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Wednesday - November 04, 2009

From: San Antonio, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Native Grasses
Title: Replacing St. Augustine with native grasses in San Antonio
Author: Barbara Medford and Joe Marcus

QUESTION:

I am hoping to replace St. Augustine on a sloped yard with native grass. I was wondering where I might get information on the prairie grass seed mats used by the TXDOT highway dept to stop erosion.

ANSWER:

Google searches for "erosion control" or "erosion mats" yield many results for products like those TxDOT uses; probably they use several different brands and types. We have no direct information on what TxDot is presently using, and suggest you contact the Texas Department of Transportation and see if you can locate the materials they use and the sources for them.

 
 
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Question: November 12, 2009 - Dear Smarty Pants: Hi, did you ever get more clarity on the Carex senta issue (baltimore sedge)? Whether or not it was a wetland grass? I too am in Maryland and was thinking of planting it for a lawn, but not if it's only native way out west. If you have any other recommendation for a shade-loving native for a lawn, that would be wonderful. thanks in advance.
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Question: November 10, 2009 - I just read your answer to Barbara Medford's question about what multi-species native grasses would work to create a shady lawn. While you had some wonderful suggestions you mention a homeowner's associations might not take kindly to them. I would like to recommend to the both of you to try different species of native sedge. When I lived in Austin I used Carex retroflexa from a local nursery und...
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