Tell me about getting rid of a lawn

[Craig234]

What alternatives make sense? For comfort, appearance, cost, etc.? What if there's a dog? I'm thinking some faux-grass would have maintenance difficulties with a dog?

 

[BoomerD]

I live in a senior only neighborhood where almost everyone has low-maintenance yards. (rockscapes of varying kinds) One or two have installed "astroturf" types of lawns for their dogs. Pick up the poop...hose it off occasionally. Of course, while western WA is also in a drought, it's not nearly as severe (yet) as CA.

Remove the turf, lay down weed cloth (or plastic...but that has its own problems) cover with crushed rock,gravel that you like. You can have some trees/plants on drip systems if you like...or not. (my yard is almost all rock...with a few trees and shrubs...ALL on drip systems just like I had in CA.

 

[lxskllr]

Rocks, mulch, sand... Only communists use fake grass.

 

[Imp]

This exact problem came up recently when someone was bitching about having to cut the grass... Salting the earth is the only one that comes to my mind, but it seems a bit overkill.

 

[waffleironhead]

In one of my previous homes I planted lots of blueberry and current bushes and placed lots of mulch under them. I'm talking whole rows of them. Cut down my mowing area quite a bit.

 

[lxskllr]

This exact problem came up recently when someone was bitching about having to cut the grass... Salting the earth is the only one that comes to my mind, but it seems a bit overkill.

Might have been me. I always threaten to load rock salt in the spreader and fertilize my yard. That way all the neighbors can see what a conscientious grass farmer I am, and I can say "I don't know what happened! I did everything I could for the grass. I may pursue legal action against the fertilizer manufacturer!" :^D

 

[Red Squirrel]

On similar subject, I have this leafy/flower weed thing that is spreading more and more each year. It grows like 5 feet tall if I don't stay on top of it. What's the best way to completely kill off something like this without ruining the earth? I was thinking of putting a tarp over it to keep it out of the sun and from growing. Would that work? Once it's completely dead I can then put grass seeds.

I tried to till it manually with a metal rake but did not go very far. Maybe rent a small excavator and just flip the dirt around and destroy the root system? Or it might still grow back...

If I can get that earth completely bare then I can put grass seeds.

 

[bononos]

What alternatives make sense? For comfort, appearance, cost, etc.? What if there's a dog? I'm thinking some faux-grass would have maintenance difficulties with a dog?

Lookup grass free tapestry lawns.
http://blogs.reading.ac.uk/grass-free-lawns/rethinking-the-traditional-grass-lawn/

 

[Z15CAM]

Ammonia nitrate under a black tarp.

 

[bradley]

Covering it with black plastic for a month with daily temps in the upper eighties to low nineties should do the trick. Make sure to drill tiny holes or face to possibility of ponding mosquitoes.

 

[Number1]

Tatted

 

[MongGrel]

Xeroscape it, and use black mesh.

 

[MongGrel]

I'd imagine your in a different area, rocks aren't even allowed here anymore but some used to be.

They were outlawed here decades ago put the on top because they didn't allow drainage right, Florida had water problems long ago like California is at the moment.

Looks more like this these days.

 

[Craig234]

I just don't like that 'rocks and plants' look. Thing with 'phony cover and hose it down with a dog', hose it down to where? Sounds like a mess at the edge building up.

 

[MongGrel]

What rocks ?

That's all mulch.

Was a PITA ripping up everything before putting the mesh down and replanting everything though.

 

[Craig234]

Lookup grass free tapestry lawns.

"The key to a flowering lawn is mowing...

The flower lawn is not a lay it and leave it construct. It seems to do best when it is laid in a manner similar to that of a traditional lawn "


Sounds like it sort of defeats the purpose of going to an alternative.

 

[highland145]

Rocks, mulch, sand... Only communists use fake grass.

Re-did the whole place last year and probably put $10K into the yard, sprinkler, bushes, maple tree, etc. So far this year, I've spent better than $700 on fert, fungicide, iron, etc. Plus mowing every week, equipment, gas, water bill.....That's a lot of fake grass. Knowing what I do now, I would have seriously considered it.

 

[mizzou]

ice never really done much to my yards. fertilize with weed & feed and it lets my awn stay fairly consistent and good looking.

Mow high, mow when grass is 1/3-2/3 overheight, fertilize in early spring

Its hard to make your yard great but easy to make it nice.

 

[007ELmO]

you could use ground cover/stepables. I put an artificial putting green and I have nothing to mow in the backyard.