Monthly Tip

If you have a lawn, April is the time to remove thatch. Thatch is a layer of dead and living stems, roots, stolons, and rhizomes, between the green blades of grass and the soil surface. If thatch becomes too thick, it can keep water, air, and nutrients from reaching the soil and roots. Thatch can be removed with a thatch rake to improve the health of the grass. The UC Guide to Healthy Lawns has more information.

If you are tired of mowing and raking and watering that lawn, you may want to check on the Santa Clara Valley Water District's Landscape Rebate Program. Even if the funding is used up for the year, you can still replace your lawn to conserve water, time, and energy. But don't start by digging it up. Instead, sheet mulch the area. Then you can add drought-resistant native plants or ground cover, such as yarrow, thyme, sage, creeping manzanita or ceanothus.