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Apr. 13th, 2019 06:26 amAfter all that moaning and groaning about hating yardwork, I've thrown myself fully into the project of trying to improve the lawn.
Last weekend, it was so lovely out, I did not want to let the lovely weather go to waste. I wanted to try using the dethatching rake but couldn't find it. Attempts to dethatch with a regular rake were encouraging as a proof of concept-- dead grass came out of the lawn, with no apparent damage to any healthy-looking green stuff-- but discouraging in how slow the going was, and how little area I could do before my hands threatened to develop blisters (even with work gloves on). So, I asked the landscaping company that usually mows the grass about dethatching; they quoted me $200, which seemed well worth it. Sometime last week they came and drove their power rake in erratic loops around on the lawn. It's hard to judge just how effective this was.
Last weekend I also investigated the huge bag of grass seed that had been sitting in the garage for who knows how long. I'm guessing Matt bought it, so it was, maybe, 4 years old? Rodents had gotten into it in a big way. I don't know if any of that seed was capable of sprouting, but, I figured, we need to get rid of it, and if it's on the lawn it might do some good. So I spread that around in the front, between the driveway and the pine trees. And got miserably soaked watering it because the connection between the hose and the sprayer leaked. Maybe a few grains of that will yet sprout; or maybe all I did was compost that lawn with rodent poop.
Last night Vic and I went back out to the Suburbs of Despair, to try to get a decent seeding done ASAP now that the power raking is done. Bought fresh grass seed (almost a half acre's worth), a wee amount of topsoil to fill a few holes, and work gloves for Vic, and spent almost 3 hours working on the yard. I am paying Vic to help with the yardwork; and their frontal lobes have matured enough to keep in mind what they want to buy, remind themselves periodically why they are doing this, and not complain too much about it. Yay for advancing maturity.
Having spent time and money getting grass seed onto the yard, I need to now keep it watered so it will actually grow. I had forgotten to try to get the kind of seed that's coated to retain moisture. Keeping the seed wet is made more challenging by the town's water restrictions: if you don't have well water (which I don't), you can't water between 9 am and 5 pm, and you may only use a sprinkler once a week. This morning I was so happy to hear the sound of rain. But, according to the weather app on my phone, though it was raining in Brookline and raining and Andover, it was not raining in Wilmington. Why, why is the universe out to get me.
Last weekend, it was so lovely out, I did not want to let the lovely weather go to waste. I wanted to try using the dethatching rake but couldn't find it. Attempts to dethatch with a regular rake were encouraging as a proof of concept-- dead grass came out of the lawn, with no apparent damage to any healthy-looking green stuff-- but discouraging in how slow the going was, and how little area I could do before my hands threatened to develop blisters (even with work gloves on). So, I asked the landscaping company that usually mows the grass about dethatching; they quoted me $200, which seemed well worth it. Sometime last week they came and drove their power rake in erratic loops around on the lawn. It's hard to judge just how effective this was.
Last weekend I also investigated the huge bag of grass seed that had been sitting in the garage for who knows how long. I'm guessing Matt bought it, so it was, maybe, 4 years old? Rodents had gotten into it in a big way. I don't know if any of that seed was capable of sprouting, but, I figured, we need to get rid of it, and if it's on the lawn it might do some good. So I spread that around in the front, between the driveway and the pine trees. And got miserably soaked watering it because the connection between the hose and the sprayer leaked. Maybe a few grains of that will yet sprout; or maybe all I did was compost that lawn with rodent poop.
Last night Vic and I went back out to the Suburbs of Despair, to try to get a decent seeding done ASAP now that the power raking is done. Bought fresh grass seed (almost a half acre's worth), a wee amount of topsoil to fill a few holes, and work gloves for Vic, and spent almost 3 hours working on the yard. I am paying Vic to help with the yardwork; and their frontal lobes have matured enough to keep in mind what they want to buy, remind themselves periodically why they are doing this, and not complain too much about it. Yay for advancing maturity.
Having spent time and money getting grass seed onto the yard, I need to now keep it watered so it will actually grow. I had forgotten to try to get the kind of seed that's coated to retain moisture. Keeping the seed wet is made more challenging by the town's water restrictions: if you don't have well water (which I don't), you can't water between 9 am and 5 pm, and you may only use a sprinkler once a week. This morning I was so happy to hear the sound of rain. But, according to the weather app on my phone, though it was raining in Brookline and raining and Andover, it was not raining in Wilmington. Why, why is the universe out to get me.
