Lawns are getting 'greener'

By John David Sutter

Published: May 15, 2008

In an effort to get back to their ecological roots, some Oklahoma residents are uprooting turf from their lawns to install native prairie grasses, such as buffalo grass, instead.

But although buffalo grass is native to Oklahoma, it can be annoying and difficult to plant and grow here. It can take a full year or more to get the grass started, and a landscaper says you have to look to Texas or New Mexico to find the seeds you need to get going.

That said, the benefits of buffalo grass are many, said Dennis Martin, a professor and turfgrass researcher at Oklahoma State University.

It grows so slowly that you barely have to mow it, and doesn't require extra water.

Those qualities make it attractive to people concerned about the environment and resource scarcity. Traditional lawn grass can waste lots of water and fertilizer, which pollutes rivers.

Asia Scudder, owner of Native Landscapes Inc., said she sees growing interest in buffalo grass among Oklahoma residents — but not nearly to the degree that's been seen in Texas and New Mexico.

She said the grass "looks awkward in the first few months,” but is great once it's established in a lawn.

There should be more research into buffalo grass, she said, so that it can be used by people who don't want to take the time needed to get the grass growing.

"It is not very available, and there's not very much information about how to install it or how to create a good lawn using buffalo grass,” she said.

Researchers could develop strains of the grass that would be easier to install on lawns, Martin said, but companies aren't willing to spend even a small amount of money to get the grass types tested.

"It's a sad commentary on a grass that's supposed to have the environmental benefits,” he said.

Martin said it's an "anti-trend” for homeowners to switch to native grasses because of the difficulties and because "buffalo grass will never give you that showcase (lawn) appearance.”

Scudder said buffalo grass should be considered as a native plant alternative to Bermuda grass.

She also said homeowners can use plants such as thyme to cover their lawns without using too much water.

"I think that there's growing awareness of the need to use drought-resistant plants,” she said.

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