Lawn care in the high desert (Los Angeles, Palmdale: how much, house, landscaping)

[Imara54]

I live in Palmdale Ca. I need help trying to grow grass or is that a bad idea out here. Right now it is just dirt but I would like a good looking front yard, could someone give me some good advice on how to get start?

[90077]

With water being in such short supply these days, why not consider something less thirsty than grass?

Here are a few ideas:

Los Angeles Xeriscape Home Design Ideas, Pictures, Remodel and Decor

[nightlysparrow]

Use rocks such as smooth river pebbles instead. Will look great forever, no care required.

[volosong]

The Antelope Valley was under water restrictions last year. Everyone was mandated to reduce consumption or face heavy fines. The restrictions have since been lifted, but it's still not a good idea to have a lawn in the desert. This is a very arid area. If you do want a lawn, plan on a very high water bill.

The mechanics of growing grass is no different than anywhere else. Sod is the easiest way to go, but until it is established, plan on watering multiple times a day. In my neighborhood, after the restrictions were lifted, about half of the property owners put in sod and the other half xeriscaped.


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[kettlepot]

If you are determined to have some lawn, really think through how much lawn you need for the look you want.

For example you could create the feel of a luxuriously green yard by laying 100 square feet of sod, (that's just 10x10 feet for those disinclined to do the math), with a tree in the middle of it to shade the grass from evaporation and sunburn while also shading your house to reduce heat gain. Then surround that small patch of grass with hundreds of square feet of interesting, water thrifty shrubs and flowering plants as suggested in the link provided by 90077. Also plant more trees to shade other parts of your house.

People will look at your yard and think it's a luxuriously green landscape when it reality it will use very little water.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by nightlysparrow

Use rocks such as smooth river pebbles instead. Will look great forever, no care required.

This is what people living in high or low desert do. And you can create patterns with different-sized rocks, even colored rock. Some people like to have the bulk of the arrangement in some shade of tan, then add a flowing river-shape into it either with natural-colored river rock (which is dark), or with colored blue rock. You can get creative with it, and then accent it all with xeriscape plants, i.e. plants that require little water. Your local nursery can guide you. BTW, you'd be surprised how well roses do in the desert.

[Flashbaak]

At this point, I would really advise against putting in a large, lush lawn. Above, kettlepot has some great suggestions. Here is what the Palmdale Water District recommends for water efficient landscaping:

Water Efficient Landscaping | Palmdale Water District

[Electrician4you]

My lawn is pretty much dead. I really stopped watering it. I'm tearing the grass out and going with a desert landscape. I'll ge some grass out back. The heat just murdered it

[DMenscha]

Buy the artificial stuff and send the water back north.

[jamies]

I don't live in Cali (thank ghod) but I live in the mohave desert in AZ, and by comparison Palmdale is almost tropical...

We grow rocks. Rocks are nice. You can get them in different colors and shape them, and they stay put. Until the wind blows them into your neighbors pool.

Remember to put down heavy weed barrier before you put down gravel, or you will wish you had.

And what I really want to know is in my town when we don't have grass or a tree for about a hundred miles around - why does Tractor Supply have riding lawn mowers and log splitters at the front of the store?