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Posted by nobody on October 6, 2007, 4:06 am
Hi All,
I not sure if this is the correct group to put this in, but let me
give this a try an see what you folks think.
It now takes about $30 in gas to fill up my mower. That does not even
take into account maintenance and labor. I was musing that if some
safe chemical could be sprayed on the grounds that would retard grass
growth either partially or completely, it would be worth significant
dollars in savings.
Is anyone currently doing this or is anything like this in the
pipeline?
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Posted by Edwin Pawlowski on October 6, 2007, 7:51 am
> Hi All,
>
> I not sure if this is the correct group to put this in, but let me
> give this a try an see what you folks think.
>
> It now takes about $30 in gas to fill up my mower. That does not even
> take into account maintenance and labor. I was musing that if some
> safe chemical could be sprayed on the grounds that would retard grass
> growth either partially or completely, it would be worth significant
> dollars in savings.
>
> Is anyone currently doing this or is anything like this in the
> pipeline?
My lawn is not big enough to make that a concern, but if it was, it would
not longer be lawn as we know it. There are plants that can be used to give
a nice even looking filed of green but does not grow much more than 6" or
so. It will not only save gas, but you labor if you converted a portion to
some natural plantings, clover, etc. We put too much emphasis on having
that large perfectly manicured lawn as a status symbol.
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Posted by aemeijers on October 6, 2007, 10:57 am
>
>> Hi All,
>>
>> I not sure if this is the correct group to put this in, but let me
>> give this a try an see what you folks think.
>>
>> It now takes about $30 in gas to fill up my mower. That does not even
>> take into account maintenance and labor. I was musing that if some
>> safe chemical could be sprayed on the grounds that would retard grass
>> growth either partially or completely, it would be worth significant
>> dollars in savings.
>>
>> Is anyone currently doing this or is anything like this in the
>> pipeline?
>
> My lawn is not big enough to make that a concern, but if it was, it would
> not longer be lawn as we know it. There are plants that can be used to
> give a nice even looking filed of green but does not grow much more than
> 6" or so. It will not only save gas, but you labor if you converted a
> portion to some natural plantings, clover, etc. We put too much emphasis
> on having that large perfectly manicured lawn as a status symbol.
I agree, but when you live in a subdivision, even a rural one like mine,
what are your alternatives? Even assuming you can get past the cranky
neighbors and nanny code officers, anything 'weird' is likely to bite you in
the butt come resale time. Unless it is in a clearly defined planting bed,
anything other than grass is cosidered a weed. Most of my neigbors are
retired, with too much spare time, and really like driving their toy
tractors around. Me, as long as it is green and holds the dirt down, I'm
happy. My neighbors don't talk to me much anymore......
(And of course, if you are in an HOA neighborhood, well, we all know what
they think about individuality....)
I bought this place 2.5 years ago, when interest rates were at a 40-year
low. My broker told me they were about to go up, so I settled. What I
<really> wanted was a place rural enough where I could just mow a fire break
around the house, and let the rest of the land do whatever it wanted to. But
short of hitting the lotto, unlikely I'll ever be high up enough on food
chain to afford that. (Much less waterfront land, but that is a lost dream
for another time...)
aem sends....
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Posted by willshak on October 6, 2007, 11:15 am
on 10/6/2007 7:51 AM Edwin Pawlowski said the following:
>
>> Hi All,
>>
>> I not sure if this is the correct group to put this in, but let me
>> give this a try an see what you folks think.
>>
>> It now takes about $30 in gas to fill up my mower. That does not even
>> take into account maintenance and labor. I was musing that if some
>> safe chemical could be sprayed on the grounds that would retard grass
>> growth either partially or completely, it would be worth significant
>> dollars in savings.
>>
>> Is anyone currently doing this or is anything like this in the
>> pipeline?
>>
>
> My lawn is not big enough to make that a concern, but if it was, it would
> not longer be lawn as we know it. There are plants that can be used to give
> a nice even looking filed of green but does not grow much more than 6" or
> so. It will not only save gas, but you labor if you converted a portion to
> some natural plantings, clover, etc. We put too much emphasis on having
> that large perfectly manicured lawn as a status symbol.
I would like to have a perfect lawn, but not as a status symbol. I don't
care if anyone sees it, as long as I do.
It's an aesthetic thing, like keeping your house clean and neat. You
might as well say that having a perfect flower garden is a status symbol.
Besides, there's nothing better than walking barefoot in a well
manicured lawn.
--
Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
To email, remove the double zeroes after @
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Posted by Edwin Pawlowski on October 6, 2007, 3:23 pm
>
> I would like to have a perfect lawn, but not as a status symbol. I don't
> care if anyone sees it, as long as I do.
> It's an aesthetic thing, like keeping your house clean and neat. You might
> as well say that having a perfect flower garden is a status symbol.
> Besides, there's nothing better than walking barefoot in a well manicured
> lawn.
So you need 10 acres of lawn to walk on barefoot? IMO, if you have that
much you have a status symbol if only to please one person, you. Third of
an acre is plenty to walk on. While I agree that having a well groomed and
neat lawn around the house looks nice, there are alternatives that can looks
just a nice, maybe even more at some times of the year. There is no valid
reason, other than you want to, for dumping chemicals and thousands of
gallons of water just to make it green.
I used to fertilize and water, but then I came to my senses and realized how
silly it was. In the spring I use some fertilizer with weed control on some
of my lawn once a year. The rest is all natural with wild flowers, trees,
ferns, etc. Lovely to look at and watch the wild life that thrives in it.
If you want a nice green lawn, Epsom salts works wonders for a lot less
money than commercial fertilizer. Check the ingredients.
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