Yard work

[ChanellG]

Not nearly as fun as tending to flowers, fruit or vegetable plants, but alas it must be done. My aunt has someone who cuts the grass, but the house on one side is empty, the house on the other side has a ribbon cane and Virginia creeper jungle, and the apartments in back put up a huge wooden fence (a good thing), but don't seem to tend to the vines which eventually end up in my yard.

Gramps is no longer able to get out there and get at the stuff and I am tired of looking at it. I have gradually been pruning the Japanese magnolia in the center of the yard and working my way around the fence line pulling down vines. Because tomorrow is trash collection I spent three hours out there pulling down vines and cutting canes.

By the time the heat and the hunger drove me indoors I'd filled up both trash cans almost to the top and amassed a huge pile of debris.

 

[blueeyes]

You sure were busy, Chanell. Since living in an apartment I miss doing yard work, whether it be cutting grass or pulling weeds. Of course having to deal with all your issues, might change my mind about wanting a yard again...lol

 

[ChanellG]

The older I get the more it changes my mind about ever having a huge yard and multiple gardens, lol! Of course, it's easier to manage a yard that's being maintained. Once I get it under control again, it will be much easier to just go out, get rid of any unwanted growth (AKA weeds/wild plants).

It should take a couple weeks for all the big stuff, but those frigggin' vines are tenacious! I wouldn't mind a bit of the creeper and potato, because of the bees and the heart leaves, but they spread too darn much through unseen underground runners.

 

[claudine]

Wow! Good job Personally, I always feel kind of guilty when I'm pulling weeds, because they're plants too and they want to grow...so for now, I let them grow. This way I have more free time that I can spend taking care of my miniature roses

 

[ChanellG]

Wow! Good job Personally, I always feel kind of guilty when I'm pulling weeds, because they're plants too and they want to grow...so for now, I let them grow. This way I have more free time that I can spend taking care of my miniature roses

They are plants too, but they are robbing the soil of nutrients your other plants need, not to mention taking up root space. You wouldn't put several miniature roses in the same container and expect them to grow would you? Even the plants we want have to be thinned out occasionally so they can remain healthy and have space to grow.

 

[Philphine]

one of side benefits of fooling around with various projects and gardens and whatnot in the back yard for me is i keep ending up with less and less grass to cut. there's more trimming involved (and an overgrown dirt mound i need to work out a project for), but not too much.

i've never measured the exact dementions of my backyard, but i know the neighbors on either side need to spend a decent amount of time to cut it all. i'm down to a small strip beside my garage and a couple of patches behind it.

 

[Shellyann36]

The older I get the more it changes my mind about ever having a huge yard and multiple gardens, lol! Of course, it's easier to manage a yard that's being maintained. Once I get it under control again, it will be much easier to just go out, get rid of any unwanted growth (AKA weeds/wild plants).

It should take a couple weeks for all the big stuff, but those frigggin' vines are tenacious! I wouldn't mind a bit of the creeper and potato, because of the bees and the heart leaves, but they spread too darn much through unseen underground runners.

You have done quite a bit! Good for you. That getting older addage goes for me too. I really wish we could afford to make several raised beds so I would not have to stoop so much anymore. I am on a health kick and losing weight at the moment so it is getting easier on these older bones. LOL

 

[ACSAPA]

You sure were busy, Chanell. Since living in an apartment I miss doing yard work, whether it be cutting grass or pulling weeds. Of course having to deal with all your issues, might change my mind about wanting a yard again...lol

I live in an apartment that's attached to someone's house and have to do yard work as part of my rent arrangement. I don't enjoy it. I feel disconnected from weeding a yard that's not mine.
I'm looking forward to moving to an actual apartment building where it's some landscaping company's job to deal with weeds.

 

[ChanellG]

one of side benefits of fooling around with various projects and gardens and whatnot in the back yard for me is i keep ending up with less and less grass to cut. there's more trimming involved (and an overgrown dirt mound i need to work out a project for), but not too much.

i've never measured the exact dementions of my backyard, but i know the neighbors on either side need to spend a decent amount of time to cut it all. i'm down to a small strip beside my garage and a couple of patches behind it.

We have a patch of grass in front, a longer narrower section in the driveway, a small patch in back and the rest is just "weeds." At some point I want to keep the lawn on the front, put gravel down the drive, and maybe pave the back. I like those kits where you get mold and set it on the ground and make your own patterned walkways with cement. I plan to do a patio space, and I might do some gravel in back as well, but this will all have to be done gradually.

 

[ChanellG]

You have done quite a bit! Good for you. That getting older addage goes for me too. I really wish we could afford to make several raised beds so I would not have to stoop so much anymore. I am on a health kick and losing weight at the moment so it is getting easier on these older bones. LOL

Good for you! A healthy weight that helps you feel more energetic and reduces certain risks is always a good idea. All that stooping and squatting can get to you. I now bring a chair outside to be able to sit to do things like repotting and turning the compost (I use a hand cultivator since it's in a rubbermaid bin).

I use a watering can for the container plants so I have to walk back and forth a bit and I count that as some of my exercise. It's 10,000 steps a day, but it's something.

 

[claudine]

They are plants too, but they are robbing the soil of nutrients your other plants need, not to mention taking up root space. You wouldn't put several miniature roses in the same container and expect them to grow would you? Even the plants we want have to be thinned out occasionally so they can remain healthy and have space to grow.

Well, I decided not to pull any weeds from my garden. I wonder how will it look like in two months
But I completely agree about pruning, it's necessary and plants like it, it makes them grow faster and healthier.

 

[dconklin]

It is a pain when neighbors let their weeds get overgrown to the point of it affecting your yard. Looks like you are doing a great job and got a lot done tho! Last year we had neighbors who let their yard go behind us and there were all sorts of weeds coming through and over the fence. It was quite the battle! And we have a 6 foot tall fence, so for the weeds to come over the fence was just ridiculous

This year everybody has been really good with their yards so it has been easier for us to keep up with.

 

[ChanellG]

It is a pain when neighbors let their weeds get overgrown to the point of it affecting your yard.

Fortunately, the neighbors with the actual yard on one side keep their grass cut so it's just the issue of the cane plant, but my grandfather has kept that maintained on our side. Now that he can't do it anymore I just have to incorporate it into my routine. I still have a section with vines to clear, but it's not too bad.

The thing is, once you clear one area, it immediately starts growing back!

 

[ACSAPA]

Fortunately, the neighbors with the actual yard on one side keep their grass cut so it's just the issue of the cane plant, but my grandfather has kept that maintained on our side. Now that he can't do it anymore I just have to incorporate it into my routine. I still have a section with vines to clear, but it's not too bad.

The thing is, once you clear one area, it immediately starts growing back!

Weeds are a freaking never ending story. I just trimmed the weeds around my apartment a couple of days ago.
It rained a couple of times in the past couple of days and the weeds are coming back quickly.
Like I said, I hate weeding a yard that's not mine, but it's part of my rental agreement until I move and stop renting the attached apartment like Fonzie.

 

[ChanellG]

but it's part of my rental agreement until I move and stop renting the attached apartment like Fonzie.

ROFLOL!!!!!

As much as I want it to rain right now I know what will happen once it does. There has been some light, intermittent rain, but not enough to make any significant impact. I would like to soak the ground one day and pull up all the underground runners from the Virginia Creeper. That's going to be a job.