Native Plants

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Friday - August 31, 2007
From: Frederick, MD
Region: Mid-Atlantic
Topic: Turf
Title: Replacement of lawn with native grasses in Maryland
Answered by: Joe Marcus
QUESTION:
I live in west central Maryland within the Chesapeake Bay watershed. My soil is heavy clay and nutrient deficient. I have/am planting native flower beds and a vegetable garden in an effort to reduce the amount of lawn I have, however, not all of the lawn will go. Currently, the lawn is in a dismal state with most of it either crabgrass or dry and dead due to our current drought conditions. I am looking for a native grass or grasses, including fescues, that I could use to plant and transform my current sad-state-of-affairs lawn into a more native and environmentally-preferred one. I have read some info and noticed that Pennsylvania sedge and red fescue (both native to the watershed) are good replacements. How do I replace my ENTIRE lawn with them? And do you have any other ideas or suggestions as well as places to purchase them? Thank you.ANSWER:
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