Is It Frugal to Plant Grass This Time of the Year
Janie
ruts and other damage caused by neighbors. It is in the 90's here and local
grass tends to have brown patches. Am I just wasting my money and time to
plant grass right now? I don't want a patch of weeds but I wonder if I am
just wasting time and money by attempting to plant grass before fall.
Anybody have any experience with this type of situation?
I have enough grass seed left from a spring project to plant this area. I
just don't want to waste time doing lots of hard work if I'm just going to
have to dig up and replace everything in the fall. Any tips for this
project, but especially is it worth trying at this time of the year?
Also wonder, can I get away with NOT digging up the area but instead just
rake and sow the seed. I don't want to do any more work than necessary to
get grass growing out there as I truly need to spend time on other projects
that must be done before winter. Suggestions please, and thank you in
advance.
Rod Speed
> A large portion of my backyard is now bare, no grass. I worked
> to fill in ruts and other damage caused by neighbors. It is in the
> 90's here and local grass tends to have brown patches. Am I
> just wasting my money and time to plant grass right now? I
> don't want a patch of weeds but I wonder if I am just wasting
> time and money by attempting to plant grass before fall.
> Anybody have any experience with this type of situation?
Its certainly more effort in those conditions.
> I have enough grass seed left from a spring project to plant this
> area. I just don't want to waste time doing lots of hard work if I'm
> just going to have to dig up and replace everything in the fall. Any tips
> for this project, but especially is it worth trying at this time of the year?
Only if you're prepare to put the effort into ensuring it gets enough water
and you are sure the particular seed you have will do well in that situation.
> Also wonder, can I get away with NOT digging up
> the area but instead just rake and sow the seed.
Thats not really that viable.
> I don't want to do any more work than necessary to
> get grass growing out there as I truly need to spend
> time on other projects that must be done before winter.
Then just put up with the bare dirt till later.
me
back, with low maintenance plants and mulch. Neighbors have drip
irrigation which cuts way down on water and labor. Takes me less time
to maintain the yard than it ever did to mow and water lawn. And it
looks nicer.
Dennis
>Lawns aren't frugal. We've completely landscaped our yard, front and
>back, with low maintenance plants and mulch. Neighbors have drip
>irrigation which cuts way down on water and labor. Takes me less time
>to maintain the yard than it ever did to mow and water lawn. And it
>looks nicer.
What kind of climate do you have? Here in the rainy PNW, anything
more viable than a sterile rock garden sprayed with herbicides is
going to be more work to keep up than simply mowing grass. Jeez, just
keeping the weeds out of my driveway is as much work as mowing the
lawn. :-)
Dennis (evil)
--
The honest man is the one who realizes that he cannot
consume more, in his lifetime, than he produces.
Andy
It depends on the grass you are planning to sow.
Hot weather grasses such as Bermuda need to be planted
NOW and watered and fertilized thoroughly. Planting a
cold weather grass like Fescue is a waste of time because it
will not germinate.
Fescue should not be planted till the daytime temp is
below 75F. Lots of water needed for it, also...
There is plenty of information on the internet about
planting times and techniques. Just google on the type
of grass seed you have, and you will get a lot of hits
about the subject...
Andy
DrLith
Do the "big dig" now so that the weed seeds that get stirred up will
have a chance to sprout, and it will be easy to kill 'em off with a
couple swipes of a hoe or a cultivator. Then later on when you are ready
to sow the grass seed just rake the top lightly. You will have much
fewer weeds competing with the grass seedlings that would need to be
picked out by hand. Only do this if you can stay off the tilled area
until you're ready to plant, otherwise you'll compact the soil back down
and you'll have to retill.
Lou
"Andy" <andys...@juno.com> wrote in message
news:1121125012.4...@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
The best place I've found for local advice is the local garden center. It's
been in business for years, they have knowledgeable people acquainted with
local conditions, and have never steered me wrong. Far easier than trying
to piece together information from the 'net.
Lou
"me" <ka...@charter.net> wrote in message
news:tSBAe.39738$B_3....@fe05.lga...
> Lawns aren't frugal. We've completely landscaped our yard, front and
> back, with low maintenance plants and mulch. Neighbors have drip
> irrigation which cuts way down on water and labor. Takes me less time
> to maintain the yard than it ever did to mow and water lawn. And it
> looks nicer.
>
toward minimal maintenance. It's easy to care for, and looks great. But it
isn't well suited to the uses of an average family. If you want a place
where the kids can play ball, or you're a croquet freak, nothing beats a
lawn.
As for frugality, what it cost me to landscape the place would have kept a
lush lawn in fertilizer and water and mowed by a service for the rest of my
life. (Ok, part of the deal was a swimming pool, that admittedly skews the
equation.)
The Real Bev
>
> On Mon, 11 Jul 2005 14:52:20 -0700, me <ka...@charter.net> wrote:
>
> >Lawns aren't frugal. We've completely landscaped our yard, front and
> >back, with low maintenance plants and mulch. Neighbors have drip
> >irrigation which cuts way down on water and labor. Takes me less time
> >to maintain the yard than it ever did to mow and water lawn. And it
> >looks nicer.
>
> What kind of climate do you have? Here in the rainy PNW, anything
> more viable than a sterile rock garden sprayed with herbicides is
> going to be more work to keep up than simply mowing grass. Jeez, just
> keeping the weeds out of my driveway is as much work as mowing the
> lawn. :-)
OTOH, some of those weeds are rhododendrons and azaleas and blackberries and
foxgloves. Around here, weeds are ugly and just produce things that stick in
your socks.
--
Cheers,
Bev
==================================================================
"I used to be convinced that MicroSquish shipped crap because they
simply didn't give a flying fuck as long as the sheep kept buying
their shit. Now, I'm convinced that they really do ship the best
products they are capable of writing, and *that's* tragic."
- John C. Randolph, about MS quality control.
cj...@yahoo.com
nothing about humidity levels or sun exposure. It is a waste of time
to plant grass right now where I live (now is a good time to kill off
the Bermuda before xeriscaping), but it might be fine where you live.
--
C
The Real Bev
Why not just leave the Bermuda and forget the xeriscaping?
--
Cheers,
Bev
====================================
Start worrying -- details to follow.
Nicole H
to loosen the top layer, spread seed, top with compost and water (I add
compost so it helps to keep the seed wet and adds some nutrients)
Call your local cooperative extension and see what they recommend as to
timing.
Where I'm at, Bermuda grass isn't a weed but our actual lawn.... it's one of
the few grasses that survive in the 100+ temps
"Janie" <some...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:4cf18$42d2baed$a22718cb$16...@ALLTEL.NET...
Nicole H
weed seeds. you really shouldn't be digging up the whole area... you're
just asking for weeds
"DrLith" <drl...@spamnotmail.com> wrote in message
news:3jgfajF...@individual.net...
The Real Bev
>
> any grass seed that your stir up, you're also stirring up all those dormant
> weed seeds. you really shouldn't be digging up the whole area... you're
> just asking for weeds
You might try some pre-emergence weed killer. I used some last year, but I
may have used too little too late. Some other stuff (2-4D of some variety)
seems to have got them though. Next year I spray that stuff EARLY.
--
Cheers,
Bev
=========================================================
"If you watch TV news, you know less about the world than
if you just drank gin straight from the bottle."
- Garrison Keillor
cj...@yahoo.com
>> to plant grass right now where I live (now is a good time to kill off
>> the Bermuda before xeriscaping), but it might be fine where you live.
>
> Why not just leave the Bermuda and forget the xeriscaping?
Bermuda, here, needs a working sprinkler system and a working
lawnmower. Rocks, on the other hand... :-)
--
C
Janie
<cj...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1121132476.6...@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
Location: I'm in Pennsylvania, USA. I have a bag of Scotts seed, says Sun &
Shade Mix. It contains Kentucky Blue Grass, Fenwya, Enchanted or Perennial
Ryegrass, Ascend or Pernnnial Ryegrass. The label gives directions for
planting in the spring and the fall. If planted in the fall, seed is to be
planted when daytime temps are still in the 80's. I guess I'll just go
ahead and try putting in the seed and make sure to water on a regular basis.
Either it grows or doesn't.
>
Serendipity
> On Mon, 11 Jul 2005 14:52:20 -0700, me <ka...@charter.net> wrote:
>
>
>>Lawns aren't frugal. We've completely landscaped our yard, front and
>>back, with low maintenance plants and mulch. Neighbors have drip
>>irrigation which cuts way down on water and labor. Takes me less time
>>to maintain the yard than it ever did to mow and water lawn. And it
>>looks nicer.
>
>
> What kind of climate do you have? Here in the rainy PNW, anything
> more viable than a sterile rock garden sprayed with herbicides is
> going to be more work to keep up than simply mowing grass. Jeez, just
> keeping the weeds out of my driveway is as much work as mowing the
> lawn. :-)
>
> Dennis (evil)
We've been battling 90+ F days with high humidity. The last rain we had
was a mere few drops not even enough to wet the sidewalk. So if you
wouldn't mind sending a little rain this way, it would be appreciated :)
The sky was very pretty this morning. The reds hold the promise of rain
and it is now cloudy. The weather forecast is for cloudy, hot (92 F)
and humid and NO rain. There is a chance of a thunderstorm tomorrow.
Boy do we need the rain!
Serendipity
> Lawns aren't frugal. We've completely landscaped our yard, front and
> back, with low maintenance plants and mulch. Neighbors have drip
> irrigation which cuts way down on water and labor. Takes me less time
> to maintain the yard than it ever did to mow and water lawn. And it
> looks nicer.
I agree with you. I fail to see why anyone would want to fertilize
lawns either. It just makes the grass grow faster so you have to mow
more often. Our property is devided into two sections because of an
easement. The main lot where the house and garage sit is 175' deep with
most of it behind the house. The other section is 54' deep. Last year
we turned about 1/3 of our back yard into a garden with 5 raised beds,
hobby greenhouse and gravel for the paths and around the greenhouse.
I'm looking for ideas on how to reduce the other 2/3. My goal is to
reduce another 1/3 this year then start on the front. I've gone to
practically all perennials and herbs for the flower beds. One
maintenance free spreader I really like is snow in summer. It is a
fuzzy mossy green low grower, fast spreader with small white flowers.
What is your general location and what are some of plants you used?
me
Dennis wrote:
> On Mon, 11 Jul 2005 14:52:20 -0700, me <ka...@charter.net> wrote:
>
>
>>Lawns aren't frugal. We've completely landscaped our yard, front and
>>back, with low maintenance plants and mulch. Neighbors have drip
>>irrigation which cuts way down on water and labor. Takes me less time
>>to maintain the yard than it ever did to mow and water lawn. And it
>>looks nicer.
>
>
> What kind of climate do you have? Here in the rainy PNW,
The Pacific Northwest.
> anything
> more viable than a sterile rock garden sprayed with herbicides is
> going to be more work to keep up than simply mowing grass.
Not really. I've owned two homes here, both with standard sized lots.
The one with the lawn took far more time. And I don't spray nor do I
have a sterile looking rock garden.
> Jeez, just
> keeping the weeds out of my driveway is as much work as mowing the
> lawn. :-)
Weeds grow in your driveway?
me
Lou wrote:
> "me" <ka...@charter.net> wrote in message
> news:tSBAe.39738$B_3....@fe05.lga...
>
>>Lawns aren't frugal. We've completely landscaped our yard, front and
>>back, with low maintenance plants and mulch. Neighbors have drip
>>irrigation which cuts way down on water and labor. Takes me less time
>>to maintain the yard than it ever did to mow and water lawn. And it
>>looks nicer.
>>
>
> Well, I've landscaped most of my lot, and purposely did it with an eye
> toward minimal maintenance. It's easy to care for, and looks great. But it
> isn't well suited to the uses of an average family. If you want a place
> where the kids can play ball, or you're a croquet freak, nothing beats a
> lawn.
There's a park down the street for that.
> As for frugality, what it cost me to landscape the place would have kept a
> lush lawn in fertilizer and water and mowed by a service for the rest of my
> life. (Ok, part of the deal was a swimming pool, that admittedly skews the
> equation.)
Ornamental edibles, cuttings from friends and neighbors, propagating
your own, recycling in a compost bin, etc... It doesn't have to cost a
fortune.
me
Serendipity wrote:
> me wrote:
>
>> Lawns aren't frugal. We've completely landscaped our yard, front and
>> back, with low maintenance plants and mulch. Neighbors have drip
>> irrigation which cuts way down on water and labor. Takes me less time
>> to maintain the yard than it ever did to mow and water lawn. And it
>> looks nicer.
>
>
> I agree with you. I fail to see why anyone would want to fertilize
> lawns either. It just makes the grass grow faster so you have to mow
> more often. Our property is devided into two sections because of an
> easement. The main lot where the house and garage sit is 175' deep with
> most of it behind the house. The other section is 54' deep. Last year
> we turned about 1/3 of our back yard into a garden with 5 raised beds,
> hobby greenhouse and gravel for the paths and around the greenhouse. I'm
> looking for ideas on how to reduce the other 2/3. My goal is to reduce
> another 1/3 this year then start on the front. I've gone to practically
> all perennials and herbs for the flower beds. One maintenance free
> spreader I really like is snow in summer. It is a fuzzy mossy green low
> grower, fast spreader with small white flowers. What is your general
> location and what are some of plants you used?
Pacific northest. We started with some fast spreaders like lothodora
and am now changing and filling in with some vinca, pacasandra a variety
of sedums, ajuga, etc... for ground cover. We're also growing hebes,
variegated and not, hydrangeas, azaleas, rhododendruns, escallonia, blue
fescue and other ornamental grasses, sea thrift, dianthus, daisies,
ferns, and lots more. Best of all, no lawn mower or gas to store.
Bob
>
>
> Dennis wrote:
> > On Mon, 11 Jul 2005 14:52:20 -0700, me <ka...@charter.net> wrote:
> >
> >
> >>Lawns aren't frugal. We've completely landscaped our yard, front and
> >>back, with low maintenance plants and mulch. Neighbors have drip
> >>irrigation which cuts way down on water and labor. Takes me less time
> >>to maintain the yard than it ever did to mow and water lawn. And it
> >>looks nicer.
> >
> >
> > What kind of climate do you have? Here in the rainy PNW,
>
> The Pacific Northwest.
Here in Seattle, it's been cool and wet enough to consider planting. If the
weather continues, it would probably not require too much excess water.
Planting in the fall, when the fall rains start makes more sense.
When you plant, keep the seed damp, with very brief frequent waterings until
the grass is 1/2-1 inch tall. If the seed dries after being watered a few
times, it will die, in my experiance.
Bob
Dennis
>
>
>Dennis wrote:
>> On Mon, 11 Jul 2005 14:52:20 -0700, me <ka...@charter.net> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Lawns aren't frugal. We've completely landscaped our yard, front and
>>>back, with low maintenance plants and mulch. Neighbors have drip
>>>irrigation which cuts way down on water and labor. Takes me less time
>>>to maintain the yard than it ever did to mow and water lawn. And it
>>>looks nicer.
>>
>>
>> What kind of climate do you have? Here in the rainy PNW,
>
>The Pacific Northwest.
>
>> anything
>> more viable than a sterile rock garden sprayed with herbicides is
>> going to be more work to keep up than simply mowing grass.
>
>Not really. I've owned two homes here, both with standard sized lots.
>The one with the lawn took far more time. And I don't spray nor do I
>have a sterile looking rock garden.
Maybe you consider weeding a form of recreation? I know that I would
much rather spend 45 minutes doing laps on the lawn tractor once a
week for half of the year than the constant, ongoing battle to try to
keep the wild grasses and weeds out of the flower beds or the
vegetable garden. And looking at our yard -- which has all three
types of features -- my bias shows all too clearly! :-)
>> Jeez, just
>> keeping the weeds out of my driveway is as much work as mowing the
>> lawn. :-)
>
>Weeds grow in your driveway?
Part of my driveway is gravel, but yeah, the weeds even push up
through the asphalt and grow in the cracks and seams in the concrete.
Just look down any rural road in NW Oregon -- you'll see various
plants growing right up to (and sometimes over) the edge of the
asphalt. And trees and bushes and vines trying to form a canopy over
the top. The only thing that keeps them at bay is the constant mowing
and spraying that the road department (and often, adjacent property
owners) do. Pretty much any viable space grows something unless you
actively work to destroy it.
Dennis (evil)
--
"There is a fine line between participation and mockery" - Wally
Janie
An electric mower doesn't solve the storage problem but it sure saves on
running after gas and finding a safe place to store the can. Of course if y
our lot is very large then the distance between the outer edges of the lot
and lengthof an extension cord does limit your options. My electric mower
is great for my small in-town lot. It is very light and easy to handle. It
is also very easy to start. I hate those gas mowers with pull cord starters
that don't work very well.
After reading all the posts about ground covers, I am seriously considering
doing some landscaping to eliminate some of the lawn. I get tired trimming
everything. What have you found to be the easiest to maintain and get
started for ground cover?
me
Dennis wrote:
> On Tue, 12 Jul 2005 07:35:00 -0700, me <ka...@charter.net> wrote:
>
>
>>
>>Dennis wrote:
>>
>>>On Mon, 11 Jul 2005 14:52:20 -0700, me <ka...@charter.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>Lawns aren't frugal. We've completely landscaped our yard, front and
>>>>back, with low maintenance plants and mulch. Neighbors have drip
>>>>irrigation which cuts way down on water and labor. Takes me less time
>>>>to maintain the yard than it ever did to mow and water lawn. And it
>>>>looks nicer.
>>>
>>>
>>>What kind of climate do you have? Here in the rainy PNW,
>>
>>The Pacific Northwest.
>>
>>
>>>anything
>>>more viable than a sterile rock garden sprayed with herbicides is
>>>going to be more work to keep up than simply mowing grass.
>>
>>Not really. I've owned two homes here, both with standard sized lots.
>>The one with the lawn took far more time. And I don't spray nor do I
>>have a sterile looking rock garden.
>
>
> Maybe you consider weeding a form of recreation?
No. It just doesn't take that long. It's a lot quicker than mowing a lawn.
> I know that I would
> much rather spend 45 minutes doing laps on the lawn tractor once a
> week for half of the year than the constant, ongoing battle to try to
> keep the wild grasses and weeds out of the flower beds or the
> vegetable garden.
But I don't spend 45 minutes a week weeding. And, when I do weed, I'm
not polluting the air or smelling gasoline.
> And looking at our yard -- which has all three
> types of features -- my bias shows all too clearly! :-)
Depends on what you plant and how you plant it.
>>> Jeez, just
>>>keeping the weeds out of my driveway is as much work as mowing the
>>>lawn. :-)
>>
>>Weeds grow in your driveway?
>
>
> Part of my driveway is gravel, but yeah, the weeds even push up
> through the asphalt and grow in the cracks and seams in the concrete.
> Just look down any rural road in NW Oregon -- you'll see various
> plants growing right up to (and sometimes over) the edge of the
> asphalt. And trees and bushes and vines trying to form a canopy over
> the top. The only thing that keeps them at bay is the constant mowing
> and spraying that the road department (and often, adjacent property
> owners) do. Pretty much any viable space grows something unless you
> actively work to destroy it.
That's why you grow stuff that you want. It takes the place of the
stuff you don't want. If you must control those pesky weeds in your
cracks, a bit of vinegar or even boiling water will do the trick. Not
exactly a tiring pursuit.
me
Janie wrote:
Depends on where you live. Lithodora will grow well, spread fast, and
smother most weeds. But you don't have to use lots of ground cover to
have an easy care yard. I have a hardy fuschia that grows wide and low,
keeping weeks out yet still giving a bush appearance. My clump of hebes
does the same as does my hedge of escallonia. Sedums are easy to grow
and you can split them off to make more plants. But, depending on your
taste, you can also grow trees and bushes but mulch to keep weeds under
control.
>
>
>
The Real Bev
>
> On Tue, 12 Jul 2005 07:35:00 -0700, me <ka...@charter.net> wrote:
>
> >Dennis wrote:
> >> Jeez, just
> >> keeping the weeds out of my driveway is as much work as mowing the
> >> lawn. :-)
> >
> >Weeds grow in your driveway?
>
> Part of my driveway is gravel, but yeah, the weeds even push up
> through the asphalt and grow in the cracks and seams in the concrete.
Big deal, we have that in hot dry SoCal. We don't, however, have sprouting
fenceposts like they do in Louisiana. You?
> Just look down any rural road in NW Oregon -- you'll see various
> plants growing right up to (and sometimes over) the edge of the
> asphalt. And trees and bushes and vines trying to form a canopy over
> the top. The only thing that keeps them at bay is the constant mowing
> and spraying that the road department (and often, adjacent property
> owners) do. Pretty much any viable space grows something unless you
> actively work to destroy it.
OTOH, you can go for a short walk and pick more blackberries than you can eat
before they mold. There are compensations...
--
Cheers, Bev
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Genius may have its limitations, but stupidity
is not thus handicapped."
-- Elbert Hubbard, American author
The Real Bev
>
> After reading all the posts about ground covers, I am seriously considering
> doing some landscaping to eliminate some of the lawn. I get tired trimming
> everything. What have you found to be the easiest to maintain and get
> started for ground cover?
Algerian ivy. You will have to hack back the edges every once in a while
unless you want it to cover your house and car, but the wood is really cheesy
and easy to cut and you can stuff an amazing amount of ivy clippings into a
garbage can.
Best of all, the roots are pretty shallow and it's not all that hard to dig up
when you get sick of it and want something else.
Dennis
I'd like to know your secret then, cause my experience (and the
experience of my neighbors and family) is very different.
Dennis
<bas...@myrealbox.com> wrote:
>OTOH, you can go for a short walk and pick more blackberries than you can eat
>before they mold. There are compensations...
The fruit of blackberries doesn't quite cover the problems they cause.
I'd much rather buy the fruit and not have the vines growing
everywhere.
The Real Bev
>
> <bas...@myrealbox.com> wrote:
>
> >OTOH, you can go for a short walk and pick more blackberries than you can eat
> >before they mold. There are compensations...
>
> The fruit of blackberries doesn't quite cover the problems they cause.
> I'd much rather buy the fruit and not have the vines growing
> everywhere.
When you can get them here, blackberries are several dollars per cupful. The
vines make excellent security fences. You just don't appreciate what you
have!
--
Cheers,
Bev
-------------------------------------------------------------
"We've got some stupid people out there. This morning, I woke
up in a bathtub filled with ice and I had an extra kidney."
Dennis
<bas...@myrealbox.com> wrote:
>Dennis wrote:
>>
>> <bas...@myrealbox.com> wrote:
>>
>> >OTOH, you can go for a short walk and pick more blackberries than you can eat
>> >before they mold. There are compensations...
>>
>> The fruit of blackberries doesn't quite cover the problems they cause.
>> I'd much rather buy the fruit and not have the vines growing
>> everywhere.
>
>When you can get them here, blackberries are several dollars per cupful. The
>vines make excellent security fences. You just don't appreciate what you
>have!
And you haven't done battle with a rogue blackberry thicket that is
taking over your property. I'm talking a tangle so big and so dense
that it stops a 4WD diesel tractor in it's tracks. Been there, done
that, have the scars.
Lou
>
>
> Lou wrote:
>
> > "me" <ka...@charter.net> wrote in message
> > news:tSBAe.39738$B_3....@fe05.lga...
> >
> >>Lawns aren't frugal. We've completely landscaped our yard, front and
> >>back, with low maintenance plants and mulch. Neighbors have drip
> >>irrigation which cuts way down on water and labor. Takes me less time
> >>to maintain the yard than it ever did to mow and water lawn. And it
> >>looks nicer.
> >>
> >
> > Well, I've landscaped most of my lot, and purposely did it with an eye
> > toward minimal maintenance. It's easy to care for, and looks great.
But it
> > isn't well suited to the uses of an average family. If you want a place
> > where the kids can play ball, or you're a croquet freak, nothing beats a
> > lawn.
>
> There's a park down the street for that.
Maybe thee is, and maybe there isn't. Maybe your kids are too young to go
down the street unaccompanied by an adult. I didn't say there were never
any other choices, I said that if what you want on your lot is a place to
play croquet (or whatever), you probably want a lawn. And that a real nice
lawn can cost less than real nice landscaping. Not that it must, but that
it easily can.
> > As for frugality, what it cost me to landscape the place would have kept
a
> > lush lawn in fertilizer and water and mowed by a service for the rest of
my
> > life. (Ok, part of the deal was a swimming pool, that admittedly skews
the
> > equation.)
>
> Ornamental edibles, cuttings from friends and neighbors, propagating
> your own, recycling in a compost bin, etc... It doesn't have to cost a
> fortune.
No, it doesn't, again depending on what you want, and how much of the heavy
work you do yourself and how much you hire out, and just how little
maintennance you want to commit to. However, 'landscaping" isn't just
planting a bunch of stuff wherever you can find room. It's considering what
you want to use your lot for, consideration of the contraints and advantages
of your location, designing something that will meet your requirements
within those constraints, and putting it all together. At the end of it
all, if you do it right, you'll be using every square inch of your land.
Maybe it'll be to grow food. Maybe it'll be to produce beauty. Maybe both.
Things like bricks and gravel, mulch, a few mature plantings to anchor it
until 10 years down the road when your cuttings have finally grown to a
reasonable size, cost money. Putting together a patio or deck takes
materials and labor.
An illustration. I have a small driveway - about two cars long and two cars
wide. When I bought the place, it was gravel. Looked OK the first year,
then stuff started growing through it. Compaction produced ruts. The
gravel gradually over the years sunk into the ground and had to be renewed.
And in the winter, it was tough to clear the snow and all summer long you'd
be flinging bits of stone from the lawn back into the driveway.
Several years ago, I decided I'd had enough, I wanted the thing paved. Got
three estimates - two for asphalt and one for concrete. All three were in
the neighborhood of five grand. Gulped and said that was too much, lived
with it another three years. Finally decided I wanted a hard surface.
Didn't want concrete or asphalt - they're both impervious and increase
runoff, so settled on pavers. Took a crew of 3 -5 guys about a week to do
it - they dug it out a couple of feet, laid gravel and sand for a base, laid
the pavers, brushed in the sand. They used machinery I wouldn't have access
to - small bulldozer to dig it out, gas powered tampers, big truck to
deliver the materials, haul away the waste. I don't even want to think
about what it cost, but it looks great and clearing the snow is a breeze.
Could I have done it by hand? Eventually, I suppose, working all summer. I
know it wouldn't look so good - I did a brick patio myself in my previous
house. Just by way of comparison, a buddy of mine at work built a paver
patio this year - did all the work himself. He had 25 TONS of materials
delivered, and moved it all by hand, shovel by shovel, brick by brick. And
at that, he got off lightly - the heaviest thing the patio has to support is
a picnic table - the foundation he dug out and laid doesn't have to support
a couple of cars and an occasional delivery truck.
Lou
Pennsylvania is a big state. I live in the Philadelphia area (in New
Jersey) and the microclimate on one side of my house is very different from
that on the opposite side, while in the back near the house it get hot
enough to fry a cactus.
If the directions on the bag say to plant in the spring or fall, you'd be
wasting your time and money to plant it in my neighborhood right now. You
might just as well go outside with some money and just throw it away.
Lou
I've never had a gas powered mower - every one I've owned has been electric.
But a few years ago, I realized I was spending as much time managing the
cord as I was actually cutting the grass (flower beds, trees and shrubs kept
getting in the way). I went to Sears and bought a battery powered electric
mulching mower. Compared to some of the big gas powered mowers, it's
somewhat small and underpowered, but for a suburban lot, it works well, and
you're not limited by cord length and outlet placement.
Janie
"Lou" <lpogoda...@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:j_Cdnbn5l6f...@comcast.com...
So if I don't plant grass until fall, how can I keep weeds from taking over
the bare area? I cut whatever does pop up back there but I keep noticing
more. Should I put something like straw over the ground until I'm ready to
plant?
Yep, PA is big. I am on the Pittsburgh end of the state and not too far
from there. The back yard faces west and has no shade since the trees had
to be removed due to new power lines that run across the back of my lot.
Once I get some grass back there then I will focus on adding some plants,
trees, shrubs, etc. All has to be low maintainance since I have to do all
the upkeep by myself and I'm approaching 60.
>
>
The Real Bev
>
> <bas...@myrealbox.com> wrote:
>
> >Dennis wrote:
> >>
> >> <bas...@myrealbox.com> wrote:
> >>
> >> >OTOH, you can go for a short walk and pick more blackberries than you can eat
> >> >before they mold. There are compensations...
> >>
> >> The fruit of blackberries doesn't quite cover the problems they cause.
> >> I'd much rather buy the fruit and not have the vines growing
> >> everywhere.
> >
> >When you can get them here, blackberries are several dollars per cupful. The
> >vines make excellent security fences. You just don't appreciate what you
> >have!
>
> And you haven't done battle with a rogue blackberry thicket that is
> taking over your property. I'm talking a tangle so big and so dense
> that it stops a 4WD diesel tractor in it's tracks. Been there, done
> that, have the scars.
A friend has boysenberry (those are the long ones, right?) vines. She thinks
they're worth the trouble to keep them from killing the garage.
Dennis
> Dennis wrote:
>
> > Maybe you consider weeding a form of recreation?
>
> No. It just doesn't take that long. It's a lot quicker than mowing a lawn.
>
> > I know that I would
> > much rather spend 45 minutes doing laps on the lawn tractor once a
> > week for half of the year than the constant, ongoing battle to try to
> > keep the wild grasses and weeds out of the flower beds or the
> > vegetable garden.
>
> But I don't spend 45 minutes a week weeding. And, when I do weed, I'm
> not polluting the air or smelling gasoline.
>
> > And looking at our yard -- which has all three
> > types of features -- my bias shows all too clearly! :-)
>
> Depends on what you plant and how you plant it.
It occured to me that we are probably talking about vastly different
scales here. How much area does your landscaping cover?
Dennis (evil)
Dennis
>"Dennis" <dg...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>news:19kad15qgaad9scrr...@4ax.com...
>> Now see, my experience is different here, too. We also have raised
>> beds in the garden. I put down mulch on the paths (a layer of sheets
>> of old cardboard, covered with 3-4 inches of wood and bark chips), yet
>> I spend more time than I like each weekend pulling weeds and grass
>> that grows up in the paths. And it just keeps coming. WTF?
>
>I've never lived in your climate, but here in the Midwest you'd probably
>need black plastic under that mulch instead of the cardboard. Regular
>applications of Roundup should go a long way toward taking care of the
>problem, too.
I tried black plastic once in a similar situation, but did not like it
because it a) didn't let the water through and b) eventually broke
down into shards that neither fully decomposed nor lent themselves to
easy removal. Big mess! And my wife is against using herbicides in
the vegetable beds.
Never had much luck with landscape fabric, either.
The cardboard actually does a fair job of stopping most of the weeds
and grasses from pushing up through the mulch but of course, there are
the edges and inevitable seams. And the local weeds seem happy to
start right in the loose mulch layer, too. At least the cardboard
eventually breaks down enough to just till it in.
OK, I know that some weeds are inevitable, especially in this climate.
I'm just saying that IME, it's much easier to mow my grass once a week
(I don't edge, fertilize, amend, reseed or weed my lawn, and seldom
water it) than to keep up with the (living) landscape alternatives
that I've encountered.
Dennis (evil)
--
What the government gives, it must first take.
me
Dennis wrote:
Area isn't the issue. It's what you do with it. That said, I have the
exact same lot size I had when I had lawn. I spend less time doing
maintenance now than I did then. That is the test.
me
Lou wrote:
> "me" <ka...@charter.net> wrote in message
> news:DBQAe.2766$wG5...@fe03.lga...
>
>>
>>Lou wrote:
>>
>>
>>>"me" <ka...@charter.net> wrote in message
>>>news:tSBAe.39738$B_3....@fe05.lga...
>>>
>>>
>>>>Lawns aren't frugal. We've completely landscaped our yard, front and
>>>>back, with low maintenance plants and mulch. Neighbors have drip
>>>>irrigation which cuts way down on water and labor. Takes me less time
>>>>to maintain the yard than it ever did to mow and water lawn. And it
>>>>looks nicer.
>>>>
>>>
>>>Well, I've landscaped most of my lot, and purposely did it with an eye
>>>toward minimal maintenance. It's easy to care for, and looks great.
>
> But it
>
>>>isn't well suited to the uses of an average family. If you want a place
>>>where the kids can play ball, or you're a croquet freak, nothing beats a
>>>lawn.
>>
>>There's a park down the street for that.
>
>
> Maybe thee is, and maybe there isn't. Maybe your kids are too young to go
> down the street unaccompanied by an adult. I didn't say there were never
> any other choices, I said that if what you want on your lot is a place to
> play croquet (or whatever), you probably want a lawn. And that a real nice
> lawn can cost less than real nice landscaping. Not that it must, but that
> it easily can.
Yes, it can. But, then, my real nice landscaping doesn't turn brown if
I don't pour tons of water on every square foot of it. We're talking
frugality in terms of cost, enrvironment, and time. And you can buy a
lot of plants and seeds for what a lawnmower costs.
>>Ornamental edibles, cuttings from friends and neighbors, propagating
>>your own, recycling in a compost bin, etc... It doesn't have to cost a
>>fortune.
>
>
> No, it doesn't, again depending on what you want, and how much of the heavy
> work you do yourself and how much you hire out, and just how little
> maintennance you want to commit to. However, 'landscaping" isn't just
> planting a bunch of stuff wherever you can find room. It's considering what
> you want to use your lot for, consideration of the contraints and advantages
> of your location, designing something that will meet your requirements
> within those constraints, and putting it all together. At the end of it
> all, if you do it right, you'll be using every square inch of your land.
> Maybe it'll be to grow food. Maybe it'll be to produce beauty. Maybe both.
>
> Things like bricks and gravel, mulch, a few mature plantings to anchor it
> until 10 years down the road when your cuttings have finally grown to a
> reasonable size, cost money.
Pea gravel is $20 a yard. Mulch is even less.
> Putting together a patio or deck takes
> materials and labor.
I put together a large stone patio for about $300.
I'm not talking about making a cement yard. I was just talking about
plants versus lawn.
me
Dennis wrote:
That might be part of your problem. Your lawn and it's inhabitants are
probably travelling. Before our neighbors finished their landscaping,
some of their weeds would travel. Now that they are done, we have fewer
weeds.
me
Dennis wrote:
No secret. I just read and do.
Dennis
wrote:
>I used gravel for our main vegetable garden paths. The garden consists
>of raised beds and greenhouse. I have no regrets. The paths are
>virtually maintenance free!
Now see, my experience is different here, too. We also have raised
beds in the garden. I put down mulch on the paths (a layer of sheets
of old cardboard, covered with 3-4 inches of wood and bark chips), yet
I spend more time than I like each weekend pulling weeds and grass
that grows up in the paths. And it just keeps coming. WTF?
Dennis (evil)
--
The honest man is the one who realizes that he cannot
consume more, in his lifetime, than he produces.
The Real Bev
>
> On Wed, 13 Jul 2005 12:37:03 -0400, Serendipity <goa...@spammers.com>
> wrote:
>
> >I used gravel for our main vegetable garden paths. The garden consists
> >of raised beds and greenhouse. I have no regrets. The paths are
> >virtually maintenance free!
>
> Now see, my experience is different here, too. We also have raised
> beds in the garden. I put down mulch on the paths (a layer of sheets
> of old cardboard, covered with 3-4 inches of wood and bark chips), yet
> I spend more time than I like each weekend pulling weeds and grass
> that grows up in the paths. And it just keeps coming. WTF?
I have ice plant out in the front parking strip. Nice flowers sometimes,
doesn't need much water, and you only have to hack the edges back every once
in a while. The big problem is the goddam stupid city-planted magnolia tree
in the middle. If you had a lawn you could easily rake the damn things away,
but the ice plant clutches those big leathery leaves with a death grip. You
can blow some of them away with an electric blower and you can blast some of
them away with a garden-hose blaster nozzle, but most of them you have to pick
out by hand and there are always more dropping down when your back is turned.
A vengeful god gave us magnolia trees. Bastard has a lot to answer for.
--
Cheers,
Bev
0101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010
Q. What's the difference between Batman and Bill Gates?
A. When Batman fought the Penguin, he won.
-- J. Levine
Dennis
<bas...@myrealbox.com> wrote:
>Dennis wrote:
>>
>> <bas...@myrealbox.com> wrote:
>>
>> >Dennis wrote:
>> >>
>> >> <bas...@myrealbox.com> wrote:
>> >>
>> >> >OTOH, you can go for a short walk and pick more blackberries than you can eat
>> >> >before they mold. There are compensations...
>> >>
>> >> The fruit of blackberries doesn't quite cover the problems they cause.
>> >> I'd much rather buy the fruit and not have the vines growing
>> >> everywhere.
>> >
>> >When you can get them here, blackberries are several dollars per cupful. The
>> >vines make excellent security fences. You just don't appreciate what you
>> >have!
>>
>> And you haven't done battle with a rogue blackberry thicket that is
>> taking over your property. I'm talking a tangle so big and so dense
>> that it stops a 4WD diesel tractor in it's tracks. Been there, done
>> that, have the scars.
>
>A friend has boysenberry (those are the long ones, right?) vines. She thinks
>they're worth the trouble to keep them from killing the garage.
Sure, we even planted raspberries, marion berries and some other type,
maybe boysenberries, in our garden and they are reasonably
well-mannered and polite. The wild Himalayan blackberries are another
creature altogether. They are evil, scheming and treacherous and you
can't turn your back on one for a moment. The only good one is a dead
one.
Serendipity
Exactly! I'm thinking of tearing up our front yard grass and planting
wildflowers. Grass is useless if you ask me. The less I have of it,
the better!
>
>>> Ornamental edibles, cuttings from friends and neighbors, propagating
>>> your own, recycling in a compost bin, etc... It doesn't have to cost a
>>> fortune.
>>
>>
>>
>> No, it doesn't, again depending on what you want, and how much of the
>> heavy
>> work you do yourself and how much you hire out, and just how little
>> maintennance you want to commit to. However, 'landscaping" isn't just
>> planting a bunch of stuff wherever you can find room. It's
>> considering what
>> you want to use your lot for, consideration of the contraints and
>> advantages
>> of your location, designing something that will meet your requirements
>> within those constraints, and putting it all together. At the end of it
>> all, if you do it right, you'll be using every square inch of your land.
>> Maybe it'll be to grow food. Maybe it'll be to produce beauty. Maybe
>> both.
>>
>> Things like bricks and gravel, mulch, a few mature plantings to anchor it
>> until 10 years down the road when your cuttings have finally grown to a
>> reasonable size, cost money.
>
>
> Pea gravel is $20 a yard. Mulch is even less.
I used gravel for our main vegetable garden paths. The garden consists
of raised beds and greenhouse. I have no regrets. The paths are
virtually maintenance free!
>
Chloe
> wrote:
>
> Now see, my experience is different here, too. We also have raised
> beds in the garden. I put down mulch on the paths (a layer of sheets
> of old cardboard, covered with 3-4 inches of wood and bark chips), yet
> I spend more time than I like each weekend pulling weeds and grass
> that grows up in the paths. And it just keeps coming. WTF?
I've never lived in your climate, but here in the Midwest you'd probably
Dennis
Yeah, sure, whatever. With your trite replies and refusal to provide
any details, obviously your magnificent landscaping allows you time
enough to troll.
Lou
>
>
> I'm not talking about making a cement yard. I was just talking about
> plants versus lawn.
I'm not either - just a patio area large enough to hold a couple of chairs,
a table, and a grill, with enough room to move around comfortably.
Lou
Cover the area with a sheet of black plastic. From your description,
planting grass right now wouldn't keep weeds from taking over the area
anyway.
> Yep, PA is big. I am on the Pittsburgh end of the state and not too far
> from there. The back yard faces west and has no shade since the trees
had
> to be removed due to new power lines that run across the back of my lot.
> Once I get some grass back there then I will focus on adding some plants,
> trees, shrubs, etc. All has to be low maintainance since I have to do all
> the upkeep by myself and I'm approaching 60.
I don't know how big your lawn is, but for myself, I spend about 20 minutes
a week cutting the grass during the season. If the whole lot was lawn, it
might take 45 minutes - at any rate, that's what my neighbors seem to spend,
time-wise.
It's not a big deal as far as I'm concerned. Considering the reflexive
disapprobation expressed here concerning lawns, I hesitate to admit it, but
within reason I LIKE mowing the lawn. It's a nice brisk walk and when it's
done there's something to show for it, and as far as I'm concerned it beats
going for an aimless walk or a jog simply for the sake of exercise. I've
been considering offering to do one or two of the neighbors' lawns - older
people who don't cut their own anyway, but hire a service to do it.
Serendipity
> On Wed, 13 Jul 2005 17:50:40 GMT, "Chloe" <just...@spam.com> wrote:
>
>
>>"Dennis" <dg...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>>news:19kad15qgaad9scrr...@4ax.com...
>>
>>>Now see, my experience is different here, too. We also have raised
>>>beds in the garden. I put down mulch on the paths (a layer of sheets
>>>of old cardboard, covered with 3-4 inches of wood and bark chips), yet
>>>I spend more time than I like each weekend pulling weeds and grass
>>>that grows up in the paths. And it just keeps coming. WTF?
>>
>>I've never lived in your climate, but here in the Midwest you'd probably
>>need black plastic under that mulch instead of the cardboard. Regular
>>applications of Roundup should go a long way toward taking care of the
>>problem, too.
>
>
> I tried black plastic once in a similar situation, but did not like it
> because it a) didn't let the water through and b) eventually broke
> down into shards that neither fully decomposed nor lent themselves to
> easy removal. Big mess! And my wife is against using herbicides in
> the vegetable beds.
I'm against any type of chemical usage in the gardens unless there is
absolutely no alternative. Weed control is by pulling, torching, or a
vinegar/salt solution (on the pathways). I have raised veggie beds. I
never spend a lot of time weeding. Each morning as I go through the
beds, I pull whatever weeds I find. These are few and takes all of
about 5 min. I treat the pathways only when the weeds get bad. That
happens 3 - 5 times a growing season.
>
> Never had much luck with landscape fabric, either.
>
Landscape fabric is just an invite for weeds ;) I found newspaper under
the gravel or mulch works pretty good.
> The cardboard actually does a fair job of stopping most of the weeds
> and grasses from pushing up through the mulch but of course, there are
> the edges and inevitable seams. And the local weeds seem happy to
> start right in the loose mulch layer, too. At least the cardboard
> eventually breaks down enough to just till it in.
>
> OK, I know that some weeds are inevitable, especially in this climate.
> I'm just saying that IME, it's much easier to mow my grass once a week
> (I don't edge, fertilize, amend, reseed or weed my lawn, and seldom
> water it) than to keep up with the (living) landscape alternatives
> that I've encountered.
Our main lot is 175' deep followed by an easement then another 54' deep.
Trust me, I would do anything not to have to mow! Last year about 1/3
of the back yard was converted to low maintenance veggie gardening with
raised beds, greenhouse, and gravel paths. I use the square foot garden
method to maximize the production. Maintenance includes successive
plantings, harvesting, the occasional weeding, and watering. I aim to
turn another 1/3 this year into something that doesn't need to be mowed.
As far as the flower beds, I have them crowded enough a weed wouldn't
have a chance :)
>
> Dennis (evil)
Serendipity
> Dennis wrote:
>
>>On Wed, 13 Jul 2005 12:37:03 -0400, Serendipity <goa...@spammers.com>
>>wrote:
>>
>>
>>>I used gravel for our main vegetable garden paths. The garden consists
>>>of raised beds and greenhouse. I have no regrets. The paths are
>>>virtually maintenance free!
>>
>>Now see, my experience is different here, too. We also have raised
>>beds in the garden. I put down mulch on the paths (a layer of sheets
>>of old cardboard, covered with 3-4 inches of wood and bark chips), yet
>>I spend more time than I like each weekend pulling weeds and grass
>>that grows up in the paths. And it just keeps coming. WTF?
>
>
> I have ice plant out in the front parking strip. Nice flowers sometimes,
> doesn't need much water, and you only have to hack the edges back every once
> in a while. The big problem is the goddam stupid city-planted magnolia tree
> in the middle. If you had a lawn you could easily rake the damn things away,
> but the ice plant clutches those big leathery leaves with a death grip. You
> can blow some of them away with an electric blower and you can blast some of
> them away with a garden-hose blaster nozzle, but most of them you have to pick
> out by hand and there are always more dropping down when your back is turned.
>
> A vengeful god gave us magnolia trees. Bastard has a lot to answer for.
>
I'm thinking you need a nice cup of chamomile tea and chill just a bit.
Your last few posts are coming off as rather bitter which I'm sure you
don't mean them to. Have a great day.
Dennis
wrote:
Ok, that sounds closer to my experience. You probably find it a
relaxing diversion and don't consider the weeding at that level a
burden (lots of people feel the same way, sometimes even me :-). But
(to get back to the original point) when you add it up, that 5 (maybe
sometimes 10) minutes on a regular basis adds up. It doesn't take
much of this to equal or exceed the 45 minutes I spend mowing my 3/4
acre of grass each week. And given the choice of the two, I'd pick
driving the lawn mower. That's all I'm saying.
>> Never had much luck with landscape fabric, either.
>>
>
>Landscape fabric is just an invite for weeds ;) I found newspaper under
>the gravel or mulch works pretty good.
We use newspaper sometimes too, but one day it occured to me that 1)
we needed something substantial yet biodegradable to put under the
mulch and 2) we seem to accumulate huge amounts of cardboard that must
be broken down and hauled to the recycling center, so ...
>
>> The cardboard actually does a fair job of stopping most of the weeds
>> and grasses from pushing up through the mulch but of course, there are
>> the edges and inevitable seams. And the local weeds seem happy to
>> start right in the loose mulch layer, too. At least the cardboard
>> eventually breaks down enough to just till it in.
>>
>> OK, I know that some weeds are inevitable, especially in this climate.
>> I'm just saying that IME, it's much easier to mow my grass once a week
>> (I don't edge, fertilize, amend, reseed or weed my lawn, and seldom
>> water it) than to keep up with the (living) landscape alternatives
>> that I've encountered.
>
>Our main lot is 175' deep followed by an easement then another 54' deep.
> Trust me, I would do anything not to have to mow! Last year about 1/3
>of the back yard was converted to low maintenance veggie gardening with
>raised beds, greenhouse, and gravel paths. I use the square foot garden
>method to maximize the production. Maintenance includes successive
>plantings, harvesting, the occasional weeding, and watering. I aim to
>turn another 1/3 this year into something that doesn't need to be mowed.
> As far as the flower beds, I have them crowded enough a weed wouldn't
>have a chance :)
We live on 30 acres. About 3/4 acre immediately adjacent to the house
is in lawn that we mow once a week about half of the year (with
assorted flower beds and fruit trees interspersed). We're not talking
golf course here, rather, country farm house yard with lots of clover,
dandelions and the occasional mole mound. Another 2 acres or so are
partly cleared and I keep them as a "meadow" by going over them about
once a month with my tractor and brushhog mower. There is a garden
spot with eight 4'x8' cedar raised beds and mulched paths and another
approx. 40' x 75' open patch that we rototill each spring. The rest
is forest (tree farm), with access trails that must be regularly
cleared of brush, blackberries and grass with the tractor. By far,
the easiest parts to maintain of all these varied areas are the parts
with grass that I can mow with machinery!
The Real Bev
> I'm against any type of chemical usage in the gardens unless there is
> absolutely no alternative. Weed control is by pulling, torching, or a
> vinegar/salt solution (on the pathways). I have raised veggie beds. I
> never spend a lot of time weeding. Each morning as I go through the
> beds, I pull whatever weeds I find. These are few and takes all of
> about 5 min. I treat the pathways only when the weeds get bad. That
> happens 3 - 5 times a growing season.
I have kikuyu grass (normally considered a weed, but it's not all that bad) in
the front yard, although the flower and succulent "beds" are slowly
encroaching. The grass is infested with burclover and burweed. Ordinarily I
am willing to encourage anything green to grow there, but those two weeds
produce painful seeds. I spent several springs and summers virtuously
hand-pulling these things. I could do maybe a thousand at a time before my
fingers got sore.
This year I bought chemical weed killer. 2-4-D. Miracle stuff. I'm going to
use it again next year too because some of the little nasties set seed before
I killed them all.
If anybody wants to keep me from poisoning the environment by stopping by my
house and spending an hour a day weeding, I'll provide soft drinks and the
occasional "Hey, thanks". Any takers?
> Landscape fabric is just an invite for weeds ;) I found newspaper under
> the gravel or mulch works pretty good.
In the far back yard we put up one of those little metal sheds. For a floor
we put down black plastic and on top of that roll roofing. We keep the door
closed. Some weeds still manage to make their way up through the flooring.
Think of the Alien bursting through the chest of the victim, but with no
blood.
--
Cheers, Bev
=============================================================
My house isn't a pigsty, it's an Immunity Enhancement Center.
The Real Bev
>
> The Real Bev wrote:
> > I have ice plant out in the front parking strip. Nice flowers sometimes,
> > doesn't need much water, and you only have to hack the edges back every once
> > in a while. The big problem is the goddam stupid city-planted magnolia tree
> > in the middle. If you had a lawn you could easily rake the damn things away,
> > but the ice plant clutches those big leathery leaves with a death grip. You
> > can blow some of them away with an electric blower and you can blast some of
> > them away with a garden-hose blaster nozzle, but most of them you have to pick
> > out by hand and there are always more dropping down when your back is turned.
> >
> > A vengeful god gave us magnolia trees. Bastard has a lot to answer for.
> >
> I'm thinking you need a nice cup of chamomile tea and chill just a bit.
> Your last few posts are coming off as rather bitter which I'm sure you
> don't mean them to. Have a great day.
"Please hassle me, I thrive on stress." I have a t-shirt that says that. I
wish I could find it.
TonyB
> Dennis wrote:
>
>> On Wed, 13 Jul 2005 17:50:40 GMT, "Chloe" <just...@spam.com> wrote:
>>
>>
>>> "Dennis" <dg...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>>> news:19kad15qgaad9scrr...@4ax.com...
>>>
>>>> Now see, my experience is different here, too. We also have raised
>>>> beds in the garden. I put down mulch on the paths (a layer of
>>>> sheets of old cardboard, covered with 3-4 inches of wood and bark
>>>> chips), yet I spend more time than I like each weekend pulling
>>>> weeds and grass that grows up in the paths. And it just keeps
>>>> coming. WTF?
>>>
>>> I've never lived in your climate, but here in the Midwest you'd
>>> probably need black plastic under that mulch instead of the
>>> cardboard. Regular applications of Roundup should go a long way
>>> toward taking care of the problem, too.
>>
>>
>> I tried black plastic once in a similar situation, but did not like
>> it because it a) didn't let the water through and b) eventually broke
>> down into shards that neither fully decomposed nor lent themselves to
>> easy removal. Big mess! And my wife is against using herbicides in
>> the vegetable beds.
>
> I'm against any type of chemical usage in the gardens unless there is
> absolutely no alternative. Weed control is by pulling, torching, or a
> vinegar/salt solution (on the pathways).
Those are chemicals, stupid.
~patches~
> Serendipity wrote:
>
>
>>I'm against any type of chemical usage in the gardens unless there is
>>absolutely no alternative. Weed control is by pulling, torching, or a
>>vinegar/salt solution (on the pathways). I have raised veggie beds. I
>>never spend a lot of time weeding. Each morning as I go through the
>>beds, I pull whatever weeds I find. These are few and takes all of
>>about 5 min. I treat the pathways only when the weeds get bad. That
>>happens 3 - 5 times a growing season.
>
>
> I have kikuyu grass (normally considered a weed, but it's not all that bad) in
> the front yard, although the flower and succulent "beds" are slowly
> encroaching. The grass is infested with burclover and burweed. Ordinarily I
> am willing to encourage anything green to grow there, but those two weeds
> produce painful seeds. I spent several springs and summers virtuously
> hand-pulling these things. I could do maybe a thousand at a time before my
> fingers got sore.
>
> This year I bought chemical weed killer. 2-4-D. Miracle stuff. I'm going to
> use it again next year too because some of the little nasties set seed before
> I killed them all.
>
> If anybody wants to keep me from poisoning the environment by stopping by my
> house and spending an hour a day weeding, I'll provide soft drinks and the
> occasional "Hey, thanks". Any takers?
Hey, to each their own. But if you were to affect my water, I'd be
rather vocal and I sure as hell wouldn't be pacified with soft drinks!
Serendipity
> Serendipity wrote:
>
>>The Real Bev wrote:
>>
>>>I have ice plant out in the front parking strip. Nice flowers sometimes,
>>>doesn't need much water, and you only have to hack the edges back every once
>>>in a while. The big problem is the goddam stupid city-planted magnolia tree
>>>in the middle. If you had a lawn you could easily rake the damn things away,
>>>but the ice plant clutches those big leathery leaves with a death grip. You
>>>can blow some of them away with an electric blower and you can blast some of
>>>them away with a garden-hose blaster nozzle, but most of them you have to pick
>>>out by hand and there are always more dropping down when your back is turned.
>>>
>>>A vengeful god gave us magnolia trees. Bastard has a lot to answer for.
>>>
>>
>>I'm thinking you need a nice cup of chamomile tea and chill just a bit.
>>Your last few posts are coming off as rather bitter which I'm sure you
>>don't mean them to. Have a great day.
>
>
> "Please hassle me, I thrive on stress." I have a t-shirt that says that. I
> wish I could find it.
>
No need to hassle you, you're doing a fine job of hassling yourself :)
Perhaps you need a nice dose of anti-bitch pills :)
Chloe
news:11ddl13...@corp.supernews.com...
>>
> No need to hassle you, you're doing a fine job of hassling yourself :)
> Perhaps you need a nice dose of anti-bitch pills :)
Oh, brother. Here we go again.
DrLith
> "Please hassle me, I thrive on stress." I have a t-shirt that says that. I
> wish I could find it.
Probably packed up in a box with the egg-men.
The Real Bev
Nope, I've seen it more recently than the egg people. If I ever find them,
though, I just found a nice chunk of amethyst they can look at...
--
Cheers,
Bev
----------------------------------------------------------
"When I was in college, the only job I could get was
shitting on people's lawns. Sure, the owners complained,
but it was honest work and it kept me off welfare..."
-- M. Tabnik in mcfl (paraphrased)
Nicole H
"The Real Bev" <bas...@myrealbox.com> wrote in message
news:42D3440D...@myrealbox.com...
> Nicole H wrote:
> >
> > any grass seed that your stir up, you're also stirring up all those
dormant
> > weed seeds. you really shouldn't be digging up the whole area... you're
> > just asking for weeds
>
> You might try some pre-emergence weed killer. I used some last year, but
I
> may have used too little too late. Some other stuff (2-4D of some
variety)
> seems to have got them though. Next year I spray that stuff EARLY.
>
> --
> Cheers,
> Bev
> =========================================================
> "If you watch TV news, you know less about the world than
> if you just drank gin straight from the bottle."
> - Garrison Keillor
The Real Bev
>
> You can't put grass seed down and use pre-emergent at the same time.
True. My understanding was that it might be a good thing to kill the weed
seeds now and then plant grass when the effects of the seed-killer had worn
off.
> "The Real Bev" <bas...@myrealbox.com> wrote:
> > Nicole H wrote:
> > >
> > > any grass seed that your stir up, you're also stirring up all those dormant
> > > weed seeds. you really shouldn't be digging up the whole area... you're
> > > just asking for weeds
> >
> > You might try some pre-emergence weed killer. I used some last year, but
> > I may have used too little too late. Some other stuff (2-4D of some variety)
> > seems to have got them though. Next year I spray that stuff EARLY.
--
Cheers, Bev
=================================================================
"A stupid person is a person who causes losses to another person
or to a group of persons while himself deriving no gain and even
possibly incurring losses." -- C.M.Cipolla
Nicole H
spray, repeat. Round Up is very safe.
then plant grass seed. that's what we recommended at the extension office.
pre-emergent usually lasts for many months. i'm going to try corn gluten
meal this january....
"The Real Bev" <bas...@myrealbox.com> wrote in message
news:42D8602B...@myrealbox.com...