Gardening, Lawn Care, and Landscaping

[aGDevil2k]

I thought we had created this thread last year @UNCatTech I think recommended it...
Anyhow, it's the season for cleaning up and getting outside all good before the sun bakes it all to a crisp.

 

[aGDevil2k]

First question from me: is anyone into carnivorous plants? If so what do you have?

I have a flytrap (she's been going strong for about 5 years now) and now have pitcher plants outside, and getting 2 sundews (one for inside so it can catch fruit flies, phorid flies, etc)

 

[doctor_octopus]

First question from me: is anyone into carnivorous plants? If so what do you have?

I have a flytrap (she's been going strong for about 5 years now) and now have pitcher plants outside, and getting 2 sundews (one for inside so it can catch fruit flies, phorid flies, etc)

If you're in NC, one of the coolest things to do is head down towards Shallotte around early June and be here for the flytraps blooming. Green Swamp Preserve

 

[UNCatTech]

I scalped my lawn a couple of weeks ago and planted several peppers, tomatoes, and other vegetables. Then we had the one day winter and it really did a number on everything in my yard. But it's starting to come back now.

I dread putting out mulch this year. Last year I put out almost 200 bags. This year it should be less as I have a good base from last year. I really want to get to a point where I don't need mulch because of the ground cover and paths.

 

[finesse]

I'm trying to grow native perennials year round. Just started about three years ago so nothing has had time to really mature. I have some things that are still 2-3 years from likely blooming.

 

[UNCatTech]

I'm trying to grow native perennials year round. Just started about three years ago so nothing has had time to really mature. I have some things that are still 2-3 years from likely blooming.

We have found a group that supports native plants, they have a website to help us with picking more native plants.

I have a native azalea, it's deciduous, but the flowers are much prettier than the ones that keep their leaves year round.

I have two maples in the back yard that grew from normal seed distribution.

 

[nrsair]

I'm trying to grow native perennials year round. Just started about three years ago so nothing has had time to really mature. I have some things that are still 2-3 years from likely blooming.

Recently gotten into native perennials as well. Big fan of phlox, beautiful ground cover when blooming (now) and hard to kill. Also got blueberries, azaleas, Virginia blue bells and bee balm. Shoutout to Frank’s Perennial Border in Winston, they carry a ton of native stuff.

 

[aGDevil2k]

I had no idea!!! Great recommendation

I scalped my lawn a couple of weeks ago and planted several peppers, tomatoes, and other vegetables. Then we had the one day winter and it really did a number on everything in my yard. But it's starting to come back now.

I dread putting out mulch this year. Last year I put out almost 200 bags. This year it should be less as I have a good base from last year. I really want to get to a point where I don't need mulch because of the ground cover and paths.

My whole front is mulch. Seemed so much easier.

It's so much more work than grass!! Trying for a lot of it to be covered my variegated vinca.

If you have space for the pile, getting chippings from tree service places can be a good deal

 

[aGDevil2k]

If you're in NC, one of the coolest things to do is head down towards Shallotte around early June and be here for the flytraps blooming. Green Swamp Preserve

That's an awesome idea!

 

[UNCatTech]

 

[StoneColdHeel]

My lawn looks horrible. Can someone come fix it for cheap?

 

[UNCatTech]

My lawn looks horrible. Can someone come fix it for cheap?

Cheap is relative....

 

[aGDevil2k]

My lawn looks horrible. Can someone come fix it for cheap?

What kind of grass?

 

[SmilingJack]

Have a tiny lawn 1200sf so sod or seedling?

 

[aGDevil2k]

Have a tiny lawn 1200sf so sod or seedling?

Depends on the grass.. Zoysia? Sod it.
Fescue? Seed.. But if you're in the South I wouldn't do fescue

 

[gregh1]

This company sells a service that converts your sunny yard to a native meadow of native grasses and native flowers, no mow: Replace Lawns with Meadows & Prairies - Leaf & Limb
I contacted them and they were expensive, sounds neat and fairly low-maintenance though if you'd like to have a natural, pollinator friendly yard that doesn't need mowing.

Per @finesse these things take several seasons to get happy.

 

[gregh1]

I've always liked the native grasses at NC Museum of Art in raleigh, fall pics here Grasses at the NC Museum of Art | Meristem

 

[finesse]

Recently gotten into native perennials as well. Big fan of phlox, beautiful ground cover when blooming (now) and hard to kill. Also got blueberries, azaleas, Virginia blue bells and bee balm. Shoutout to Frank’s Perennial Border in Winston, they carry a ton of native stuff.

I have about 30 bluebells planted, garden, moss, creeping, woodland and marsh phlox (a very versatile type, four stands of scarlet bee balm, Allegheny spurge, foam flower, Solomon's seal, cardinal flower, great blue lobelia, wintergreen and fire, wild and Indian pink as the main things I planted. I have a bout 30 violets of different types, about a hundred sq. ft. of partridge berry, a dozen yellow crownbeards, 30 or so shrubby St. John wort and a bunch of other volunteers.

 

[finesse]

This company sells a service that converts your sunny yard to a native meadow of native grasses and native flowers, no mow: Replace Lawns with Meadows & Prairies - Leaf & Limb
I contacted them and they were expensive, sounds neat and fairly low-maintenance though if you'd like to have a natural, pollinator friendly yard that doesn't need mowing.

Per @finesse these things take several seasons to get happy.

Yeah. Most of this will take a year to root, a year to start growing and a year to take of. A few things will bloom first year but not well. Some may not even come up the first year.

Then there are the weird ones. I planted a climbing hydrangea that might take five years to bloom. The Jack in the Pulpits will take 3-5 years to bloom. The rattlesnake orchids bloom whenever they damned well please.

Still, I mostly have to just weed, prune and pick up debris. No tilling, no mowing, no fertilizer and maybe the occasional spritz of neem oil for pests and stuff.