Question
We have a rental property in Albuquerque that has (had) a nice front lawn the tenant didn't water for about a year and it's pretty much dead.

Does grass that hasn't been watered in a while ever come back?

We're thinking now might be the time to replace it with rocks - the question is should we cut & roll up the sod before putting the rocks down?  I've been told we could just put down plastic sheeting over the grass. Probably easier but not sure it's the best in the long run.  Low maintenance will be a real plus for new tenants as water in Abq is quite expensive.

Thanks,

Jerry

Answer
Hello:

How well the grass can recover from drought depends on how drought tolerant the particular species of grass was and on climate conditions. The hot dry conditions of your area will make it harder for grass to return but with proper watering you could see a return of the grass.

I see no need to remove the sod before placing rocks or for laying plastic sheet. The plastic sheet would impede drainage when rain does occur in your location and its not worth the time and expense. If the grass does recover you may have some grass growing among the rocks but this may be a desirable effect.

You might also want to look into planting some native desert plants.


Mark Harshman