July 9, 2009

Yard Work

I moved into my house six and a half years ago. The summer after I moved in, I had a lot of help to install Tex Turf 10 sod in my front and back yards.

My neighbor at the time, T, planted fescue in his front yard. T was very concerned that I installed Bermuda grass. He stated my yard would grow over into his fescue. He tried to convince me to plant fescue. His efforts were fruitless, however, because I loved my Bermuda grass.

T re-seeded his yard each year to fill in the bare spaces. Each year, to my dismay, I had sprigs of fescue in my yard. It was so aggravating. I would spend hours pulling that fescue out of my grass. I finally gave up on the strip that ran along the property line.

T passed away last year. His children sold his home.

I have new neighbors.

This past spring, new neighbor dug all of the fescue out of his yard. Well, all but the strip that runs along my property line. I have tried to pull this strip of fescue up. I think new neighbor thought I would never do anything, so he has dug some of it up, too. It is a slow process.

New neighbor installed Bermuda sod.

His yard is beautiful. Just beautiful.

Another thing you should know is that three years ago I started travelling with my job. I am away from home a lot.

I have a sprinkler system and Perm-a-green comes about every six weeks. However, it is all I can do to mow the yard and keep up with the inside chores.

New neighbor has a beautiful yard.

Because new neighbor has a beautiful yard, I have been trying harder with my yard this year. I don’t want to be known as the woman who let her yard go, with sprigs of fescue sticking up every where, seeding and ultimately ruining new neighbor’s beautiful yard. I have my pride you know.

This past weekend I worked in my yard. I mowed. I researched the internet on how to go about leveling said yard; as it contains low spots. I made a mental note to buy some topsoil to fill in the low places. This top soil process needs to be completed during the growing season.

I worked in the flower bed in the back yard, too. Here is a picture of the flower bed that was taken about five years ago.


Notice the purple grass along the fence. I thought that purple grass was so beautiful. I was so proud of that grass. However, I did not plant it again after that summer because it would not come back every year.

Or so I thought.

I didn’t take a before picture of the flower bed; because frankly, I was embarrassed. It was horrible. It was over run with weeds and grass. It was just horrible.

Here is an after picture of the flower bed. Notice the two Gerber daisies on each side. I purchased these daisies at Ivy Gardens at least four years ago. I am amazed that they come back out each year. They haven’t received much TLC. The delicate yellow flowers in the center came from Ivy Gardens, too. These have come back for at least two years.

Do you see the little sprigs of grass?

They are there. Believe me.

I pulled grass out of the flower bed for what seemed like forever. The grass just sprouts back out. It reminds me of gray hair, you pull one out and two replace it. And while I loved the purple grass a couple of years ago, I am no longer feeling the love.

I bought some chemical at Little Red Riding Hood nursery last year. It cost $30 for a small bottle. It is supposed to kill the grass without harming your other plants. As far as I can tell it hasn’t killed anything.

If you are reading this post and know of some sure fire way to get rid of that grass, without killing my hardy Gerber daisies, please, please, please let me know what it is.
I am also open to suggestions as what plants I should add to my grassy flower bed.

Blessings,



3 comments:

Raquel Rothe said...

Beautiful!! I am so proud, wish I were there to dig in the dirt with you, Sister...all my love, Raquel

Robert Nolen said...

Our neighbor has St. Augustine...I used to think I liked St. Augustine...After a summer of pulling a half bushel of St. Augustine runners from my Bermuda each week, I dispise St. Augustine...I'm about to become good friends with 2,4,D...muuuhhhuuaahhhahhhaahhhhaaaa!!!
-Robert

Mary said...

I hate dealing with grass.