Im contemplating my lawn.

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Frog Ponds are also a final solution to the mosquito question if maintained. The one I had was definitely a happy accident that did not sustain the winter. I am looking into giving the little buggers something more permanent. Probably a project for next year.

Incidentally, I've noticed a dramatic decrease in tick presence now that there is a shit ton of natural predators like Grass hoppers and spiders in the area.
 
I'm gonna set up some buckets of standing water and throw in mosquito dunks to kill the larva. I hate them fuckers. There's a perpetually wet greenbelt behind my house that is mosquito breeding factory, so I'll do what I can without poisonous chemicals.

Prob gonna have to my backyard for the first time this weekend. Parts of it need mowing but it was a long winter and not all of the grass has started to grow yet.
 
My lawn is mostly moss at the moment. Too much shade and poor drainage. I don't mind moss as such, but it holds on to water and turns everything boggy, which isn't ideal when you want to lie or sit out in the sun. Not that I ever see it around here.
 
Dacha-style gardens where small plots are actually used productively are 1000 times better than an HOA-style dead zone lawn.
 
NevskyProspekt said:
Dacha-style gardens where small plots are actually used productively are 1000 times better than an HOA-style dead zone lawn.
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Just this once, perhaps eco-fascism is in order to eliminate monoculture lawns soaked in fertilizer, pesticides, and the sweat of countless illegals. I swear suburban lawns are a secret jobs program for mexicans.
 
Mowed my backyard today. About 2/3 needed it and the rest was a waste of time. Got chewed up by skeeters. Fuck that.
 
On one of my properties, I can overrule the HOA thanks to local conservancy laws. We border a national park, so I can give my lawn up to the natural process of turf population, and keep it whatever length I want. The HOA sends me letters all the time, and I just send them the subsection where it says there's nothing they can fucking do about it. I will occasionally mow my lawn, but their biggest gripe is the fact that I don't have that perfect Kentucky Bluegrass bullshit everywhere. It's the wheat from the field that existed there since time immemorial. I will only cull invasive species and known allergens. Some of these plants are good emergency food, as well.

This property, unlike the others, is my residence. My neighbors hate me and I hate them too, but I have lived here longer than all of them and they will all die sooner than me so fuck em. One of the other properties, I may do a thread on later.
 
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My lawn was awful when I bought my house, well, the back yard was, the front wasnt too terrible. I had similar thoughts. But I didn't have much ground cover at all. Lot of weeds, brush, and bare patches, shitty soil, poor drainage, and almost no grass, and grass seed wouldn't take in a most of it. Year 2 after I got rid of weeds and brush, I leveled the whole damn yard, then I went to the farm store and bought clover seed (just feed lot seed for deer, its cheap), and I spread that shit everywhere, heavily. I like the mixed red/white clover. Its cheap and it takes patience, but it drowns out the weeds and improves the soil. I let it go for a few years like that, seeding fescue into it every year, overseeding heavily. Its coming along great, now. I like the grass/clover mix, and I get very few weeds to deal with. I have ground cover over the whole lot now.

So, for maybe a total of 200 bucks I got my lawn looking pretty good. You don't have to spend like a boomer, you just have to spend smartly and be willing to forgo rapid results.
 
Wild turkey decided to make it's nest in the back quarter of my property. Watched her and 5 turkey chick's make their way across the back yard, pecking and bugs and wat not. Also encountered a breeding pair of box turtles and an eastern garter snake this week while checking on things. I think a couple blue tailed skinks are living under the porch.

Tick population is almost non existent. Haven't found any on myself or the doggo in awhile.
 
Managed to score some nice pictures of the Turkey and the Skink
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I can see immediately why the Turkey mamma loves my property. The lawn has some pretty tall native grasses rather then half inch high golf course grass. This means there is plenty of food, and the chicks don't stick out like sore thumbs while foraging.

I'm starting to understand what Tolkien was really getting at when he wrote about the importance of the countryside, and being a steward of the land rather then it's dark lord. Seeing all these animals decide to set up shop in my little Kingdom gives me a sense of satisfaction that is hard to describe. Especially since I know for a fact none of them would be here if I went full Sauron and turned the area into a false garden of pride and spite against creation.
 
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mindlessobserver said:
Managed to score some nice pictures of the Turkey and the Skink
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View attachment 6098407

I can see immediately why the Turkey mamma loves my property. The lawn has some pretty tall native grasses rather then half inch high golf course grass. This means there is plenty of food, and the chicks don't stick out like sore thumbs while foraging.

I'm starting to understand what Tolkien was really getting at when he wrote about the importance of the countryside, and being a steward of the land rather then it's dark lord. Seeing all these animals decide to set up shop in my little Kingdom gives me a sense of satisfaction that is hard to describe. Especially since I know for a fact none of them would be here if I went full Sauron and turned the area into a false garden of pride and spite against creation.
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Aside from birds, all I ever get are rabbits, deer, and possums. Well, I did have a couple of coyotes one morning a few years ago, but just that one time. I've seen a fox around the area, but never in my yard. The raccoons have learned their lesson well, it seems. They don't come around anymore, but I still hear them at night.
 
I fully spent like 2 hours lying in the lawn in my backyard and watching bee politics among the flowers while my cat lay on top of me. One bee just straight up pulled another bee off a flower and threw it away and took over the flower. I swear to god natural lawns are underrated. Let's hope I don't get Lyme though.

Native plant gardening is pretty based too. It's easier than regular gardening and if you strategically plan it you can attract pretty cool animals. I got a mink once, which was probably my rarest animal.
 
It may be a boomer thing, but take care of your yard. It's your land. Say what you want, but it's always nice to look at your yard when it's all nice and tidyz no patches of yellow, no weeds poking through. It's the same feeling as walking into a room you've freshly painted five or six times. Admire your work and know your neighbors are jealous of your dedication.
 
The female wild turkey has come back. Not seen her in months. Now she has started looking for nesting locations on my lawn. Rather fascinating. Puffins and many seabirds are known to return to known nesting sites. Turkey's not so much.

I am furthering the cause of science. May see another round of turkey chick's this year.

Also now I have a good excuse to not manicure the front lawn with my wheed whacker. I have a nesting Turkey to deal with. Again!

Seriously though, I am going to document this. I just checked and there is no documentation of the North American Turkey returning to prior nesting locations. This is legit hecking science, and not the Reddit kind. If I see Turkey chick's again I am writing a paper.
 
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mindlessobserver said:
The female wild turkey has come back. Not seen her in months. Now she has started looking for nesting locations on my lawn. Rather fascinating. Puffins and many seabirds are known to return to known nesting sites. Turkey's not so much.

I am furthering the cause of science. May see another round of turkey chick's this year.

Also now I have a good excuse to not manicure the front lawn with my wheed whacker. I have a nesting Turkey to deal with. Again!

Seriously though, I am going to document this. I just checked and there is no documentation of the North American Turkey returning to prior nesting locations. This is legit hecking science, and not the Reddit kind. If I see Turkey chick's again I am writing a paper.
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Dunno how hot it gets in your area in summer, but in Australia some people leave little bowls of water outside, filled with small rocks so insects, mostly bees can stand on them to drink water. Does a lot to help insect populations, and then birds/bats in an urban enviroment. Bigger bowls for lizards/birds might also work.
 
BlastMonk said:
Dunno how hot it gets in your area in summer, but in Australia some people leave little bowls of water outside, filled with small rocks so insects, mostly bees can stand on them to drink water. Does a lot to help insect populations, and then birds/bats in an urban enviroment. Bigger bowls for lizards/birds might also work.
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Plenty of water and such for a bird on my lawn. It's pretty much nothing but native grass and baby trees at this point. Interestingly, the Turkey was resting against the side of my house and was not threatened when i parked my car. Just moved elsewhere. Which is why I am assuming it's the same turkey from last year. It recognized me and the car. Most wild Turkey's bolt if they see a human.

Really excited honestly. This could be a documentation that the North American Turkey has memory and object permanence. Similar to studies done on Puffins and Penguins. And all because I decided to not boomer my lawn.
 
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I've always been of the mind that one should let their land grow wild. I can't stand these ugly, flat, highly maintained grass patches. It isn't natural. Encouraging wild growth helps keep biodiversity up, which is a net-positive for local environments.
 
There was a hare in the garden yesterday, just hopping across. I’m always surprised by how big they are. The woodpeckers are back. I’ve left all the dandelions to bloom to help the bees as it’s been a bit chilly and not many other things were open. I’ll dead head them before they seed (I won’t, but I’ll think I should…)
The apple blossom is mainly gone now but there were so many bees in it I wondered if there was a swarm happening. The sound was wonderful. i hope we get a good year.
 
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