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Bit off more than I can chew
I bought a house and moved in at the end of August 09. Riiiiight in time for leaf season, but missing most of the major grass cutting season, LOL
So I'm a single girl on a budget, and I've realized that the huge yard with 4 huge trees is way too much for me to deal with in it's as-is state, and I don't really have the money to pay someone every week to mow the lawn and rake the leaves (and shovel the snow, but that's another story!).
I'm trying to brainstorm to see what I can do to change things a little, maybe make the mulch beds bigger, etc., anything to make not as much area to deal with.
What would you do? I'm going to see if I can find someone to cut down one of the trees in the front yard and trim back the others. I'm not much of a green thumb AT ALL, so I need easy ideas.
Re: Bit off more than I can chew
Yes, you can make the mulch beds bigger. As an arborist once told me when I asked about how large an area to mulch under trees '"We'll start from your property line and negotiate inward." Turf grass sucks up nutrients that trees need to be healthy, so less turf around the tree is better for the tree. This will help with mowing/raking as you don't need to rake the leaves on the mulch beds under the trees--the leaves will decompose and feed the trees.
And if you have someone come out to trim your trees, PLEASE make sure it's a certified arborist. Regular tree-trimmers will come out and cut your trees willy-nilly (called topping) which is not only unsightly, but bad for the tree. The new growth is unstable and more likely to break off, making wounds where insects and diseases can get in. Have it done right if you don't want dead trees down the road.
If you make your mulch beds bigger, there will be more cost with replacing/maintaining mulch. It is a B!tch to do on your own. I'd suggest investing in a riding lawnmower--check craigslist or trying to hire a teenager in the neighborhood. I'd also suggest buying a bagger for the back of the mower.....after a while, if you let the clippings stay, you will get too much thatch which can lead to disease and poor looking grass. We got to where we would bag sometimes and then let the clippings stay sometimes so we weren't having to do a ton of work every.single.time.
We want to minimize what we do in our yard so it is actually easier to have more sod than more islands b/c I get obsessed about our mulch if it wears thin and even when buying it in bulk in the back up a pick up truck, it adds up very quick.
I also have dyed mulch before which helps lower the total cost since you don't have to haul more out there but it is still time consuming.
My parents have a couple large areas under their trees in their front lawn with in ground cover vines. I think they have vinca in one area and pacasandra (sp?) in another. This way they don't have to reapply the mulch every other year but still have low maintenance. Maybe that is an option?
Also, ditto on the finding a neighborhood kid who may be looking to make some extra money mowing, raking or shoveling. If you can find an inexpensive mower on Craigslist, you might be able to negotiate a lower rate since you could provide the equipment.
We got a self propelled Toro bagging mower last summer that was only a few years old for $75. It just needed a new blade (which cost less than $20 to have it installed at the local harware store). We saw one just like it at that same store (they sell used equipment) and it was over $300.
**Note: Just like you we moved into our house in Aug 09, just in time for all the fun stuff like raking leaves and shoveling snow. So I feel your pain. We are also looking at ways to reduce the amount of grass in our yard by expanding our "natural" areas under our trees, creating a stone walkway to the back yard through our garden area and adding a small brick patio in the front.**