Back yard application
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Recent Posts
- Cougar photos
- More Cougars with some Wolves thrown in
- Wolves, cougars, and the little woods
- Hike up Cottonwood Canyon at the base of the Bighorns
- Yellowstone and the Lamar at its finest–wolves, bears, and high drama
- Owls and more Owls
- Close to Open–Yellowstone Park
- An afternoon hike in April
- Ways Not to Treat Our Lands
- Cougar Town
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Archives
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Top Posts
- DG Patios–Decomposed Granite
- Patios hard and soft
- Gravel Garden
- Carex pansa lawn
- Bats, bats, and more Wyoming bats
- DG Patio and concrete wall
- Lodgepole pine Pinus contorta
- DG small patio and Paver walkway with groundcover
- Bear scat
- Yellowstone and the Lamar at its finest--wolves, bears, and high drama
- A few great (and reliable) plants for California landscapes
- More Patio Notes
Pages
Blogs I follow
- A naturalist writer's blog
- Alan Gregory's Conservation News
- Ben and Carrie Tracks
- Coyotes, Wolves, and Cougars–Forever!
- Ecorover
- Going Feral
- Howling for Justice for Gray wolves
- Invasive species
- Jim Coda's Blog
- Life in Yellowstone
- Marin County Tracking Club
- People and Wolves
- Sharman Apt Russell's blog
- What Emily Thinks
- Yellowstone Country Guardians
- Your Life Nature
Creativity in wildlife mgmt.
Greater Yellowstone News
Indigenous partnerships
Plants
Tatanka
Tracking our future
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Day Hike Survival Emergency Kit Checklist for GYE
*Pad of paper *Zip lock baggie, quart and gallon size *Space blanket *24 gauge floral wire *Duct tape *Waterproof Matches in prescription bottle *Compass and topo map *Water purification tablets *Aluminum foil *TP *Pocket knife *3 forms of fire starters (cotton balls soaked in petroleum jelly; flint; dryer lint soaked in wax) *Disposable lighter *Piece of tire *Plastic whistle *Colored surveyors tape (3-4') *Wool cap *Medications you need *2 nutrition bars *Signal mirror *Fish hook & line-
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In the top photo with the gorgeous red cannas, is the Carex the mowed turf or the soft unmowed clumps?
Good question Kay. Actually they are both Carexes. The mowed turf is Carex pansa. The other is Carex flacca, sometimes called Carex glauca. I love that plant. Its neat, low water, just needs to be cut back hard once a year in the spring.
Hi Leslie,
Thanks for posting this great info with photos! Does the Carex pansa die in the summer heat or will it stay green all year around?
Hi Lisa, I see you are a designer in the south Bay. YES, its green all year long. Fantastic lawn substitute for moderate to low traffic. I’ve used it for years. The best place to get it is Greenlee nursery as plugs. Plant close for a quick cover, like 3″-5″ o.c. Best time to plant is NOW, the spring. I’ve planted it on jobs in the winter, but the plugs just sit till the ground warms.
Once its established, Greenlee now recommends watering every 3 weeks or so. Mow when you want or don’t mow. Spread the word around. This is the best lawn low water substitute on the market. I’ve tried many of the others over the years with disappointment. Good luck.
I am searching for a suitable ground cover to use under oak trees. I am advised not to use anything requiring much water and the area is filtered shade most of the time. The Northern California area is warm in the Summer and cold but no snow in winter We have grandchildren who would like to play on the surface. We don’t have any need for neat or manicured looking lawns. Would any of the Carexes be a solution?
Hi Dave, I am a designer in the Bay Area so I know the area well. Carex pansa will take some light shade. Carex texansis will take shade. Both of these, once established, require watering about every 2 to 3 weeks. If you plant plugs in the winter, they will establish their roots but just sit there till spring when they will spread. To fill in one season you must plant plugs about 4-5″ apart.
Technically you should not be planting anything under oak all the way out to their drip line, especially if your oaks are on fairly flat ground. Old oaks in CA are not only worth a lot of money as far as property value, but they are in trouble from a lot of things, including grading, paving, watering and now SOD. You could also try ‘fake lawn’. I’ve seen it done quite successfully under oaks and your grand kids can play to their hearts desire, it drains perfectly and requires no maintenance.
Take care of your oaks and if I were you, I would forget living plants at least out to the drip line. Thanks.
Leslie,
Thanks so much for your reply, you are confirming similar information I have received elsewhere. I have been seeng oaks with lawns planted around them, even with sprinkler systems. I think the owners of those trees should change landscapers and turn off the water, the trees could be going through a lengthy process of dying.
DT
Yes, Oaks take a long time to live and a long time to die. I lived in a subdivision where the Oaks had been graded, paved etc. in 1963. When I moved in in the 90′s, 3 200+ year old Oaks died in the course of 5 years without warning. 30 years or more to die is the usual course. A mature oak on one’s property not only adds beauty but also much value–let’s say at least $30K-$40K resale value. Plus it is a living thing. Take it all into account before you do anything around it.