|
|
|
|
Since I'm home, I just as well get started on that front lawn. In July, my brother and I took out a White Ash tree that was planted by the landscapers when the home was built in 1988. It was a miserable tree with it's golf ball sized "berries" and all the leaves it dropped every fall. Plus its root system is very shallow and now mowing the lawn is quite a challenge. I need a 4WD lawn mower and high topped boots just to keep from breaking my ankle. So anyway, David and I cut it down and rented a stump grinder to remove the stump and surface roots. But by time we had completed all of that, about two thirds of the front lawn was all chewed up. The only part that remained was up closer to the house under a redwood tree where the grass isn't growing well anyway in all that shade. Thus I decided to just let the front lawn die while we were in Minnesota and replant in the fall. Except the tree won't die. The remaining roots keep sending up new tree shoots. I've sprayed with Round-up. I've sprayed with tree killer. I tried watering a bit so the sprays will get absorbed into the roots. Now weeds are growing in amongst the dead grass and wood chips. The front yard is a mess and I'm running out of time before winter comes and nothing will grow well. I decide to rent a rotor tiller, break up the soil, and see if I can get some grass planted before winter. I can make some more definite landscaping plans later if this doesn't work out. So I spent the day with the tiller. Yes, we ground up the surface roots but there are plenty just inches below the soil. And although the 13 HP tiller is powerful and can break of the smaller ones, many are just too big. I set the depth of the tiller to just scratch the surface and nibble at the tops of the roots. Then a bit deeper on subsequent passes. My strategy worked somewhat but it was a big job wrestling a 13 HP tiller all day. And in addition, the ground was too wet from my watering. Between the mud, roots, and grass I was basically making adobe. You know, the stuff homes were built of a few centuries ago? So after returning the tiller, I attempted to rake the dirt and get it somewhat level. Raking adobe bricks is hard work at best and I was only marginally successful. I think I really need a Bobcat to come in, scrape off the top 2-3 inches of dirt and roots, load the dirt in some sort of truck or trailer, and then haul the dirt off. Then at that point, bringing in some nice topsoil would be the best bet. But I'm running out of time so I may just throw out a bunch of seed and see how it goes. Then if it doesn't take, start over again in the spring. Boy am I sore! |
|
Questions,
Comments, Praise, Complaints?
|