I’ve reached the approximate midway point of this yard work project. I think back to what I had originally wanted when I first talked to the local nursery that laid the sod and created the flowerbeds. I was wanting to install just the sod to about 25 feet out from the house. Whole point was to reduce the mud considerably until the grass (or anything greenish) could grow and keep the one dog and me from picking up mud and bringing it in.
The Nursery guy talked me into flowerbeds. He was probably right about helping resale value but I do wish I’d gone with my original plan. Flowerbeds require constant maintenance and I just don’t see the point of having them out here in the country (unless you really like yard work).
Secondary issue was that the organic material they used as mulch developed Artillery Fungus and the fungus has “shot” small tar like black spores up to 20 feet high onto the house, deck and railings near the beds. There is currently nothing that removes these spores short of sanding and repainting. I definitely have Buyer’s Remorse on this one.
The no-dig plastic edging is really going to help and I wish I had used it from the start. It has been easy but takes a while to install it where the beds had already been mulched. I’ve been using 10 inch plastic yard spikes and 6 inch yard staples to secure the edging to the ground (extra attaching in the areas where dogs and humans step).
I’m in no rush but expect to finish sometime this week depending upon weather, the insect bites, my attitude and the poison oak. Spring yard clearing at The Old Radio Ranch always results in chiggers, ticks, and poison oak no matter what precautions I take. It just comes with the territory.
