recommend it! Again, mow or weed-whack your lawn as close to the ground as possible. Water down the remaining lawn. Cover it with several layers of cardboard, newspaper, or butcher’s paper. Water it down until the covering is soaked. Cover it all with 4 inches to 6 inches of compost or mulch and water again. Water again whenever the paper layer gets dry. Once the paper/cardboard decomposes the old lawn will be dead and will provide nutrients for your new plants. If you just can’t wait for the paper/cardboard to decompose, after waiting a few weeks you can poke holes in it where you want to start planting your Southern California native plants. Once your paper/cardboard layer has decomposed, you must remove mulch if you want to seed an area with native plants. This approach is the most environmentally friendly and produces no waste. We have found using butcher paper (you can buy rolls on Amazon) is the fastest and most convenient method. If you time it right, Redondo and other communities occasionally offer free mulch/compost.
Digging up your current yard
Of course, you can simply dig up your yard and remove all the current turf and plant life. This is often difficult to do. And when it is used, it often results in regrowth due to seeds “banked” in the soil. The use of natural mulch will help suppress unwanted regrowth.
Small/Problem areas
If you have a small area or an area the weeds/grass refused to die, boiling water or vinegar may be useful in killing what you cannot handpick.
Irrigation System
If you choose the right local California natives for the specifics of your yard (sun, shade, exposure, etc.), you will not need to water your habitat after its first year. So you can remove your current irrigation system after that first year or right away if you choose to hand water. Qualifying alternatives include Xeri-sprays/misters/micro-spray systems, hand watering, and drip irrigation. Normal irrigation systems can easily be converted to either of these solutions without having to remove and replace the buried pipes in your yard. Rainbird brand, for example, has many conversion adapters and good online documentation with instructions. Note that some experts do not recommend drip irrigation due to the potential for root rot. These experts maintain that micro-sprays are more natural. In addition to the spray conversion, there are several irrigation controllers on the market that have specific settings for native, drought-tolerant plants. Some plants do not do well when dusty, so occasionally even drought-tolerant natives like to be rinsed off.
Reimbursement Programs
Don’t forget to check into reimbursement programs. You may be eligible for government partial reimbursement when you replace your lawn and irrigation system. Here is West Basin’s reimbursement program West Basin also offers deeply discounted rain barrels several times a year. There may be other programs that apply to your unique situation and project.
Links and Resources
Several sites provide more information and training videos on how to remove your current yard:
West Basin Municipal Water District
California Native Plant Society
California Department of Water Resources
El Segundo Blue Butterfly Coalition