More on lawns that need less care

Yesterday I wrote about ecoturf, which is a lawn alternative made of perennial rye grass and broadleaf perennials. It stays green, looks good, and doesn’t need much (if any) fertilizer, water or herbicides once it’s established. You mow it about once every three weeks. It’s a solution that’s good for the earth and easy for the homeowner — once it’s established.

I received a call from a reader who was disappointed to learn he couldn’t seed ecoturf over existing grass. Overseeding means spreading more seed onto areas of the lawn that may be patchy. I asked turf management expert Tom Cook at Oregon State University about overseeding with ecoturf. Here’s what he said:

“It can be planted into existing lawns but only after obliterating the lawn with severe dethatching. It really works best where the existing lawn has been killed and the site has been rototilled and graded.”

Yeah, I know, sounds like a pain. It’s worth considering if you’re starting a new lawn or fed up with the maintenance of an older one.