I hate yard work. Call me lazy, but even when I have the time, I do not have the inclination. We’ve had our current home for about two years, and the gardens are completely overgrown after my half-hearted efforts.
The front yard is a postage stamp, so the house looks OK from the curb; it’s no big deal to keep ahead of that. But there’s a secret jungle lurking in the back.
Essentially, my goal is to avoid getting out there every week to weed and mow. Monthly would be great. Here’s what I’ve gathered so far online:
– A low-growing grass might be a better alternative. People seem to like fescues, though some prefer broadleafs like clover. I don’t mind it looking unkempt, as long as I can let it go for a few weeks and still successfully mow it. Whatever species I use must outcompete most weeds.
– I think I’ll mulch along my fences and around my shed, although some sort of hardscaping might be a better idea. I’ll make sweeping curves to avoid mowing 90* corners. Then I can set aside a couple days each year to renew my mulch, and pluck the weeds periodically throughout the summer.
– I’m thinking of building some sort of patio behind the house, instead of the earth/gravel/asphalt/weed conglomeration I have right now. There apparently was an asphalt patio there once, but nature reclaimed it before we bought the house. I’m never sure whether to mow it or pull the weeds, although I really should have been spraying Roundup.
I might be on the right track here, but any input would be appreciated.
Replies
Yeah- it's called concrete.
Large plantings of wildflowers, mounds with prairie grasses and flowers, shrubs and mulch.
Move to the southwest...I don't even own a lawnmower anymore!
I really like the simple desert look.Is that 3/8" pea gravel I see? That can be an acceptable play area for kids, just watch out for the cactus. What do you use for a weed barrier under the gravel?
It's actually 3/8 minus gravel. It's called Apache Pink, but it's more of a red/brown. The stones themselves are coarse but small enough that they give under you a bit, so it's tolerable barefoot. We don't have any kids, so that's not really an issue for us.
Actually we don't use weed barrier here. I think the soil's so dry that only a few species of weed(mostly tumbleweed) proliferate, and that's primarily on bare soil. In some of the neglected common areas of my community, weeds are common wherever the gravel is lacking.
In my own front and back yard, the only undesirable growths I get is the occasional weird mushroom.
Oh, and the dog poop seems to multiply like crazy.
I found a trick that I used this summer. The less I watered my lawn, the less I had to mow it.
This worked fine for about 6 weeks.
Now, I don't have to mow it at all.
That's the root of the problem. Most years we get enough natural rainfall, here, that weekly mowing is barely enough to keep it looking kempt. I grew up mowing twice a week, and not because my folks were particular about the lawn. I don't do a damn thing with the lawn, and every square inch is beyond thriving. I read about xeriscaping and tricks to keeping the lawn alive, and I just shake my head. Maybe I should throw tarps over the lawn every other week. :PEdit: I should add that the lawn is 40% "other" plant species at this point. I couldn't care less as long as it is green, and not thistles. So when I say is thriving, I mean that is all alive.
Edited 10/5/2008 7:43 pm ET by Biff_Loman
No Mow Lawn Seed:
http://www.prairienursery.com/store/index.php?cPath=11&main_page=index
Move to the sandhills of North Carolina. I just cut my grass for the fourth time this calendar year -- probably won't have to do it but once more before Easter.
And make sure when yo move that you buy a house with centipede grass in the yard -- the stuff seems to grow primarily sideways.
You can lower your maintenance of your yard but you will have to work harder up front to get it that way. And more $.
You can't have it both ways. If you don't invest up front you will have work that is drudgery and it will look lousy.
My neighbor doesn't want to do any work in the yard. But she always says she wants more, more, more.
The last time we talked she said she'd like a pool but doesn't want to maintain it. Geesh, make up you mind! Or get a pool guy.
I think she should be in a condo.
one strategy to consider is to set your mower up high, 3-4" or so -
takes the tall growing stuff off the top and lets the grass mature and so shade and smother germinating weeds -
takes a lot less energy and leaves less mess -
myrtle is your friend.
http://michiganbulb.com/product.asp?pn=02758&sid=808870&eid=p_02758
I agree with Rez on the myrtle (vinca, perrywinkle). Supposedly crown vetch and red sedum are tough, maintenance free ground covers, but I haven't had much luck getting them established. The vetch is a legume and will add nitrogen, as will clover. I like clover, but it spreads and most people consider it a weed.
What plants you use depends on how much shade you have. Myrtle will grow in almost any condition from sun to shade, but something like pachysandra grows best in shade.
I also like low-growing yews for shady areas, and low junipers for sun, but you have to put down landscape fabric to keep out weeds, or mulch pretty heavily.
One other thing that I'd recommend is to use native species--stuff you'd find growing in your area naturally. Those plants will more easily survive in your climate without a lot of care from you. In Michigan, where I live, myrtle grows naturally in woods, so it is a good choice. Daylilies grow in drainange ditches, so they also are a good choice. Avoid invasive species like purple loosestrife.
There are many sturdy ground covers that either don't require mowing, or very seldom.
This is the brand our local nursery carries:
http://www.stepables.com/
Many are kid-tough.
Matt Garcia 1986-2008 22 yo Fairfield City Council Member, shot 09/01/08 RIP