Now is the time to cut down next season's weed population.
October is a perfect time to take care of those pests since we are out there doing seasonal maintenance. Actually, anytime is a good time to avoid the over-population of the pesky weeds.
The secret is to not let the weeds set seed. Pull them out or kill them before they have a chance to seed.
Anytime I am walking around the garden, I make sure to go out with a plastic grocery bag and pull weeds here and there as I encounter them. It is so much easier to keep them under control if you routinely pull them out as you are just wandering around.
Want to identify the weeds that grow on your property? What Weed Is It is an excellent article for starters. It includes links to other articles and publications.
Weed Management Guide for Florida Lawns is another resource for Florida gardeners as well as gardeners in all zones since it includes some great information about weeds in general.
Our once gorgeous and lush green grass in the front yard has turned to bare spots and mass plantings of a variety of weeds.
When I saw the photo of an interesting and beautiful non-lawn yard scene, I thought "why not?"
One of the why nots is that succulents don't do well in our climate and that is one of the things that I really like about the scene.
With a little imagination, I guess one could set out those pavers, do some research and find a ground cover that would thrive in these conditions. The flashiness could come from the colorful tropicals that can be planted and do so well in our climate.
The area in the photo is small and our front yard is huge. One paver section at a time I guess! Another idea would be larger structures here and there, like bird baths and benches to take up some space. Large containers strategically placed would also take up space and add to the texture.
Anyway, when I found the photo, I thought it was a good starting point for inspiration. I'm sure we are not the only ones who are wanting to get rid of the lawn!
Click here to go to an article, "How to Use Ground Cover to Cover Bare Spots in the Lawn" . . . which is where I also found the photo.
Click here for another article, "Lawn Replacements: Kick Your Yard in the Grass" which includes a slideshow of many non-lawn inspirations.
I already dislike grass in the landscape . . . then the lawn mower decided to quit working with flowering weeds looming in the midst of a sparse lawn. That was it for me . . . no more grass . . . it is history!
The more landscape design research I do, the more I am loving large winding paths, raised beds and structures in the garden.
We have been thinking about different landscape designs for the front yard and my thinking is that a circular driveway nestled in between a cactus rock garden is the current winner. It may take a while to get to this project, but the grass is definitely history. The good news is that we have tons of cactus that the cold winters didn't kill from my days of massive propagation with hopes of a nursery business.
With a huge property as a blank canvas, half the fun is planning the landscape. Unlike the last landscape design for our paradise, the new design must be as low-maintenance as possible. My 24/7 gardening days are over . . . I want to enjoy, not work myself to death in the garden.
Click here to go to an article that addresses Low-Maintenance Alternatives to Lawns.
Something that I caught on one of the home and garden cable channels was artificial turf . . . I have not researched pricing, but I'm sure it carries a high price. It is a consideration for small areas where a little patch of grass would be attractive. I'll report my findings when I get to it . . .
How about you? Do you love or hate lawns?
