By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
A lawn of warm season grass uses a lot less water than one of cool season grass.
To encourage residents to convert from water-loving grasses to drought tolerant warm season grasses, the city of Hays offers a turf conversion rebate.
"The outdoor water conservation rebate is geared toward cool season turf grass lawns — tall fescue, Kentucky bluegrass — that are well maintained and irrigated," said Holly Dickman, water conservation specialist, "and replace it with either a warm-season grass like buffalo or Bermuda grass, or drought-tolerant landscaping of some kind such as mulched planting beds."
A $1 dollar per square foot rebate is available for those who qualify with a maximum rebate of $3,000 per property.
Pre-inspections are required by Dickman before the conversion begins "so you do want to call me before you do any sort of turf removal."
After the pre-inspection, you have one year to complete the conversion, followed by a post-inspection in order to receive the rebate.
The city also offers a rebate of $10 per pound of seed for successful establishment of buffalograss lawns on properties otherwise ineligible for the turf conversion program.
"I'm talking about blank slates. Maybe you have a new home and you're getting ready to plant some grass. Or maybe you've had tall fescue in the past but it's become extremely patchy and it's not what we consider well-maintained," Dickman said.
Planting must occur at the optimum type of year, typically between June 1 and August 1, as soil temperatures reach a minimum of 55 degrees.
Pre- and post-inspections are also required for this program.
Detailed information about the rebates is available on the city's water conservation website www.watersmarthays.com or by contacting Dickman at hdickman@haysusa.com or calling her office at 785-628-7350.