this post was submitted on 22 Jun 2024
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Gardening

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What to do with an acre of grass (lemm.ee)
submitted 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) by TheRealCharlesEames@lemm.ee to c/gardening@lemmy.world
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I don’t want this much ornamental grass, what do I do? Let nature take over a patch of it? Hire a landscape designer for a minimum of 10k? Please send help.

More info: I’ve stopped using -icides and I have a robot mower at 3.5”.

I have let a patch grow wild and added a couple apple trees and wildflowers. The city code enforcers want to mow it and fine me, but I don’t plan on letting them.

I’m kinda against fences because they feel pretty anti-social and I’m already only allowed to see people if I use a car. Then again, fences seem like the only way to combat these crazy deer.

I don’t want to design it myself because I want to believe that professional landscape designers do more than just plop stuff around on a whim.

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[–] cerement@slrpnk.net 6 points 4 months ago (2 children)
  • stop using weedkiller and insecticide – save a little money and save your own health
  • add in inoculated clover seeds – “inoculated” adds in bacteria that makes the nitrogen more available to other plants – pick a clover that is relatively native to your area – up until WWII and the proliferation of modern weedkillers, healthy lawns were a mix of grass and clover
  • leave the dandelions alone – ALL parts of a dandelion are edible – the leaves are a classic bitter green (goes really well with a dressing made from walnut oil, mustard, and balsamic vinegar) – roasted roots used to be a coffee substitute – early buds can be pickled as an alternative to capers – and yes, dandelion wine is actually a thing
  • throw in lots of native flowers – attracts the pollinators that keep the rest of your garden going strong
  • if you must mow, don’t mow shorter than 6 in / 15 cm – encourages stronger, more robust growth
    • take up scything instead of mowing for personal exercise
[–] Blue_Morpho@lemmy.world 7 points 4 months ago (1 children)

He said acres. If it's really acres then planting clover, dandelion and native wildflowers are completely irrelevant.

In a few years it will grow into impassible 4-6' thornbushes. All other plants like clover and wildflowers will be smothered by the native growth.

[–] GBU_28@lemm.ee 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Moving through annually with a high level brush cut will handle this.

[–] Blue_Morpho@lemmy.world 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Oh sure, I've rented Bush Hogs to get it under control. But I let it grow as much as possible to be wildlife friendly.

The OP saying let it grow and use a scythe must live in the city with a 10' square patch of yard.

That doesn't work with acres.

[–] GBU_28@lemm.ee 1 points 4 months ago

Agree to that

[–] BearOfaTime@lemm.ee 5 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

take up scything instead of mowing for personal exercise

Haha, damn Dad, buy us a lawnmower already!! 🤣

(Once, when I was 12,had to sycthe a field before we could use it. That's hard work!)