LAND SCAPING advice.... have U started?

[warhawk]

hello fellow chrome domes:  spring is finally here which means that i will soon B "working" on my yard, again.  just wondering if U have started any landscaping work in your yard.  this year i'm debating if i should stick with the red mulch.  i apply red mulch (it looks good) every year but i'm thinking 'bout replacing the mulch with red lava rocks.  the red lava rocks look gr8 but i'll B spending more money however i believe they will last longer and hold its color compared 2 the red mulch.

so... how 'bout U?  have U started any landscaping work in your yard?  do U have any suggestions on the mulch or lava rocks?  what's your story?

WARHAWK

[Paul]

Landscaping for me Warhawk, is a never ending project.  I am always finding something that I want to do different from the year before.  It would seem to me that in that Florida sun, that both lava rock and mulch are going to bleach out fairly quickly.  Is there a lighter color you could use that wouldn't absorb so much UV? 

[Mikekoz13]

Nice to see you back Mel!!!

It's still too cold on the mountain to start landscaping............

[wpruitt]

There is a concrete pad in my backyard (foundation for a former outbuilding). It's on the edge of the yard and I thought it might make a great patio.  After two weeks of cutting back wisteria, chinese hedge, and other assorted gowth (vines that would support Tarzan, Jane, Boy and Cheetah all at one time) - plus the case of poison ivy from hell, it's starting to take shape.

[D.A.L.U.I.]

Our citrus, grapefruit, blood orange and satsuma trees have been subject to a really bad attack of white fly and the resulting black mold.  I've been spraying weekly w/ an oil based broad spectrum insecticide even though I prefer not to use it.  The pests were weakening the trees.  They've really improved, and since the satsuma is a late bloomer we're going to have a great crop there, and maybe next year we'll get a good crop of oranges and grapefruit as well.  The lawn is cr_p, and I guess I'm going to have to resod from scratch.  Still have to trim the hedges and Japanese yew.  Always something.  The koi pond is doing very well and I'm looking to add one or two new ones if I find something interesting in the pet stores.
The oak trees are dropping pollen, so next we'll have the stinging buck moth catepillers (sp?) to avoid for a couple of weeks.  Like the guys say, yards are constant work--condo's always begin to look good at this time of year. 

[Timmay]

Yes I have always done the "scaping".....Oh crap...im sorry, this said LAND scaping...I thought it said MAN...lol

[PeripheralxMvmnt]

Mrs. Mvmnt and I just bought a townhouse and we have HOA fees that pay for landscaping. when we went over it all with the agent, I asked "if i do the landscaping myself, will my HOA fee be smaller? he laughed and said no, it would be the same, but i wasnt joking. im going to miss it. ive bought an electric lawnmower and weedeater, and loppers and shears, etc for a yard and for landscaping, and now i wont be able to 

[robo21]

I have started on the landscaping, which should be done about the time the next snowstorm hits.  I am in year two of my home and still trying to get everything looking like I want it. 

[Alexander215]

I live in an apartment, but I imagine my father will be calling me once the snow is gone to start landscaping his backyard.

[Mike]

I live in town with a tiny little yard that has some old rose bushes in it that are just scattered here and there, I think I might put in some evergreens or something.
 Last fall when I was living at home I did loads of landscaping for my pheasant pens, I got tons of bushes from Home Depot for like $1 each, got some amazing grasses for .50 at the feed store and I got a bunch of free grass seed from the feed store, it looked really nice when I was done, not sure how it will look this year though because the -30 temps killed most of the holly and some other bushes.

[andrew]

I do some of my own landscaping and "call in the professionals" for mowing, fertilizing and spring/fall cleanup.    I do handle all of the plantings and mulching myself, though.  I will plant lots of stuff and care for it all year.

My yard has a combination of brown cedar mulch and river stones (very smooth 3" stones).   The stones are directly around some of the bushes and plantings (3 japanese maple trees and a few other exotic evergreens), and the mulch is around that.  It was this way when I moved in, so I'm going to continue that and it looks interesting.

Spring cleanup being done next week, fertilizing (kick-start the lawn) in early April, and then I'll do my mulching mid-April.  Will do some spot-seeding as well in mid-April. 

We still have a little snow in Connecticut but it's almost gone.  I live near  the base of a ski resort and the mountain is still loaded with snow, due a lot of natural snow this year and lots of man-made snow.

I can't wait for all the snow to melt, although we'll probably get at least one more slush storm ...

[BReady]

I definitely like the lava rock better than the mulch.  My mulch is all faded from last year, yet my next door neighbors lava rocks have been the same color (to me at least) since I've moved in 2 years ago.  I may start replacing my mulch with HER lava rocks, one by one, so she doesn't noticed BWAHAH.  It's a never ending struggle to remove the weeds in front yard.  My back yard is trashed (holes and runway trails) from the DANG dog.  

I am thinking of ripping it all out, filling up my yard with sand and spray painting it green.... Don't they do that in Arizona or NM??

BReady

[hammerdrill376]

White rock around my place. Being a pest control guy I know the insect problems are a bit reduced using rock and not mulch.

[warhawk]

hey everyone:   i decided on the red lava rocks.  i completed the task (yesterday) with the help of a couple of friends.  we removed the old mulch & replaced it with the red lava rocks.  we also planted some marigold flowers.  all in all, i was completely satisfied with the job.  i hope 2 keep the marigold flowers alive and looking good.

thanks 4 sharing your landscaping advice and stories.  if U have any more... please post up.

WARHAWK

[GASlick]

I am not a yard person.  I don't even water my lawn!  LOL  In fact, I'm getting quotes on having my pool filled in.
You know anybody with a lot of dirt to spare?!