Low-water alternatives for turf
 |
| Kurapia is a quick-growing ground cover developed for drought conditions. Kurapia, Inc. photo |
Several low-water-use plants are ideal to replace traditional turf lawns. An interactive, web-based gardening tool at WaterSmartSDLandscaping.org is a great place to begin your search for plants that meet your criteria. The tool asks questions about how much sun the plants will receive, how tall you want them to grow, and what type of soil is in the planting area.
Based on your situation, consider silver carpet, Kurapia, woolly thyme and sand strawberry. If you’d like to see these turf alternatives and many other drought-tolerant plants in person, the Water Conservation Garden in El Cajon offers free guided tours at 10 a.m. on Saturdays. The garden is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for self-guided exploration. More information is at thegarden.org.
Submit your question about water conservation (along with your name and town of residence) to Dear Drought Fighter at the San Diego County Water Authority, droughtfighter@sdcwa.org. The first five people who submit a question this week will receive two tickets to the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park.
