Irrigation

[bjr]

I live in Eastern WA. all my life 56 yrs, now It's arid desert sandy loam soil area. Lawn type grass and I'm not talking burmda grass here, can and will grow. It take some serious water to start a new lawn. I do occasional favors or just plain go over help get it done for the neighbors with my tractor and implements. Well a new neighbor moved in to an old place that has two acres of which about one acre he wants to "look nice". He want new lawn. The place hadn't grown anything in about 10yrs. and has some bad compacted burmuda and weeds growing in a few places. I'm using my plow to breakup as best as I can then will disc and maybe follow with a tiller. This will turn everthing to powder and blow terribly with the first wind. He thinks he can drag garden hoses around and make a beautiful new lawn. I feel so sorry for this man's wife as she'll be expected to maintain the lawn. I have tried to explain the volume of irrigation required to no avail, just falls on deaf ears. I'm feeling as though I'm not helping the man, just making him a bigger problem. What should I do at this point, quit and tell him to find someone else to finish preparing his soil? His surrounding neighbor downwind are gonna suffer from all the blowing dust. bjr

 

[dmccarty]

To keep the dust down can he put down straw? That is what they do around here to keep the seed in place and to control erosion.

Hate to see what his water bill is going to be....

Later,
Dan

 

[Egon]

Could you suggest decorative rock with only a few square feet of grass lawn.

Just point out the natural grass in your area and it's desiccated state!

 

[chadincolo]

Try to find some Turfallo seed. It's a new variety of Buffalo grass, that is greener. For those who don't know, Buffalo is a grass variety common here on the high plains, requires very little water (we average around 12 inches a year, and often get mose of that in the winter/spring) and will produce enough to feed cattle (although at very low stocking rates). The Turfallo (not sure on the spelling) was developed for lawns here, once established won't require additional water, and will look green, rather than the grey of Buffalo grass.

 

[RonMar]

Lived a few years around Moses Lake. You ain't kidding about the water required to get a new lawn up. Hope he has a good well. Try not to feel too guilty, you were just being neighborly. He would have done whatever he was going to do with or without you. As for listening to your advice, well experience and the wind and sun will teach him everything he needs to know.