Want to cut your Fresno water bill? City will kick in cash for drought-tolerant landscape

With another season of drought a near certainty, the City of Fresno is offering Fresno homeowners the chance to turn off those sprinklers and cut watering bills by turning lawns into the types of gardens that suit the region’s semi-arid climate.

Through the Lawn to Garden rebate, the city will pay $1 per square foot for residents to remove lawns and replace them with water-efficient landscapes. The offer is good for yards up to 1,500 square feet.

GETTING HELP FOR YOUR PROJECT

It can be an ambitious undertaking. The work includes tearing out grass, designing the landscape, selecting drought-tolerant plants, adding an irrigation system and mulch But help is available, from the city, and the State of California.

Wendy Cornelius, of the City of Fresno’s Lawn to Garden project, said 245 residents have applied to take part in the program since July 2021. So far, 20 have completed the process. Some have done the work themselves and others enlisted the help of landscapers. Cornelius emphasized that anyone who wants to make a conversion needs to comply with some rules, since a prime goal is helping recharge Fresno’s groundwater.

GUIDELINES FOR A LANDSCAPE CONVERSION

• You can’t just pave your yard with concrete, which is likely to contribute to making the city’s summers hotter than they already are.
• For the same reason, no more than 35 percent of the project can consist of rocks.
• There is a timeline to follow, which includes an application, a consultation with a city staff member, and about 120 days to complete the project, subject to approval. Cornelius said a 30-day extension can be applied for.
• There is a limit on yard size to 1,500 square feet.

The California Department of Water Resources, maintains that about half of all water at homes is used outdoors. According to Cornelius, the state agency previously offered a $1.50-a-square foot financial incentive for landscape conversions but that ended in 2017. Cornelius hopes that program will return to augment the city’s effort.

REMOVING GRASS: THREE WAYS

Cornelius said there are various methods of removing your lawn if you opt to take part in the program. The first is solarization, which entails laying a cover of black plastic over the grass and waiting a month or more for the vegetation to die. With Bermuda, the most common lawn in the region, solarization works better in the fall.

A second method is to place cardboard over the lawn and cover it with mulch.

The third method is to use a herbicide such as Round-Up. Anyone using the third option is advised to be careful, and wear gloves, boots and other protective equipment. An environmentally friendly alternative to the harsh chemical is vinegar, but it may not kill the roots of a hardy grass like Bermuda.

CHOOSING A DROUGHT-TOLERANT LANDSCAPE

There is a myriad of plants and trees that use less water than a traditional lawn. Plants include jasmine, sage, thyme and juniper. Apply a layer of mulch around plants to reduce moisture loss. Choose organic mulches, such as shredded bark, compost or aged sawdust.