PCVA's Native Grass and Why We Have It

In an effort to reduce management inputs (water, mowing, fertilization, pest management) and labor, HOAs often consider the replacement of mowed, irrigated turf (bluegrass, fescues) with grass species (usually referred to as “native grasses”) that should require fewer inputs (less/no water, infrequent mowing, no fertilizer, few pesticides). These areas are often referred to as “native grass” areas because their unmowed (or less frequently mowed) appearance sometimes looks like that of an unmanaged, native prairie. Read more detail in the article you can download below 

Key complaints  heard about the native grass are:

1. They are weeds that look unkempt
2. It needs to be mowed more frequently
3. It harbors weeds and bugs
4. Conventional, mowed turf is better

Key benefits to the native grasses are:

1. It requires FAR less water than conventional turf. It also requires less effort in general, in the way of maintenance, as this grass naturally thrives in this region.
2. The native is a planned part of the Pine Creek Village landscape design aesthetic; to mimic the look of a river/creek bed landscape.
3. It (in theory) reseeds itself.

Facts about PCVA's grass (as of September, 2021):

1. For several mowing seasons, the native grass in PCVA was over-mowed, sometimes weekly. Due to this, the grass has thinned out in many areas.
2. Allowing the grass to grow and seed, mowing little or only once a mow season will allow for the grass to thicken.
3. After some nurturing, the grass will thicken enough to provide its own weed barrier, with little hand-weeding or treatment needed in the future.

Learn more at https://www.pcva.org/uploads/7/8/8/7/78875826/native_grass_info_for_pcva.pdf