Author Topic: Yard work/homeowner stuff thread  (Read 50711 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Re: Yard work/homeowner stuff thread
« Reply #105 on: March 01, 2018, 05:29:16 PM »

Offline Redz

  • Punner
  • Global Moderator
  • Bill Russell
  • ******************************
  • Posts: 30887
  • Tommy Points: 3765
  • Yup
I have to bury a chicken this morning.

Yup

Re: Yard work/homeowner stuff thread
« Reply #106 on: March 01, 2018, 06:40:06 PM »

Offline Jiri Welsch

  • Jim Loscutoff
  • **
  • Posts: 2935
  • Tommy Points: 349
I have to bury a chicken this morning.



RIP Chick. You were loved.

Re: Yard work/homeowner stuff thread
« Reply #107 on: March 01, 2018, 08:54:48 PM »

Offline Redz

  • Punner
  • Global Moderator
  • Bill Russell
  • ******************************
  • Posts: 30887
  • Tommy Points: 3765
  • Yup
I have to bury a chicken this morning.



RIP Chick. You were loved.

We've probably had 20 something chickens over the years.  This is the first we've given a space of honor in the woods behind our yard.  "Lucky" was the sole survivor of a gory attack on our coop a few years back.  She managed to re-integrate with a couple more groups of chickens.  Her secret was always taking the highest roost position at night.  Never the top of the pecking order, but she had a keen sense for survival.
Yup

Re: Yard work/homeowner stuff thread
« Reply #108 on: March 02, 2018, 07:52:42 AM »

Offline Surferdad

  • Cedric Maxwell
  • **************
  • Posts: 14446
  • Tommy Points: 972
  • "He fiddles...and diddles..."
Our metrowest town is classified as an "agricultural community" which means there is a low bar to having animals or starting a farm.  We could have chickens and goats pretty easily and might do something like that someday when I have the time (retirement).

Re: Yard work/homeowner stuff thread
« Reply #109 on: March 04, 2018, 12:19:26 AM »

Offline Redz

  • Punner
  • Global Moderator
  • Bill Russell
  • ******************************
  • Posts: 30887
  • Tommy Points: 3765
  • Yup
Our metrowest town is classified as an "agricultural community" which means there is a low bar to having animals or starting a farm.  We could have chickens and goats pretty easily and might do something like that someday when I have the time (retirement).

Chickens are very low maintenance, and the eggs are awesome.  Plus they chomp down all of your leftover food and turn it into more food or fertilizer, which is pretty cool.
Yup

Re: Yard work/homeowner stuff thread
« Reply #110 on: June 26, 2018, 09:28:46 AM »

Offline Surferdad

  • Cedric Maxwell
  • **************
  • Posts: 14446
  • Tommy Points: 972
  • "He fiddles...and diddles..."
NBA season is over, and the off-season speculation is a bit tiresome, so I'm reigniting this thread.

Anybody else working on their yard/garden this spring/summer?  I've spent the last two weekends planting perennials and spreading mulch on the beds.  The hard part is pulling the weeds BEFORE spreading mulch.  In some areas, I've also dug out the old mulch that has turned into ugly dirt. 

This is all backbreaking work, but at least I'm getting exercise and fresh air.  I do pay for a lawn maintenance company to do the feeding and other treatments, but I mow it myself.  We generally avoid lots of chemicals in the yard, but unfortunately we recently had to get a treatment done for gypsy moths.  I would go out in the yard and literally hear them chewing.  It sounded like a light rain.  Very disturbing.  They were threatening to chew up all our deciduous trees and we have many that are 50+ year old giants. 

Re: Yard work/homeowner stuff thread
« Reply #111 on: June 26, 2018, 09:38:37 AM »

Offline SHAQATTACK

  • James Naismith
  • *********************************
  • Posts: 36703
  • Tommy Points: 2951
finally got rid of 90% of the dollar weed overtaking my yard.

all these nights of east coast rain storms is growing a beautiful yard once again.

Re: Yard work/homeowner stuff thread
« Reply #112 on: August 05, 2018, 07:17:14 AM »

Offline Surferdad

  • Cedric Maxwell
  • **************
  • Posts: 14446
  • Tommy Points: 972
  • "He fiddles...and diddles..."
finally got rid of 90% of the dollar weed overtaking my yard.

all these nights of east coast rain storms is growing a beautiful yard once again.
Yesterday's rain, combined with predicted hot-and-sunny weather for Sunday is gonna make the yard 'pop'.  Our new plantings are grateful.  Definitely some mowing on the agenda today.

Re: Yard work/homeowner stuff thread
« Reply #113 on: September 08, 2018, 06:21:23 PM »

Online Neurotic Guy

  • Dave Cowens
  • ***********************
  • Posts: 23290
  • Tommy Points: 2501
Help!  My lawn is being overtaken by what I think is Ground Ivy.   It's possibly Mallow, but I think Ground Ivy.   Standard weed/feed fertilizer doesn't impact it; and no luck with targeted weed sprays or crabgrass spray.   It's become so pervasive that pulling is painstaking -- also, hard to know if I am getting the roots.

Any suggestions on how to eliminate?   



Re: Yard work/homeowner stuff thread
« Reply #114 on: September 08, 2018, 07:23:00 PM »

Offline arctic 3.0

  • NCE
  • Jim Loscutoff
  • **
  • Posts: 2554
  • Tommy Points: 406
Help!  My lawn is being overtaken by what I think is Ground Ivy.   It's possibly Mallow, but I think Ground Ivy.   Standard weed/feed fertilizer doesn't impact it; and no luck with targeted weed sprays or crabgrass spray.   It's become so pervasive that pulling is painstaking -- also, hard to know if I am getting the roots.

Any suggestions on how to eliminate?
Skip the weed/feed or chem solution.
Best approach is to go to a good seed store and ask them for a park/conservation seed mix with red clover. If they don’t have it the should be able to mix it for you. In the spring pull as much of the ivy as you can, seed and cover with pen mulch or chopped straw. Water regularly and wait. requires a bit of elbow grease but results in a healthier lower maintenance yard.

Re: Yard work/homeowner stuff thread
« Reply #115 on: September 08, 2018, 08:51:22 PM »

Online Neurotic Guy

  • Dave Cowens
  • ***********************
  • Posts: 23290
  • Tommy Points: 2501
Help!  My lawn is being overtaken by what I think is Ground Ivy.   It's possibly Mallow, but I think Ground Ivy.   Standard weed/feed fertilizer doesn't impact it; and no luck with targeted weed sprays or crabgrass spray.   It's become so pervasive that pulling is painstaking -- also, hard to know if I am getting the roots.

Any suggestions on how to eliminate?
Skip the weed/feed or chem solution.
Best approach is to go to a good seed store and ask them for a park/conservation seed mix with red clover. If they don’t have it the should be able to mix it for you. In the spring pull as much of the ivy as you can, seed and cover with pen mulch or chopped straw. Water regularly and wait. requires a bit of elbow grease but results in a healthier lower maintenance yard.

Do you use pen mulch in place of starter fertilizer?

Pulling the ivy will be a chore and a half. Endless. Also hard to be sure I've pulled the roots as the ivy breaks easily (maybe that won't matter?).   

Is it not worth it to pull and seed in the fall?


Re: Yard work/homeowner stuff thread
« Reply #116 on: September 08, 2018, 09:57:07 PM »

Offline arctic 3.0

  • NCE
  • Jim Loscutoff
  • **
  • Posts: 2554
  • Tommy Points: 406
Help!  My lawn is being overtaken by what I think is Ground Ivy.   It's possibly Mallow, but I think Ground Ivy.   Standard weed/feed fertilizer doesn't impact it; and no luck with targeted weed sprays or crabgrass spray.   It's become so pervasive that pulling is painstaking -- also, hard to know if I am getting the roots.

Any suggestions on how to eliminate?
Skip the weed/feed or chem solution.
Best approach is to go to a good seed store and ask them for a park/conservation seed mix with red clover. If they don’t have it the should be able to mix it for you. In the spring pull as much of the ivy as you can, seed and cover with pen mulch or chopped straw. Water regularly and wait. requires a bit of elbow grease but results in a healthier lower maintenance yard.

Do you use pen mulch in place of starter fertilizer?

Pulling the ivy will be a chore and a half. Endless. Also hard to be sure I've pulled the roots as the ivy breaks easily (maybe that won't matter?).   

Is it not worth it to pull and seed in the fall?
Pen Mulch is a moisture retaining mulch made from paper that keeps germinating seeds moist and shady.
I rarely fertilize, a diverse mix of grasses and nitrogen fixing clover helps creates healthy soils.  If the lawn shows stress i’ll augment with a bit of lime in fall or the following  spring.

Pulling the ivy in the fall can’t hurt and winter may kill some of the exposed  roots, but don’t seed till spring unless you a do it a month before frost, even then i’d want to mix in an annual winter rye to help protect the seeds through the winter.

I wouldn’t worry about the roots too much, not much you can do short of napalm.
The method I recommend uses the clovers tendencies to outcompete the invader.
Clover will come in fast and thick. Roots spread fast and crowd out the ivy. Over the summer ivy will come up through the clover. Pull it as you see it, the clover will fill the gap. Once clover is established  mow short. Clover leaves are lower thank the ivy. By mowing short you force the plant to spend energy reserves stored in the roots to send up new leaves instead of expanding its root system. This “carbon starving” stops expansion quickly, weakens it’s ability to recover, and, over a year or two, can kill off the plant.
Over the same few years the grass seed in your mix takes hold in and around the clover roots. together they form  a healthy root system that will keep the ivy at bay.

 

Re: Yard work/homeowner stuff thread
« Reply #117 on: September 08, 2018, 10:17:35 PM »

Online Neurotic Guy

  • Dave Cowens
  • ***********************
  • Posts: 23290
  • Tommy Points: 2501
Help!  My lawn is being overtaken by what I think is Ground Ivy.   It's possibly Mallow, but I think Ground Ivy.   Standard weed/feed fertilizer doesn't impact it; and no luck with targeted weed sprays or crabgrass spray.   It's become so pervasive that pulling is painstaking -- also, hard to know if I am getting the roots.

Any suggestions on how to eliminate?
Skip the weed/feed or chem solution.
Best approach is to go to a good seed store and ask them for a park/conservation seed mix with red clover. If they don’t have it the should be able to mix it for you. In the spring pull as much of the ivy as you can, seed and cover with pen mulch or chopped straw. Water regularly and wait. requires a bit of elbow grease but results in a healthier lower maintenance yard.

Do you use pen mulch in place of starter fertilizer?

Pulling the ivy will be a chore and a half. Endless. Also hard to be sure I've pulled the roots as the ivy breaks easily (maybe that won't matter?).   

Is it not worth it to pull and seed in the fall?
Pen Mulch is a moisture retaining mulch made from paper that keeps germinating seeds moist and shady.
I rarely fertilize, a diverse mix of grasses and nitrogen fixing clover helps creates healthy soils.  If the lawn shows stress i’ll augment with a bit of lime in fall or the following  spring.

Pulling the ivy in the fall can’t hurt and winter may kill some of the exposed  roots, but don’t seed till spring unless you a do it a month before frost, even then i’d want to mix in an annual winter rye to help protect the seeds through the winter.

I wouldn’t worry about the roots too much, not much you can do short of napalm.
The method I recommend uses the clovers tendencies to outcompete the invader.
Clover will come in fast and thick. Roots spread fast and crowd out the ivy. Over the summer ivy will come up through the clover. Pull it as you see it, the clover will fill the gap. Once clover is established  mow short. Clover leaves are lower thank the ivy. By mowing short you force the plant to spend energy reserves stored in the roots to send up new leaves instead of expanding its root system. This “carbon starving” stops expansion quickly, weakens it’s ability to recover, and, over a year or two, can kill off the plant.
Over the same few years the grass seed in your mix takes hold in and around the clover roots. together they form  a healthy root system that will keep the ivy at bay.

Well... wow...  and TP.   Thanks!

Re: Yard work/homeowner stuff thread
« Reply #118 on: September 08, 2018, 10:52:12 PM »

Offline FatKidsDad

  • Al Horford
  • Posts: 447
  • Tommy Points: 114
Help!  My lawn is being overtaken by what I think is Ground Ivy.   It's possibly Mallow, but I think Ground Ivy.   Standard weed/feed fertilizer doesn't impact it; and no luck with targeted weed sprays or crabgrass spray.   It's become so pervasive that pulling is painstaking -- also, hard to know if I am getting the roots.

Any suggestions on how to eliminate?
Skip the weed/feed or chem solution.
Best approach is to go to a good seed store and ask them for a park/conservation seed mix with red clover. If they don’t have it the should be able to mix it for you. In the spring pull as much of the ivy as you can, seed and cover with pen mulch or chopped straw. Water regularly and wait. requires a bit of elbow grease but results in a healthier lower maintenance yard.

Do you use pen mulch in place of starter fertilizer?

Pulling the ivy will be a chore and a half. Endless. Also hard to be sure I've pulled the roots as the ivy breaks easily (maybe that won't matter?).   

Is it not worth it to pull and seed in the fall?
Pen Mulch is a moisture retaining mulch made from paper that keeps germinating seeds moist and shady.
I rarely fertilize, a diverse mix of grasses and nitrogen fixing clover helps creates healthy soils.  If the lawn shows stress i’ll augment with a bit of lime in fall or the following  spring.

Pulling the ivy in the fall can’t hurt and winter may kill some of the exposed  roots, but don’t seed till spring unless you a do it a month before frost, even then i’d want to mix in an annual winter rye to help protect the seeds through the winter.

I wouldn’t worry about the roots too much, not much you can do short of napalm.
The method I recommend uses the clovers tendencies to outcompete the invader.
Clover will come in fast and thick. Roots spread fast and crowd out the ivy. Over the summer ivy will come up through the clover. Pull it as you see it, the clover will fill the gap. Once clover is established  mow short. Clover leaves are lower thank the ivy. By mowing short you force the plant to spend energy reserves stored in the roots to send up new leaves instead of expanding its root system. This “carbon starving” stops expansion quickly, weakens it’s ability to recover, and, over a year or two, can kill off the plant.
Over the same few years the grass seed in your mix takes hold in and around the clover roots. together they form  a healthy root system that will keep the ivy at bay.

Well... wow...  and TP.   Thanks!
Or get some little lambs.

They eat ivy ;)
"If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking." - George S. Patton
   
"Live so that when your children think of fairness and integrity,they think of you." -   H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Re: Yard work/homeowner stuff thread
« Reply #119 on: January 19, 2020, 02:20:43 PM »

Online Neurotic Guy

  • Dave Cowens
  • ***********************
  • Posts: 23290
  • Tommy Points: 2501
Hoping someone has a suggestion:

My house has a deck in the back that looks out to a decent sized yard bordered by a stone wall in the rear.  Beyond the stone wall is my neighbors pool.   For the 15 years I've been here (their pool has been there throughout), there's been a strange small tree on my side of the stone wall with a height and spread that has effectively blocked the view of the neighbor's pool (and of course their view of us).   It's been a good thing to have even though the tree is fairly ugly -- but I just noticed it's been uprooted and I'll have to take it down.

Here's what I'm looking for:  A tree/shrub that I can plant in the bed up to the stone wall that will grow maybe 6 to 10 feet tall (and grow quickly or can be purchased mature) that will ultimately have maybe a 10 foot spread with blooms/leaves that would provide some privacy in the spring and summer.     It would be best, too, if the plant can stand alone (rather than a row of hedges) and look OK -- as I like the look of the stone wall and don't want to block too much of it.

Any ideas?