No it’s definitely not the same thing…California Buffalograss is the result of breeding the best of many buffalograsses from different regions of the western plains and Mexico. It was developed by UC Davis and UC Riverside. California Buffalograss has a finer texture, later dormancy and earlier emergence and it is also a nearly seedless variety so it doesn’t produce the unsightly seedheads and as a result it is much better for people with allergies. It was developed to suit the conditions of the west coast.

When is the best time to plant California Buffalograss?

We recommend planting it from March through August ideally, but this will vary slightly depending on the amount of sunlight your specific installation area receives and the current weather conditions at your location. The reason for this time frame is because California Buffalograss goes dormant in the winter and your plugs will not grow during this time. In order for your plugs to have optimum success, they should be allowed time to root so that they can go into dormancy stronger and more established.

Is California Buffalograss available for purchase by homeowners?

Yes, we sell directly to homeowners as well as landscapers, landscape architects and contractors.

Do I need to prep my space before installation?

It is extremely important to treat your space prior to installation to make sure that an exisiting weeds, plants or lawns have been killed off so that they do not overtake your young plugs when they are establishing. Often, this is a 3-4 week process. After killing off your existing lawn or weeds with a product such as Round-Up, you will want to wait several days and then begin to regularly water your space to encourage existing weeds and grass to come up. Apply another application of Round-Up to anything that pops up. Repeat this process until everything is eradicated. Taking the time to do this before installation will save you from the headache of having isolate the weeds or old grass from the establishing your plugs. Here is a list of helpful advice from the Lazy Gardening blog on what to do before your installation!

Does California Buffalograss go dormant?

Yes, it goes dormant during the winter, here in Central California that means from around November to February. Like most plants, California Buffalograss will go through changes during the winter months. Vertical growth will cease or slow down eliminating any need to mow or water. Horizontal stolen growth will also slow or stop, so its ability to fill in open areas at this time will be limited. During this time it will lose its green color and change to a yellow-ish straw color, but it is still alive and hibernating in a sense. The duration of this color change may be reduced by combining a late fall fertilization with mowing to about 1 inch height when you begin to see the change in color. This will allow the sun to keep the soil warmer reducing these changes. In the late winter, repeat the fertilization to encourage the grass to begin growing again. It will return to its usual appearance around spring. If you do not find the dormant straw color appealing, you can apply a grass colorant to make the lawn appear green. We recommend Green Lawnger; the results are quite natural, the cost is inexpensive and can last up to 13-14 weeks. We applied this to our test plot here and it held its color in full sun all through winter until the lawn came out of dormancy. Please visit our Gallery to see images of the colorant. Once spring rolls around and you begin to see the green returning to your lawn, mow the dormant layer back to allow the color to show.

How long does it take to grow?

In the Central Valley of California it will take 120-160 days to fill in depending on the temperatures, length of daylight and spacing. Along the coast, it may take longer than this due to the cooler temperatures.

Is California Buffalograss invasive?

Calfornia Buffalograss is aggressive, but it is not invasive. It does send out runners in order to spread, but they root slowly and are easily controlled. Grass clippings will not root in planting beds.

As a drought resistant grass, how often should I water it?

After the initial planting water it regularly until the grass has filled in and been established. This will depend on your area and your soil type. Water thoroughly without leaving the grass too dry or too soggy. After the grass is established you can water it just once a week in hotter climates like the Central Valley and once every two weeks in areas along the coast, during the summer. During winter months, the grass can be watered much less or not at all. It is very important to keep it regularly watered while it is in its inital establishment phase to allow the roots to penetrate the soil and reach down. If you reduce your water too soon, it will force your grass into dormancy in order to protect itself.

What kind of conditions is California Buffalograss best for?

California Buffalograss needs 7-8 hours of daylight each day. It does best in sunny locations and it is not recommended for locations that receive a lot shade.

Do you have instructions on how to install and maintain my California Buffalograss?

Of course! You can visit our Growing page for additional information.

How do I know how much grass I’ll need?

Please visit our Growing page for instructions on how to measure how much grass you’ll need. We typically recommed using our 128 size with 12″ center spacing. If you’d like your lawn to fill in faster use closer spacing.

In what forms can I buy California Buffalograss?

We sell our grass in plug liners available in a 128 size (1×1″ plug, 128 plugs per tray). California Buffalograss is not available in sod or seed form anywhere due to how it grows – because of its deep root system it is not easily pulled out once established and because it produces very few seed heads, it is not available in seed.

What are the benefits of California Buffalograss?

With this variety you’ll use up to 75% less water, lower the frequency or need to mow your lawn with a max height of just 4-6 inches, and it’s also better for allegeries since it is not a seeded variety and produces very few seed heads. California Buffalograss also has very fine blades making it softer to the touch and great for areas where you and your family will spending time.

Where does California Buffalograss come from?

This variety was developed by UC Davis and UC Riverside specifically for the warm climate of the west coast.

How will my order be shipped?

Smaller orders are shipped in our custom box and larger orders (30 trays and over) are shrink-wrapped and shipped on a pallet with our custom tray holders. Shipping is via common courier to your door. Customer pick up is also available at our facility in Fresno, California, if you would like to avoid boxing and shipping charges.

What forms of payment do you accept?

We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover, check and cash. We can accept credit card purchases on our website via Paypal or you can call our office at (559) 275-3844 to place an order.

If you’re a propagator of California Buffalograss, why do you run out of stock occasionally only to have it available again in a few weeks?

We want to provide you with a quality product that is in peak condition and ready to grow! Because of this reason we grow our plug trays in batches so that throughout the season our customers are always getting a premium product – not something that has been sitting in the greenhouse for way too long, getting root-bound and overgrown. We try our best to coordinate when our batches will be ready to sell with when our customers will want to buy our trays, but this is more of an art and not a science. Usually if we are out of stock it is only for a couple of weeks at the most until our next batch is ready to go!

Do you install?

We do not do any installations ourselves, but we may be able to recommend someone. Please contact us with your location. However, we do offer a custom auger drill bit attachment that can assist you in your installation 🙂

Where can I see more pictures of others’ California Buffalograss lawns?

Peruse through our blog or our facebook page to see customer’s images and advice! …And we’d love to receive images and comments from you too so that we can share them! 🙂