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California native front yard with a dry creek bed and decomposed granite path

Landscaping In Sutter

Landscaping in Sutter starts with sandy loam that drains slower than it looks, and the city has logged 331 empty street tree sites here.

Main ZIP
90805
Soil Type
Sandy Loam Flats
Clay In Topsoil
10%
Sand In Topsoil
65%
Elevation
36 to 50 ft
Miles To The Shore
5.6
Empty Street Tree Sites
331
Typical Home Built
1964
Sutter on the city neighborhood map

The Ground In Sutter

Clean pale beach sand with a small succulent

USDA maps this as Hueneme and San Emigdio soils, about 61 to 65 percent sand. Hueneme rates somewhat poorly drained, even with all that sand. Most of the points we checked are zoned R-1-N, which means single family.

USDA soil parts mapped here, surface layer
SoilShare Of Map UnitClaySandpHDrainage
Hueneme20%10%65%7.2Somewhat poorly drained
San Emigdio15%12%61%8Well drained

What That Means For Your Yard

  • Sandy on top and slower below means do a drain test before you plant trees.
  • Water less often and deeper than the sand suggests, then check how wet it is a foot down.
  • The soil runs alkaline, so yellow leaves on acid lovers are common. Pick plants that like it.

Weather And Homes

About 5.6 miles inland, this area runs warmer and drier than the shore in summer. Plants here use more water, so good coverage and mulch pay back fast under the same three day watering limit.

Census figures for the tracts here put the typical home at about 1964. Many yards from that era still have their first sprinkler lines and foundation shrubs, and much of that is ready to go. Replacing old lines at the same time you redo a bed saves a second dig.

About 37 percent of homes in these tracts are owner occupied and about 56 percent are houses. With a mix like that, low care plantings are often the better buy on a rental, while an owner may want more.

Your Parkway And Street Trees

A city tree inventory logged 331 empty street tree sites in this neighborhood. The typical logged parkway there is about 5 feet wide. If one is in front of your place, the city runs a free street tree program. Ask for a parkway tree before you plan the rest of the strip.

Your parkway follows the same city rule as the rest of Long Beach. Fake turf is out, and street trees belong to the city, so trimming one takes a Public Works permit. If you still have living lawn there, Long Beach Utilities runs a free native plant parkway kit.

Popular Work In Sutter

Questions We Hear

What kind of soil does Sutter have?

USDA maps this as Hueneme and San Emigdio soils, about 61 to 65 percent sand. Hueneme rates somewhat poorly drained, even with all that sand. It is also rated somewhat poorly drained. Your own yard may differ, especially if soil was brought in, so a test is cheap insurance.

Can I put artificial turf in my Sutter parkway?

No. City code limits parkways to living plants plus permeable materials such as mulch, decomposed granite or pavers on sand, and those must cover under half of the strip. Turf is allowed in the front yard itself.

What days can I water in Sutter?

Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, before 9 a.m. or after 4 p.m., for up to 10 minutes per station, under the Level 1 rules from Long Beach Utilities.

Next Door To Sutter

Where These Facts Come From
Neighborhood

Serving Sutter

Yard visits across Sutter and nearby streets.