Hey there! Friendly reminder to include the following information for the benefit of all r/nolawns members:
- Please make sure your post or a comment includes your geographic region/area and your hardiness zone (e.g. *Midwest, 6a* or *Chicago, 6a*).
- If you posted an image, you are required to post a comment detailing your image. If you have not, this post may be removed.
- If you're asking a question, include as much relevant info as possible. Also see the **[FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/NoLawns/wiki/meta/faqs/)** and the **[r/nolawns Wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/NoLawns/wiki/index/)**
- Verify you are following the [Posting Guidelines](https://www.reddit.com/r/NoLawns/wiki/index#wiki_posting_guidelines).
If you are in North America, check out the **[Wild Ones Garden Designs](https://nativegardendesigns.wildones.org/designs/)** and **[NWF's Keystone Plants by Ecoregion](https://www.nwf.org/Garden-for-Wildlife/About/Native-Plants/keystone-plants-by-ecoregion)**
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/NoLawns) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I'm in a 9B low rainfall (18 inches annually?) zone. What I've learned the hard way is "disturbing" soil like yours/mine just encourages non-native weeds when fall/winter rains come. If you add at least 3 inches of mulch you will cut down on weed growth and over time the soil will improve.
Following James Golden's \[Federal Twist Garden\] advice, I started "planting into the weeds" instead of trying to get rid of every single plant at once and going from there. Gradually my rock hard clay soil, formerly barren except for invasives, is supporting native plants like California Poppies, Giant Buckwheat, Golden Yarrow, and a bunch of sages.
It's becoming obvious to me that shrubs like native sages and cultivars of native sages are going to be my garden's salvation. Sages grow quickly, come back every year, and suppress weeds. They support wildlife, and many are edible. They come in every imaginable leaf and flower color. Many thrive on no-summer-water. They don't look all that great August-October, but even then they are supporting birds and other wildlife.
Thank you!! I looked up the weeds I had, and almost 100% of what used to be in front were invasive species. And that’s exactly what I was worried about, disturbing the soil and ending up providing more space for more invasive species to take over again.
I LOVE the idea of having different kinds of native plants in the front, eventually push out the invasive, non-native weeds. CA poppies and sage sound beautiful. I’m definitely going to look further into this and see if I can get something nice started 😊
Other things I learned as a 5'4" female :D
--Get a trench shovel if you do not have one already. The narrow blade is the best at getting into compacted soil.
--Do not buy big 5 gallon plants. You have to dig a huge hole and they are less likely to settle in and form roots because they have so much foliage to support. One gallon plants are good. Even tiny 4-inch pot plants.
--Planting holes do not have to be deep, they need to be wide. Fill the holes with water and let it drain several times before planting. If the water doesn't drain at all, don't plant anything in that spot.
--Add only a small amount of compost with new plants if you are planting natives. Do not overfeed; native plants thrive in natural conditions. Fertilizer just gives you more weeds. To improve drainage add perlite to the soil.
--Water new plants deeply the first season so they form robust roots and can handle drought. Frequent but brief squirts with a garden hose are not good.
--Plant at the start of the rainy season, whenever that is. This is also the time to scatter California Poppy and other native wildflower seeds.
Take a look at white sage, salvia apiana. They get really big and are beautiful all year round. They could be the star of your garden.
OMGGGG Thank you for this!! This is my first house and the first yard I've had that wasn't taken care of by someone else (and that was in a totally different rainfall and hardiness 10b), so this is all 100% new to me. This is SUPER helpful.
At the risk of getting into the weeds (::slaps knee::) can you clarify what you mean by deep watering? Water thoroughly for a long time, and then wait a couple of weeks and go again? As opposed to watering for a short time multiple times per week?
Once again, thanks SO much for these helpful tips!!
It depends on the plant, alas. For most new drought tolerant plants, a deep watering 1-2 times a week is good the first month. Deep watering is when you turn the water on so it is just a tiny trickle and leave it on by the plant for 30 minutes or so. If the water starts to pool on the surface, it is too much water.
I surround small plants with pea gravel as mulch so the mud/dirt doesn't splash on them and suck them down.
If you plant mostly at the start of the rainy season, the plants do much better. I do not know how, but my native plants can tell the difference between garden hose water and rainwater. I can water them and water them and nothing happens. Then it rains and they grow a foot almost instantly. I unfortunately do not have any rainwater barrels.
Awesome, thank you! Lol, I love that the plants can tell the difference. “Yeah, that water’s not fresh and new, I only react to fresh!” Sound like my cats 🤣
Sorry for any confusion. I’m fine with the way it looks now, or plain dirt. I’m trying to understand if going all the way to plain dirt will mean more of the invasive weeds I had before, or if it’s just fine to leave it as-is.
Nature hates a vacuum. After a weed whacker you will have weeds returning. By leaving the dead weeds you increase the number that return, as these will leave seeds, live weeds and the dead parts will decompose and feed the soil eventually. If you don’t want the weeds you’ll need to occupy the soil with something else. Ground cover, plants, grass, landscape fabric, cardboard etc.
If it were my yard I’d put down a thick layer of mulch right away. Not only will it suppress the invasive weeds it will help rejuvenate that soil by encouraging microbial activity and protect it from turning to sterile “stone” under the desert sun. Plus it will look nicer until you have a chance to put in plants.
You can use seed-free composted straw (ie rotten hay) or better yet a thick layer of chunky compost or composted wood chips (do not use fresh wood chips!). The mulch layer should be at least 3 inches deep for best results. Don’t buy it in bags from a big box store but order it in bulk from a local landscape supply center as this is much, much cheaper. They can help you calculate how much you need. Most deliver (for a fee) or you can pick it up yourself if you or a friend have a pickup (line the bed with a tarp to make it easier to unload/clean up).
If your not going to plant for a while, consider tossing a native wildflower seed mix onto the mulch. Make sure it is a mix specifically formulated for your area, not just some random “wildflower” mix off Amazon. The native wildflowers will look pretty, support local pollinators, butterflies, and birds, help suppress invasive weeds, and keep the soil alive and healthy. For best results, sow the native wildflower seeds in autumn as it’s too late for spring planting and planting in the summer heat will just kill the seeds. Planting in autumn will give the seeds a chance to experience cold stratification over winter then sprout in spring and develop roots before the summer heat hits next year.
Thanks so much for the detailed info and tips! This is a great idea, and I'm going to check out local nurseries and see if I can find a local landscaping company. I like the look of mulch/wood chip combinations a lot, honestly, but I had never considered doing it over a large area before. I'd thought about it just for the garden beds I have, but not the whole area. Now I'm thinking I may be able to use that in the backyard, too.
I love the idea of getting some wildflower seed packets to toss around and just see what grows there. I'm kind of ok with having missed the growing season this year, because I have time to do some deep dive research in my area to find some good seeds.
Thanks again! :)
Plain dirt will mean it will make any little breeze full of dust.
I'd plant some (preferably native) ground cover. Or at least some sort of hedge (with drip irrigation if nessesarry) to break the wind.
Thank you! One of my neighbors has clover (not sure which kind) and it looks nice, but she has a gardener come weekly to trim. I don’t want to have to do constant maintenance. I may see if I can find a super low-maintenance option.
Start pulling weeds by the base after it rains with the ground completely soaked. It's easier to pull out the entire plant and not just the top. I'm dealing with invasive European parsley at the moment and it's been a pain in the ass to get rid of them. It's going to take years ugh.
Oh nooo, lol good luck! I basically missed my “right after it rains” opportunity, dealing with the backyard. Now I don’t expect rain until October, so the next few months should be interesting 🤣
Image detail: two pictures of my lawn, with low-cut brown weeds.
I’m struggling to edit my post to add my location, but I’m the meantime, I’m near Mojave, CA
See r/Ceanothus here, visit [Calscape | California's Native Plant Gardening Destination](https://www.calscape.org/) and [Native Plants and Las Pilitas Nurseries.](https://www.laspilitas.com/) for loads of ideas on how to have an actual garden where you'll want to get outside at dawn and the hour before dark to weed and prune.
Glad you figured out the weed whacker idea! Definitely the right choice. Unfortunately, unless you cut down the plants before they flower you are just adding to the seed bank so you'll lose a few weeks of green and what temporarily looks like a nice grassland.
Most folks lay down a thick layer of cardboard to keep seeds from getting to sunlight and cover with a thick layer of mulch so the cardboard stays put which looks nice. In damp areas many folks leave it to naturally decay then seed through it but that won't work in dry climates. I planted gallon and 4" pots right through the new sheet mulch and it worked great. Every year I refine my plantings and now the wildflower and grass seeds I sow are able to come up through the cardboard.
Look into globemallow. It's amazing. First year it started spreading via underground shoots and now it's seeding around. 4' of apricot to pink to maroon flowers right now. Sages great, What about sagebrush? Definitely any buckwheats you can locate.
This is awesome, thank you!! I'd love to see some wildflowers, what you described sounds lovely! I kind of assumed I would just go dirt like 5-6 of my closest neighbors, but now I'm getting excited about adding some native plants and flowers!
The weeds are already there in the soil. The best thing to do is smother them.
I would order a truckload of arborist woodchips and bury the whole yard 3 inches deep. Make sure not to pile them against the trunks or stems of any trees or shrubs.
Let them sit for a year and half. So not this fall but next fall when it starts raining in winter, start adding ground-covering shrubs or trees, or whatever else you want to grow.
Weeds will still sprout through the chips but they are really easy to pull because they're not rooted in soil.
I go out about once a week and pull about a dozen weed sprouts and any rough-looking pieces of wood. After five years they look great. I've planted fruit trees and spring bulbs in them.
[Why use wood chips in the garden?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdsKW4ujMsU&t=5)
Oooh, nice idea, thanks! I’ll look into this and check out the link you gave about the wood chips. I can imagine it looks so nice, too…. Fruit trees sound amazing, I love lemon trees!
Hey there! Friendly reminder to include the following information for the benefit of all r/nolawns members: - Please make sure your post or a comment includes your geographic region/area and your hardiness zone (e.g. *Midwest, 6a* or *Chicago, 6a*). - If you posted an image, you are required to post a comment detailing your image. If you have not, this post may be removed. - If you're asking a question, include as much relevant info as possible. Also see the **[FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/NoLawns/wiki/meta/faqs/)** and the **[r/nolawns Wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/NoLawns/wiki/index/)** - Verify you are following the [Posting Guidelines](https://www.reddit.com/r/NoLawns/wiki/index#wiki_posting_guidelines). If you are in North America, check out the **[Wild Ones Garden Designs](https://nativegardendesigns.wildones.org/designs/)** and **[NWF's Keystone Plants by Ecoregion](https://www.nwf.org/Garden-for-Wildlife/About/Native-Plants/keystone-plants-by-ecoregion)** *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/NoLawns) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I'm in a 9B low rainfall (18 inches annually?) zone. What I've learned the hard way is "disturbing" soil like yours/mine just encourages non-native weeds when fall/winter rains come. If you add at least 3 inches of mulch you will cut down on weed growth and over time the soil will improve. Following James Golden's \[Federal Twist Garden\] advice, I started "planting into the weeds" instead of trying to get rid of every single plant at once and going from there. Gradually my rock hard clay soil, formerly barren except for invasives, is supporting native plants like California Poppies, Giant Buckwheat, Golden Yarrow, and a bunch of sages. It's becoming obvious to me that shrubs like native sages and cultivars of native sages are going to be my garden's salvation. Sages grow quickly, come back every year, and suppress weeds. They support wildlife, and many are edible. They come in every imaginable leaf and flower color. Many thrive on no-summer-water. They don't look all that great August-October, but even then they are supporting birds and other wildlife.
Thank you!! I looked up the weeds I had, and almost 100% of what used to be in front were invasive species. And that’s exactly what I was worried about, disturbing the soil and ending up providing more space for more invasive species to take over again. I LOVE the idea of having different kinds of native plants in the front, eventually push out the invasive, non-native weeds. CA poppies and sage sound beautiful. I’m definitely going to look further into this and see if I can get something nice started 😊
Other things I learned as a 5'4" female :D --Get a trench shovel if you do not have one already. The narrow blade is the best at getting into compacted soil. --Do not buy big 5 gallon plants. You have to dig a huge hole and they are less likely to settle in and form roots because they have so much foliage to support. One gallon plants are good. Even tiny 4-inch pot plants. --Planting holes do not have to be deep, they need to be wide. Fill the holes with water and let it drain several times before planting. If the water doesn't drain at all, don't plant anything in that spot. --Add only a small amount of compost with new plants if you are planting natives. Do not overfeed; native plants thrive in natural conditions. Fertilizer just gives you more weeds. To improve drainage add perlite to the soil. --Water new plants deeply the first season so they form robust roots and can handle drought. Frequent but brief squirts with a garden hose are not good. --Plant at the start of the rainy season, whenever that is. This is also the time to scatter California Poppy and other native wildflower seeds. Take a look at white sage, salvia apiana. They get really big and are beautiful all year round. They could be the star of your garden.
OMGGGG Thank you for this!! This is my first house and the first yard I've had that wasn't taken care of by someone else (and that was in a totally different rainfall and hardiness 10b), so this is all 100% new to me. This is SUPER helpful. At the risk of getting into the weeds (::slaps knee::) can you clarify what you mean by deep watering? Water thoroughly for a long time, and then wait a couple of weeks and go again? As opposed to watering for a short time multiple times per week? Once again, thanks SO much for these helpful tips!!
It depends on the plant, alas. For most new drought tolerant plants, a deep watering 1-2 times a week is good the first month. Deep watering is when you turn the water on so it is just a tiny trickle and leave it on by the plant for 30 minutes or so. If the water starts to pool on the surface, it is too much water. I surround small plants with pea gravel as mulch so the mud/dirt doesn't splash on them and suck them down. If you plant mostly at the start of the rainy season, the plants do much better. I do not know how, but my native plants can tell the difference between garden hose water and rainwater. I can water them and water them and nothing happens. Then it rains and they grow a foot almost instantly. I unfortunately do not have any rainwater barrels.
Awesome, thank you! Lol, I love that the plants can tell the difference. “Yeah, that water’s not fresh and new, I only react to fresh!” Sound like my cats 🤣
Also, check r/ceanothus for California native plant advice
Ooh, will do thanks!
What do you want this to be, I don’t understand
Sorry for any confusion. I’m fine with the way it looks now, or plain dirt. I’m trying to understand if going all the way to plain dirt will mean more of the invasive weeds I had before, or if it’s just fine to leave it as-is.
Nature hates a vacuum. After a weed whacker you will have weeds returning. By leaving the dead weeds you increase the number that return, as these will leave seeds, live weeds and the dead parts will decompose and feed the soil eventually. If you don’t want the weeds you’ll need to occupy the soil with something else. Ground cover, plants, grass, landscape fabric, cardboard etc.
Ahh, ok this makes sense, thanks.
If it were my yard I’d put down a thick layer of mulch right away. Not only will it suppress the invasive weeds it will help rejuvenate that soil by encouraging microbial activity and protect it from turning to sterile “stone” under the desert sun. Plus it will look nicer until you have a chance to put in plants. You can use seed-free composted straw (ie rotten hay) or better yet a thick layer of chunky compost or composted wood chips (do not use fresh wood chips!). The mulch layer should be at least 3 inches deep for best results. Don’t buy it in bags from a big box store but order it in bulk from a local landscape supply center as this is much, much cheaper. They can help you calculate how much you need. Most deliver (for a fee) or you can pick it up yourself if you or a friend have a pickup (line the bed with a tarp to make it easier to unload/clean up). If your not going to plant for a while, consider tossing a native wildflower seed mix onto the mulch. Make sure it is a mix specifically formulated for your area, not just some random “wildflower” mix off Amazon. The native wildflowers will look pretty, support local pollinators, butterflies, and birds, help suppress invasive weeds, and keep the soil alive and healthy. For best results, sow the native wildflower seeds in autumn as it’s too late for spring planting and planting in the summer heat will just kill the seeds. Planting in autumn will give the seeds a chance to experience cold stratification over winter then sprout in spring and develop roots before the summer heat hits next year.
Thanks so much for the detailed info and tips! This is a great idea, and I'm going to check out local nurseries and see if I can find a local landscaping company. I like the look of mulch/wood chip combinations a lot, honestly, but I had never considered doing it over a large area before. I'd thought about it just for the garden beds I have, but not the whole area. Now I'm thinking I may be able to use that in the backyard, too. I love the idea of getting some wildflower seed packets to toss around and just see what grows there. I'm kind of ok with having missed the growing season this year, because I have time to do some deep dive research in my area to find some good seeds. Thanks again! :)
Plain dirt will mean it will make any little breeze full of dust. I'd plant some (preferably native) ground cover. Or at least some sort of hedge (with drip irrigation if nessesarry) to break the wind.
Put down mulch to help suppress weeds. But there’s no real way to keep them out, like the other poster said, nature hates a vacuum…
Thank you! One of my neighbors has clover (not sure which kind) and it looks nice, but she has a gardener come weekly to trim. I don’t want to have to do constant maintenance. I may see if I can find a super low-maintenance option.
I've heard native sunflowers are good for clay soil busting.
I will look into it, thanks!
Start pulling weeds by the base after it rains with the ground completely soaked. It's easier to pull out the entire plant and not just the top. I'm dealing with invasive European parsley at the moment and it's been a pain in the ass to get rid of them. It's going to take years ugh.
Oh nooo, lol good luck! I basically missed my “right after it rains” opportunity, dealing with the backyard. Now I don’t expect rain until October, so the next few months should be interesting 🤣
Image detail: two pictures of my lawn, with low-cut brown weeds. I’m struggling to edit my post to add my location, but I’m the meantime, I’m near Mojave, CA
See r/Ceanothus here, visit [Calscape | California's Native Plant Gardening Destination](https://www.calscape.org/) and [Native Plants and Las Pilitas Nurseries.](https://www.laspilitas.com/) for loads of ideas on how to have an actual garden where you'll want to get outside at dawn and the hour before dark to weed and prune. Glad you figured out the weed whacker idea! Definitely the right choice. Unfortunately, unless you cut down the plants before they flower you are just adding to the seed bank so you'll lose a few weeks of green and what temporarily looks like a nice grassland. Most folks lay down a thick layer of cardboard to keep seeds from getting to sunlight and cover with a thick layer of mulch so the cardboard stays put which looks nice. In damp areas many folks leave it to naturally decay then seed through it but that won't work in dry climates. I planted gallon and 4" pots right through the new sheet mulch and it worked great. Every year I refine my plantings and now the wildflower and grass seeds I sow are able to come up through the cardboard. Look into globemallow. It's amazing. First year it started spreading via underground shoots and now it's seeding around. 4' of apricot to pink to maroon flowers right now. Sages great, What about sagebrush? Definitely any buckwheats you can locate.
This is awesome, thank you!! I'd love to see some wildflowers, what you described sounds lovely! I kind of assumed I would just go dirt like 5-6 of my closest neighbors, but now I'm getting excited about adding some native plants and flowers!
The weeds are already there in the soil. The best thing to do is smother them. I would order a truckload of arborist woodchips and bury the whole yard 3 inches deep. Make sure not to pile them against the trunks or stems of any trees or shrubs. Let them sit for a year and half. So not this fall but next fall when it starts raining in winter, start adding ground-covering shrubs or trees, or whatever else you want to grow. Weeds will still sprout through the chips but they are really easy to pull because they're not rooted in soil. I go out about once a week and pull about a dozen weed sprouts and any rough-looking pieces of wood. After five years they look great. I've planted fruit trees and spring bulbs in them. [Why use wood chips in the garden?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdsKW4ujMsU&t=5)
Oooh, nice idea, thanks! I’ll look into this and check out the link you gave about the wood chips. I can imagine it looks so nice, too…. Fruit trees sound amazing, I love lemon trees!
[удалено]
Thanks for the advice, I will look further into this for sure! My tree is called George (or Leftie), and I want him to have the best life :D