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gardenapprentice999

Front Lawn Help!

I could have the ugliest lawn in America. It's completely overgrown and a terrible eyesore to come upon everyday. In short it drives me crazy. It's tiny and rests right on the sidewalk of a main road so there's not much that can be can be done with it, but I would give anything not to have to look at it everyday. Does anybody have any tips? I can post pictures of it later when it's not 3 AM and I'm waiting for a cheesecake to bake. Thanks in advance!

Comments (5)

  • gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
    13 years ago

    1) Remove and replace with a good quality sod.
    2) Remove and replace with a groundcover or other low maintenance plantings.
    3) Rejuvenate the existing lawn by removing weeds, aerating, overseeding and fertilizing.
    4) Be diligent in the proper maintenance of any of the above.

  • karinl
    13 years ago

    Is this a yard you want to be in, or does it simply form the apron for your house as seen from the road?

    If it is the latter, I like Garden Gal's suggesstion #2. One of my favourite yards to drive by on a busy street is one that is all gravelled over but has one very flat juniper plant planted in the middle which is spreading out gradually to cover the gravel. The juniper is awesome. Many of the spreading junipers are very good at covering ground over a period of years; they may have to be replaced eventually and/or pruned once they reach boundaries, but they look amazing. You could do a patchwork or a single one, depending on the size of the yard and your patience. This would make the maintenance task one of weed plucking until the juniper grows in rather than mowing.

    If you don't have much sun, try Microbiota to get a similar effect - junipers do best in sun,

    If it were me I might do it over wood chips rather than over gravel, but gravel has its advantages. For instance, a cigarette thrown from a passing car wouldn't cause any trouble.

    KarinL

  • gardenapprentice999
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thanks for the reply. It isn't a yard I want to spend time in, it's not even nearly large enough to do so. I'll consider all of these tips. Is the best time to replace the weeds now or in a different season?

  • karinl
    13 years ago

    I would actually think now is a good time. As the weeds mature from here they start seeding, and your uphill battle only becomes steeper.

    Removing weeds is never a "once" thing though. The main trick is to cover the ground as you weed it, because the ground is likely full of seeds that will sprout once they can get light. So mulch quickly, or even covering with newspaper and rocks as you work is going to keep the resprouting to a minimum. You will also have new seeds blown in by the wind. But in a good mulch and with vigilance they won't get much of a foothold.

    A routine pass-through in growing season to pick new weed growth on say, Sundays when the road is quiet (if it is) will be enough once you get the initial weed population down, get mulched, and get the new stuff planted. Once it grows in, your task gets smaller and the new plants do more and more of the work.

    KarinL

  • gardenapprentice999
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thank you so much for your help. I think I'll get started today.