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We fenced in part of our backyard for the dogs and it's wonderful - they can be let out either upstairs with me or when they're downstairs in the basement with my mom, and they're safely contained and the neighborhood dogs that run loose can't get in to bother them.
The only bad thing is that they are now spending a lot of time outdoors, which they love, but my backyard area is complete shade. There's no grass, the ground is dirt with layers of leaves and pine needles.
And we're in the middle of typical summer Alabama weather - hot, muggy, chance of afternoon showers. We get those afternoon showers quite a bit, which means the back turns into one huge squishy muddy place.
I love my puppies, but I'm not loving the necessity of bathing them everyday. If I'm not mistaken, bathing them that often isn't really good for their coats either.
So I'd love something that grows fast that loves shade and will give us something back there besides just dirt and leaves. Any suggestions? It would have to be something pretty hardy too, with four kids and two dogs playing out there a lot.
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
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Hmmm...how many pine trees do you have around? Pine needles are acidic, if I remember correctly, which kills off most grasses.
Posts: 1813 | Registered: Apr 2001
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I'm stumped. I can think of a lot of things that love shade, but not one that loves shade and will put up with lots of leaves, pine needles, and heavy traffic.
The nearest I can think of would be English Ivy, but that is hardly a good ground cover for playing on. Actually, there aren't many ground covers that are good for playing on except grass, which as you already know, doesn't seem to do well in the conditions you describe.
I'm gonna think about this one, though.
Posts: 6394 | Registered: Dec 1999
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My husband's suggestion is just to bring in several truckloads of pine straw and just basically mulch the whole area. I'm not too sure.
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
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Wooly thyme, I never water mone, the kids run over it all the time, and it's under a tree. At least, I think that's what it's called. Want me to take a picture?
Posts: 2711 | Registered: Mar 2004
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That would probably work great, in the short term.
The pine needles are the pain, here. Buffalo grass is pretty sturdy stuff. Here in Kansas, it takes the heat and droughts fairly well. You might ask a local lawn care person if buffalo grass would work.
Posts: 1813 | Registered: Apr 2001
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I love buffalo grass. I have most of my front lawn in it (yes, with three dogs) and it is great. However, if you want buffalo grass, here at some things to consider;
1) It is not cheap to plant! it is like $6/pound for seed, I think last I got some.
2) Be patient -- it takes awhile to get a really good stand of it growing, but it is extremely tough and hardy. When I planted in on my ballfield infield, it was two or three years before I really could see the fruits of my efforts.
3) It is truly a summer grass. You won't see it's fullness until spring is past, and it will get brown and dormant in winter. If you are wanting something that is green all the time, this isn't it.
The joys of it are: very short-- even if you let it grow for a couple weeks, it stays short enough you can easily cut it. THe blades are thin, so it doesn't build up the moisture that makes it hard to cut.
You have to keep it cut pretty short just to discourage other plants from taking over. Because if the spring grasses get a head start and shade over your buffalo grass too , it can kill it.
It loves heat. It does well when we lack rain, too. I'm not sure how it would do in the humidity of your area, but it would probably do fine if you keep broadleaf plants from overtaking it.
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My parents have thick pine-needle mulch in their small backyard in South Carolina. There's no mud problem (very thick mulch) but the dogs track in pine needles like crazy. (Longish-haired dogs, though, so it's always getting caught in their hair.) On the other hand, the needles are pretty easy to pick off/ pick up from the carpet.
Just a thought.
Posts: 834 | Registered: Jun 2005
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I have great luck with crab grass and weeds -- especially plantain. They tolerate all types of light levels and are drought-resistant to boot. A lush ground cover ensues, dotted with clover, wood sorrel, and dandelion. A bonus: you do not need to use toxic herbicides or fertilizers to keep it on good condition. It WANTS to grow!
(This year, I also seem to have some kind of mint and wild strawberries that have escaped from a neighbor's garden and have joined the happy Shvester shady lawn mix)
Posts: 10397 | Registered: Jun 2005
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Belle, Use your contacts from the plumbing business and call a couple of contractors to get their recommendation for a commercial re-seeding outfit. ChemLawn and the like can probably get you something going that is meant to fit the conditions you have.
Posts: 2848 | Registered: Feb 2003
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If anything could survive, it might well be mint? WARNING: IT'S LIKE VOLUNTARILY IMPORTING KUDZU! IT'LL TAKE OVER EVERYTHING! Except I don't know if even mint could survive this environment.
I'm trying to get ferns to grow under my pine tree, but it's a low-traffic area.
Posts: 1877 | Registered: Apr 2005
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My mother-in-law runs WWW.Gardensgreen.com (I'm president of the company by virtue of donating some money for startup costs) Go to the site and say Dan sent you. She'll give the best advice depending on your climate as well as the rest of your details.
Posts: 11895 | Registered: Apr 2002
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My parents came this past Mem. Day to help us get our back yard under control.
Mom: Oh, look -- you've got mint!
Us: Arrrrrrggh!
It was injudiciously planted by the people we bought from. Yay mint . . mint is pretty and yummy. PLANT IT IN A POT.
Posts: 834 | Registered: Jun 2005
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Dan, That's a nice website. I want a friendly robot to mow my lawn for me. That happy family of the future in the video was having a great time watching the friendly yellow robot mow the lawn for them.
And at 2 grand, it's cheaper than raising a kid to the age of mowing for you.
Posts: 10397 | Registered: Jun 2005
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At 50 cents a shot to rent out the neighbor kids to do the job, this will actually pay for itself in 30 years or so.
Posts: 11895 | Registered: Apr 2002
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Well, I can't afford to do too much, we already spent a hefty amount just on the fencing itself. There is one thing which I know I must do, right now, and that is get a splash basin or whatever it's called to go under my downspout because all the runoff from the gutters is pouring out and making a mud puddle that the puppies *love* to dig and roll in.
So, tomorrow I'm going to get that, and some pea gravel and put it out on a small bed of gravel that will drain well to prevent the accumulation of muddy water there.
Then I'll work on the rest of it later, as I can.
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
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quote:Originally posted by Dan_raven: At 50 cents a shot to rent out the neighbor kids to do the job, this will actually pay for itself in 30 years or so.
50 cents??!! Good golly, you've got cheap labor in your neck of the woods. Or century. Or wherever you are posting from.
I live on a 75'x100'lot. The neighborhood kids want $20 to $25 to mow it. My kid and I are doing it ourselves. Without benefit of friendly robots.
Posts: 10397 | Registered: Jun 2005
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Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens), Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis), or Wild Ginger (Asarum sp.) will all do well in shade under pines.
Posts: 173 | Registered: Jun 2002
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quote:I want a friendly robot to mow my lawn for me
I watched that promo video. Basic thing I noticed is that the lawn shown didn't need mowing! It was already very short, to show off the mower, of course. Does show it trying to push through heavy grass after a rain and the lawn has grown for a week! Nope -- you basically have to already have the picture-perfect lawn for that thing to work, and mow it daily to keep it that way. I can imagine what thing would look like all gunked up underneath like my mowers get on my lawn! *grin*
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Bob, you should know that you and dkw are welcome anytime - just come on by and I'll happily serve up some sweet tea. I can even make it with Splenda for those that don't want all that "sugah"
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
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quote: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I want a friendly robot to mow my lawn for me
My husband wants to get robot lawn mower, mount a webcam on it and set up a site where people can watch our lawn be mowed by a robot. He has offered to mow all the neighbor's lawns free for variety.
Posts: 2711 | Registered: Mar 2004
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I like Tante Shvester's solution. If you find out what WANTS to grow there, you can then look at similar, more "civilized" but related species. Of course, you will have to watch out for poison ivy.
Posts: 3141 | Registered: Apr 2000
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quote:Basic thing I noticed is that the lawn shown didn't need mowing! It was already very short, to show off the mower, of course. Does show it trying to push through heavy grass after a rain and the lawn has grown for a week! Nope -- you basically have to already have the picture-perfect lawn for that thing to work, and mow it daily to keep it that way.
I noticed that, too. I especially loved the part where the guy raked the grass with his fingers to show you how this mower doesn't leave behind big clumpy wads of cut grass behind. I was figuring that this was because the grass didn't have any length on it to begin with. But I wouldn't mind mowing my lawn every day if I had a friendly yellow robot doing the work for me.
Posts: 10397 | Registered: Jun 2005
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