RE: California Native Grass Lawns

We are also removing our lawn and planting natives grasses this winter.

Our last vestige of lawn is 3-6' wide by 25' long with a few clumps of existing
tall fescue.   We are currently killing that off.  I've never started a lawn
from seed before so have lots of questions.

- The native plant person in me says to just scatter the seed without loosening
the soil and watch it magically grow.  The lawn is at the bottom of a shallow
slope that gets muddy in the winter so I'm expecting the seed to germinate fine.
Is this expectation realistic or do native grasses germinate better with less
moisture?  Should we try to start plugs instead?

- The old-time gardener in me says to remove the old grass plants, dig up, turn
over and amend the soil, then plant and watch it magically grow.   Do native
grasses really resent this kind of soil prep?

- The birder in me says to protect the new grass with row cover to keep the many
birds from eating the new growth.  Perhaps a small particle mulch might work
too.  Any ideas on this?

We stopped at Theodore Payne Foundation on the way back from the meeting in
Pasadena and picked up three grass seed packets:  Nassella  cernua, Nassella
pulchra, Melica imperfecta.  These grasses  stay at or below two feet that
should survive the occasional human with garden cart rolling over it.  We don't
have any plans to mow the new 'lawn'.  Perhaps we might divide the clumps every
couple of years to fill it in.

Any pointers from someone with native grass experience would be most welcome.

Cheers,
Bracey
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