Resources

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INFOGRAPHIC

• Native Landscaping

• Native Turf

Brochure

• Native Landscaping Brochure

• Native Landscaping Brochure Insert

• Native Turf Brochure

• Seeding Native Landscapes Brochure

Native Planting Guide

Plant Iowa Native

NRCS Native Prairie Management Guide and Seeding Calculator

ISWMM Chapter

Design checklists

• Native Seeding

• Native Live Plant

• Native Turf

Maintenance Guide

• Native Seeding

• Native Live Plant

• Native Turf

Native Landscaping & turf

Description
Planting a combination of low growing native grasses can yield a turf that sends roots down 3 to 6 feet into the soil profile (compared to roots of non-native grasses that maybe go down 3 to 6 inches). The deep roots help break up compaction, increase pore space in the soil profile and build up the organic matter content of the soil. Typically, a blend of blue grama and buffalograss are used to establish a native turf lawn, although sideoats grama has also been used.

Benefits
Rainfall simulator studies on plots of native turf vs. non-native turf in Ankeny, Iowa have shown that significantly more rain is absorbed on the native turf plots. In addition to helping lawns absorb more rain and shed less runoff, native turf requires no fertilization or irrigation once established. Native turf can be mowed - or you can leave native turf unmowed for a different, unique look for a lawn.

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