I am having a lot of fun converting my lawn from traditional grass to a natural lawn. Here is a picture of my front lawn today. It is still in the early stages of conversion - which involves removing the grass. It turns out that grass is not only difficult to grow, it is even more difficult to remove.
The process of removing grass involves covering sections with an old piece of carpet. After being shielded from the sunlight and water for about three weeks, the grass is dead.
Then, I dig up the old grass and till the soil. [A knowledgeable reader has emailed me that it is better to not dig up the old grass, as this can foster weed growth. She says to simply plant within the old grass.] Finally, I plant small pods of a native plant called Sunshine Mimosa, which will eventually spread and function as a natural groundcover.
Sunshine MimosaDetail on Sunshine Mimosa is native to where I live in Central Florida. Thus, it is naturally adapted to this area's climate, soil, and wildlife. Sunshine Mimosa is one of many native options, which include other groundcovers as well as bushes, trees, ivies, and more. To give you an idea of what it looks like "after" the new groundcover grows in, here is a picture of my backyard, which I started last year.
Benefits of Florida Natives
The "new lawn" is extremely drought resistant and requres no watering. It also needs no fertilizer or insecticides. It will grow to a height of between 3" to 9" inches. It grows slowly and mowing is not required, but to keep it shorter it may be mowed about every six weeks during the Spring and Summer months. In contrast, grass needs to be mowed about once a week during that period here in Florida.
