How to Grow an Alternative Lawn

Turf grass is the most common choice for lawns, but it’s far from the only one. If you’re sick and tired of the maintenance, or if you just want something a little bit different, there are plenty of alternative lawn options to choose from, many of which are much more beneficial than grass for pollinators and local ecosystems. 

Alternatives to Kentucky bluegrass and Bermudagrass – the primary types of grass used on American lawns – vary, and range from other, hardier grasses to wildflowers, herbs, clovers, and moss. You can even nix the groundcover altogether and opt for a gravel garden with container plants for color and interest. 

Ready to nix your traditional grass lawn for good? Read on for an overview of types of alternative lawns and how to prep and care for them. 

Choosing a Grass Replacement

As with any lawn or garden, what you choose to plant (or avoid planting) will depend on your climate, the type of soil you have, sun exposure, and how much maintenance you want to do. Fortunately, there are alternative lawn solutions across the spectrum, including several ground cover varieties that require minimal mowing and watering. 

Some popular alternatives to a turf grass lawn include:

• Clover: Drought-tolerant and provides support for pollinators while working naturally to suppress weeds. Varieties include micro-clover and flowering versions like white clover.
• Creeping thyme: Extremely low-maintenance and drought-resistant, with a pleasant smell and no need for fertilizer. 
• Wildflowers: Bloom beautifully in the spring and summer, require minimal maintenance, and are a guaranteed way to bring bees, butterflies, and other pollinators to your yard. 
• Moss: Varieties such as moon moss or pincushion moss help improve soil quality and require significantly less mowing and watering than grass. 
• Sedum: A drought-tolerant ground cover that isn’t great for heavy traffic areas of your lawn but could be ideal for planting between stones on pathways or along rock walls. 

To pick the best grass alternative for your lawn, research optimal choices based on your hardiness zone and the soil and sun conditions of your lawn. Make sure to consider how you use your lawn as well, since some alternatives are better for heavy-traffic areas than others. From there, you can narrow down further based on what you want your lawn to look like and what you’re trying to achieve with it. You may also have to consider neighborhood regulations if your land is subject to an HOA. 

Preparing Your Lawn

You have two options for introducing grass replacements to your lawn:

• Overseed by layering the alternative seeds of your choice over existing grass, either across your entire lawn or in designated spots
• Reseed by completing removing the grass, amending the soil as needed, and then generously planting alternatives across the entire lawn

If you’re just trying to thicken your lawn with alternatives or fill in dead spots, overseeding is probably the way to go. But if you want to create a lush alternative lawn devoid of grass entirely, you’ll need to start from scratch with reseeding. 

In either case, prepare soil in advance by dethatching or aerating, especially if you’re trying to revive dry, dead patches. 

How to Plant Grass Alternatives

Different types of alternative lawns require different planting strategies. Wildflowers, for example, must germinate in the soil and require careful oversight and watering until they take root, at which point you can be more hands-off. Other alternatives, such as moss, are laid down and pinned in place, then delicately cared for in the following weeks while they establish themselves. 

For the lowest maintenance option, go with quick-growing varieties that can be planted from seeds. This includes certain varieties of low-growing violet, clover, and thyme.

Caring for an Alternative Lawn

Many people switch to an alternative lawn for the sole purpose of cutting back on maintenance. To this end, you’ll be glad to know that most lawn alternatives require very minimal oversight, though you’ll probably have to be more vigilant in the few weeks after planting. 

For best results, water your alternative lawn regularly immediately after planting and until you start getting consistent growth. From there, you’ll want to research how to maintain your newly established lawn, including specifics like mowing height (when necessary), how frequently you need to water, and whether or not you need to fertilize.

Non-turf grass lawns tend to have a lot of natural weed suppression, but you may need to do some hand weeding here and there. Just avoid herbicides, especially if you’ve planted wildflowers or another pollinator-friendly cover, since you’ll end up doing more harm than good. 

Quick Tips for a Successful Alternative Lawn

Some grass replacements are easier to grow than others. No matter which you choose though, follow these tips to help them thrive and to say goodbye to turf grass for good. 

• Plan ahead by figuring out what will work best in your environment and what your preferences are for your alternative lawn, rather than just seeding and hoping for the best
• Vary the landscape with different types of grass alternatives, including strategic placement of gravel or organic mulch
• Test your alternative in a small patch of lawn before tackling the whole thing, especially if you’re reseeding from scratch
• If you never could get grass to grow well in the first place, seek out soil-improving alternatives such as thyme, moss, clover, or meadow lawns
• Mix things up by using several different types of grass replacements to bring more biodiversity to your lawn

Your lawn should be something you love, not something you’re constantly fighting against. Ditch the turf grass for something more versatile, low-maintenance, and planet-friendly, and you may just wonder why you didn’t do it sooner.