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9th annual Lawn Thread 2018


Damage In Tolland
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13 hours ago, mreaves said:

Be prepared to be beaten down, tough I am more on this side of things than the lawn kings side.

Prepared. But it needs to be said. For the sake of the homogeneous  green carpet, there is endless noise pollution, gas emissions, chemical pollution, run-off into bodies of water leading to weed explosion/eutrophication; endangerment of beneficial and beautiful insects such as buttterflies; fireflies, bees... As this article mentions, there are better ways to have a yard, and, a natural wonderland as a bonus. The language may be a little dramatic in spots, but the points are well made.

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I enjoy not just a nice lawn, but plants shrubs etc too. It just makes it look nice and it's good to see the hard work and care you have for your property, pay off. In the summer if it dries out, so be it. I can't really stop that with the water and sewer rates as high as they are....but it's nice to have a good looking yard. You don't have to have it look like Augusta, but who wants to live next to something that looks like complete white trash?

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Just now, CoastalWx said:

I enjoy not just a nice lawn, but plants shrubs etc too. It just makes it look nice and it's good to see the hard work and care you have for your property, pay off. In the summer if it dries out, so be it. I can't really stop that with the water and sewer rates as high as they are....but it's nice to have a good looking yard. You don't have to have it look like Augusta, but who wants to live next to something that looks like complete white trash?

Come do my lawn/shrubs.  It's a disaster right now.  I'm only able to spend about 2-3 hrs a week right now with my schedule which allows me to cut the lawn and that's about it.  No edging done, minimal weeding done, no mulching done. Sign....

Just out of curiosity what was your last 1/4's water/sewer?  Mine was only about $250.  Will go up slightly over the summer.

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3 minutes ago, Baroclinic Zone said:

Come do my lawn/shrubs.  It's a disaster right now.  I'm only able to spend about 2-3 hrs a week right now with my schedule which allows me to cut the lawn and that's about it.  No edging done, minimal weeding done, no mulching done. Sign....

Just out of curiosity what was your last 1/4's water/sewer?  Mine was only about $250.  Will go up slightly over the summer.

It jumps in summer. That sounds about right before the watering season. Weymouth is known for high rates. I thought it was just me until my neighbor said the same. 

I started early this year. I still have to trim shrubs, but edged etc in April. I don’t have a lot of time either, but try to find an hour here or there. Days like today when kid is home sick on your day off suck.

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59 minutes ago, CoastalWx said:

I enjoy not just a nice lawn, but plants shrubs etc too. It just makes it look nice and it's good to see the hard work and care you have for your property, pay off. In the summer if it dries out, so be it. I can't really stop that with the water and sewer rates as high as they are....but it's nice to have a good looking yard. You don't have to have it look like Augusta, but who wants to live next to something that looks like complete white trash?

I've definitely been more about planting this year than worrying about grass blades. Lots of different perennials, some annuals, cherry tree, blueberries, bamboo, garden veggies, herbs, sunflowers, etc. The "lawn" looks fairly full and lush even though there's weeds so I'm cool with that. My lilacs are insane right now.  I can smell them from the other side of the yard.

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It's only society's perception that having a weedy or crab-grassy lawn is white trash. As us humans are always trying to change our surroundings to fit what we think they should look like, instead of leaving them to what they actually should be.  I understand cutting it is necessary to keep away ticks and bees and things and allow kids a place to play, but constantly applying chemicals seems a bit of a waste. 

A white trash lawn to me is having lots of toys in the yard, bits of trash flying about, maybe a broken down car. 

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4 hours ago, dendrite said:

I've definitely been more about planting this year than worrying about grass blades. Lots of different perennials, some annuals, cherry tree, blueberries, bamboo, garden veggies, herbs, sunflowers, etc. The "lawn" looks fairly full and lush even though there's weeds so I'm cool with that. My lilacs are insane right now.  I can smell them from the other side of the yard.

Same here. I enjoy the flowers/plants/shrubs etc. And yes my lilac is really epic right now. That smell comes wafting into the house. 

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1 hour ago, Whineminster said:

It's only society's perception that having a weedy or crab-grassy lawn is white trash. As us humans are always trying to change our surroundings to fit what we think they should look like, instead of leaving them to what they actually should be.  I understand cutting it is necessary to keep away ticks and bees and things and allow kids a place to play, but constantly applying chemicals seems a bit of a waste. 

A white trash lawn to me is having lots of toys in the yard, bits of trash flying about, maybe a broken down car. 

You don't need chemicals, there are plenty of organic treatments out there. I think the point is just keeping up with the yard so it looks decent. 

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7 hours ago, Damage In Tolland said:

It’s step 2 Weed and Feed time for Lesco. Right around Mem Day weekend every year it goes down 

Hmm, Lesco guy told me to re-apply more of the dimension/pre-emergent stuff, presumably step 1 on memorial wknd. I basically put down the pre-emergent around 3.5 weeks ago. He said if I had any left to put it down this wknd. I do in fact have ~1/2 bag that I was going to spread out using a light setting. Should I skip this and go right to step 2? If so, has enough time elapsed (~3.5wks) between step 1 and 2 to put #2 down?

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On 5/7/2018 at 3:20 PM, Baroclinic Zone said:

It certainly depends upon ones location.  If you live in a rural area that's not populated by manicured lawns, its much easier to let the lawn be what it wants to be.  Once get get into the more established cities/towns it's much harder and you sort of go with the flow since you don't want to be the odd man out.  I certainly don't like douse my lawn in chemicals but I do like it to be relatively green/healthy.  Some weeds are acceptable but a lawn dominated by weeds is not.

It's amazing that our society values an arbitrary definition of a "well-manicured lawn" over the safety of our planet and our children. Why should we be allowed to spray carcinogens on a lawn that eventually end up in everyone's drinking water? The values of a hypercapitalist society, encoded in terms such as "property value" and "curb appeal" are all about appearance over substance. Those who do not march in conformity with the hypercapitalist American Dream by failing to mow their lawn are shunned from the community as lowering property values (just like blacks moving into the neighborhood, right?)

Besides, even if you want a "well-manicured" lawn, there are other options. Fish meal and kelp are highly effective organic fertilizers. A backyard compost pile can also help feed a lawn or garden (though we have municipal composting in NYC). There are plenty of compromise options for maintaining a neat, postage stamp lawn that while not ideal due to being monocultures, are better than Roundup or Lesco.

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4 hours ago, Lava Rock said:

Hmm, Lesco guy told me to re-apply more of the dimension/pre-emergent stuff, presumably step 1 on memorial wknd. I basically put down the pre-emergent around 3.5 weeks ago. He said if I had any left to put it down this wknd. I do in fact have ~1/2 bag that I was going to spread out using a light setting. Should I skip this and go right to step 2? If so, has enough time elapsed (~3.5wks) between step 1 and 2 to put #2 down?

I don’t know your personal lawn situation. But lawns need to be fertilized. It’s not open for discussion. If you want grass and not an undesirable eyesore that neighbors and passers by don’t laugh at. If you’ve got weeds. You’ve got to weed and feed 

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4 hours ago, Damage In Tolland said:

I don’t know your personal lawn situation. But lawns need to be fertilized. It’s not open for discussion. If you want grass and not an undesirable eyesore that neighbors and passers by don’t laugh at. If you’ve got weeds. You’ve got to weed and feed 

Never fertilized and never shall. Cut only as needed, and it's patchwork as I try to preserve blooming wildflowers. I have both an artesian well and property by a stream. A whole ecosystem including human, lives downstream.The rewards of minimal invasiveness: A variety of grasses, wildflowers, leopard frogs, snakes, dragon flies, fireflies, brook trout... far more lively a landscape than the chemically shepherded, monochrome green of the typical lawn squire. There are many passing by diverse, nature friendly yard spaces who will tip their caps as opposed to laughing. 50 years from now-- hopefully sooner-- the Round-Up mentality of the typical lawn squire will be seen in the same self-destructive light as we now see smoking. (Oh, and many weeds, not least the dandelion are both nutritious and therapeutic.)

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So a mom or dad who wants a smooth, cool, shock-absorbing surface on which to toss a ball with the kids is now an evil "hypercapitalist", with shades of racism.  As several have noted, there are ways to achieve that lawn without dousing with manmade chemicals.  (Disclosure:  Our kids are long out on their own, though we like having a place for the grandkids to play where the burgeoning tick population is less likely to be a factor.  And the only "man-made" chemical we've put on the lawn is lime.)

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23 hours ago, Damage In Tolland said:

It’s step 2 Weed and Feed time for Lesco. Right around Mem Day weekend every year it goes down 

fortunately i don't have to deal with weeds , so i do a second app of dimension, then wait 5 weeks and merit.

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8 hours ago, Hailstoned said:

Never fertilized and never shall. Cut only as needed, and it's patchwork as I try to preserve blooming wildflowers. I have both an artesian well and property by a stream. A whole ecosystem including human, lives downstream.The rewards of minimal invasiveness: A variety of grasses, wildflowers, leopard frogs, snakes, dragon flies, fireflies, brook trout... far more lively a landscape than the chemically shepherded, monochrome green of the typical lawn squire. There are many passing by diverse, nature friendly yard spaces who will tip their caps as opposed to laughing. 50 years from now-- hopefully sooner-- the Round-Up mentality of the typical lawn squire will be seen in the same self-destructive light as we now see smoking. (Oh, and many weeds, not least the dandelion are both nutritious and therapeutic.)

Fantastic post that the Stepford wives club will never understand.

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11 hours ago, Hailstoned said:

Never fertilized and never shall. Cut only as needed, and it's patchwork as I try to preserve blooming wildflowers. I have both an artesian well and property by a stream. A whole ecosystem including human, lives downstream.The rewards of minimal invasiveness: A variety of grasses, wildflowers, leopard frogs, snakes, dragon flies, fireflies, brook trout... far more lively a landscape than the chemically shepherded, monochrome green of the typical lawn squire. There are many passing by diverse, nature friendly yard spaces who will tip their caps as opposed to laughing. 50 years from now-- hopefully sooner-- the Round-Up mentality of the typical lawn squire will be seen in the same self-destructive light as we now see smoking. (Oh, and many weeds, not least the dandelion are both nutritious and therapeutic.)

Thankfully, here in the Portland area that mentality is already starting to shift.  People are becoming aware of the major impact fertilizers and pesticides are having on Casco Bay, its ecosystems, and the health of our populations. 

In some neighborhoods, if you're the one with the monochrome-green lawn with 0 weeds then you're in the minority...AND even laughed at and looked down upon as an inconsiderate menace to the environment.

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