Thanks for the reminder of why I absolutely fucking hate the billion dollar lawn industry that spends millions convincing people they need to do all this shit. A well run homeowners association has is positives, but virtually locking you into spending so much on the lawn treadmill really sucks.
We removed all the grass from the front of the house and just keep up the back for the kids
There's something to that but I like a well balanced yard and grass. I'm slowly removing some areas and replacing them with utility while keeping the overall size. Just takes a while.
It depends on what type of termites he has. Some of them fly so a ground barrier would be pointless. Learning what type would help narrow down a treatment. For example, Florida has several types that are subterranean or flying. I've heard horror stories of the flying ones swarming and taking over someones roof only to be treated and return a year later. All the while they skip over the wooden shed in the yard and other houses in the neighborhood.
Xeriscaping is interesting. I actually like it as well, but it fits the local flora. Every time I've seen this try and be pulled off elsewhere it just looks tacky and dumb with a few thousand square feet of gravel and a couple shrubs in mulch.
Well basically it's more externalities in my case. Too many critters and very aggressive flora. I can not treat for grubs or cinch bugs, but they cause damage and then skunks and moles move in to eat them. It's cheaper to pay $100/yr than to get pest control and deal with that shit.
My understanding is Zoysia is basically impossible to grow from seed, but you can have a ton of success using plugs/sod.
no HOA no subdivision, I am on an acre and a half of decorative stone. Once a year I pay a company to spray weed killer on the entire property with a year bond if anything grows back and it's worth every cent.
No maintenance and my worsening back. I had 2 lawnmowers and 2 weed wackers when we left the south and moved to NV. I gave them all away to our moving guys as I was done with fucking with a yard. Also here in the middle of the mojave desert, it's harder to GROW that leave native. I only spray to kill as only thing that will take is the weed that eventually becomes tumbleweeds.
no biggie. Whomever I originally replied to said AZ. Ironically the place had lush grass in the back, a whole garden , bushes, multiple bushes, and a lot of trees. Then it sat empty for 2 years and everything died. I spent as much getting that dead shit out and I did putting the stone in.
My next door neighbor just had theirs removed or I would take a pic. I don't know what it's called but it's a bush that gets GIGANTIC and thick with needles like rose bushes, and live 2-3 years then die and become tumbleweeds. Also in the spring we typically get some rain and everything (weedwise) sprouts. Whatever they are , they are hardy enough to grow in the rocks. I also have a patch of 'astroturf' - fake grass in my backyard in the sitting area and the weeks will even grow in it, so it gets sprayed as well.
how to say you don't have experience with tumbleweeds without saying it. Now I'm going to have to find a lot and take pictures.....