# LadyAnglesey 2018 Renovation



## LadyAnglesey (Aug 9, 2018)

Converting a North Texas Transition Zone lawn from a scruffy Bermuda to a glamorous Lawn Porn tall fescue. Been preparing all summer. Planning to seed with a premium (noxious weed-free) cultivar.

First Step: mow short and smoke it with glyphosate in 3 rounds 2 weeks apart, mowing shorter and shorter. First application was back in July. The reddish patches indicate the roots of the crabgrss has been infected with the glyphosate. Those weeds took the longest to die, apart from the nutsedge.

Second I shot it with a concoction of Tenacity (to prevent new weeds from sprouting while I killed off the old ones; and to kill the nutsedge. Nutsedge took about 2-3 weeks to die.)

Off to the races!


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## LadyAnglesey (Aug 9, 2018)

Discovered the little sapling, Silver Maple, the builder planted years ago is now threatening my foundation. Upon research, I find that Silver Maple is notorious for surface roots, and should never be planted on a residential lot, especially not in Texas. I guess that's just what was available at the nursery that day.

It had some growth spurts and this Summer, stood 50 feet tall. Had a structural engineer and arborist confer. Bottom line: down it came, as well as the 30 ft pecan in back, planted 15 feet from a corner of the house.


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## LadyAnglesey (Aug 9, 2018)

This is what crabgrass looks like once mowed. The second pic is after smoking the lawn a couple of times. If you ever had any doubt that the warmth (heat, in my case) generated from your hard surfaces like sideways, lead walks driveways is a "happy place brewing machine" for weeds, just take a look at the concentration of dead crabgrass along the boulevard next to the sidewalk.


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## LadyAnglesey (Aug 9, 2018)

This morning, 2 piles of dirt were brought in:

1. The dark dirt is native soil, (to rich topsoil, which is much more expensive), no fertilizer or amendments, as I've learned how to enrich and work with my soil and didn't want to pay for additives I'm unfamiliar with. I need to know what's going into the soil, so I'll amend it myself with N-EXT products, humic acid, kelp, fertilizers I already have on hand.

This I'll spread in low areas and the recently removed tree area. Some will also be used for the berm material that will stand on a smaller portion of where the tree was.

2. The red pile is Georgia red clay! WTF, you BOUGHT clay? Well, yes, much as I have grown to detest this Blackland Prairie clay we have in North Texas, I actually need clay to repack around the foundation where the absence of anything growing has eroded it over the years. This is help the foundation to regulate its temperature and moisture levels more consistently.

Also, clay is needed for the base of the berm because -- if you know clay -- it's unperturbed by simple things like rain (even storms) or hose or sprinkler watering. So the clay will act as the "foundation" of the berm, upon which will be added a blend of native soil (from the other pile) and inground potting soil where I plan to plant an "outlaw garden", with a Bloodgood Japanese Maple as its focal point, (although not in the center of the berm).

It's interesting to note that the tree cutters tried to convince me that the sawdust they didn't want to clean up would make great mulch. Ha! Sawdust needs humongous amounts of nitrogen to decompose and guess where it will steal it from. That's right, the very soil I intend to seed with premium TTTF. Also, sawdust emits something that grass absolutely hates anyway.

If you've ever had sawdust left on your lawn from a project and wondered why you had a bare spot later, or the grass there died, or nothing would grow, look to sawdust.

After the crew did a half-ar**ed job, I waited until the sap from the fresh sawdust had dried and took a leaf blower to it, pushing it into a single pile to be deposed of. I also used my shop vacuum and even the straw broom. Then I spread a high nitrogen fert on the area. This will speed the surface roots (of the aforementioned removed tree) in decomposing, as well as smoke any sawdust I missed in a quick hurry.


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## llO0DQLE (Dec 4, 2017)

LadyAnglesey said:


> Also, sawdust emits something that grass absolutely hates anyway.
> 
> If you've ever had sawdust left on your lawn from a project and wondered why you had a bare spot later, or the grass there died, or nothing would grow, look to sawdust.


Can you expound on this? AFAIK, sawdust is a good soil topdressing to improve tilth and encourage beneficial fungi. Maybe if the sawdust if put on too heavily then it would smother and kill the grass but that goes with anything, not just sawdust.


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## LadyAnglesey (Aug 9, 2018)

llO0DQLE said:


> LadyAnglesey said:
> 
> 
> > Also, sawdust emits something that grass absolutely hates anyway.
> ...


Sorry for the late response. Been sooooo busy shoveling dirt, building the berm, hauling, totin', lifting. But I'm housebound for the time being as we'd had a torrential downpour of 11 inches of rain in the past 18 hours with more to come over the next 3 days. Phew!!

Now to your question, please don't confuse sawdust with bark. The bark of trees is fine and desirable either for mulching, as an ingredient in DIY potting mix/soil, or even for rototilling into sandy soil to add bulk and organic bits, or to loosen clay soil by providing it with air and water pockets. In time, it also slowly decomposes and adds some beneficial nutrients.

But the *wood* underneath the bark is sawdust and some folk use it to mulch beds. (I don't recommend it.) But sawdust is the enemy of turf or gardening soil. Nor would I use it to DIY potting soil/mix as it would drain the nitrogen from the fertilizer.

The reason is that sawdust (not the tree bark) is a hardcore nitrogen ninja mafia thief, draining nearby nitrogen in order to process decomposition. That's the reason grass dies or won't grow where sawdust is left or is spread. Nothing at all to do with its weight or depriving other plant life of sun/photosynthesis. I personally wouldn't use sawdust or wood chips anywhere unless I knew it was at least 2-3 years old. Fresh off a newly downed tree? "Danger, Will Robinson!"

Please don't take my word for it, though. Google "sawdust on lawns", or "sawdust in potting mix", etc. Hope that helps.


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## LadyAnglesey (Aug 9, 2018)

The Tenacity I sprayed has expired. I forgot the small detail that it only works for about 28 days, and so didn't respray. Consequently, I had some new tiny Spurge and nutsedge coming up about 3 weeks ago. I hit it all with a concoction of glypho, Tenacity, Bifen II (for the "no see 'ums" so I can work comfortably), Crossbow (for the woody thingees, which I also used to kill the Asian Jasmine patch), and Fusilade II (for the errant Bermuda that was still a tiny bit green at the crown).

That seems to have done the trick, and I can hardly wait for cooler weather. That Fusilade II mixed with the glypho really stomped the Bermudagrass and acted like a turbo booster. I'm told I can even use it carefully to spot treat the TTTF without harming it when patches of Bermuda rear its ugly head inevitably come Spring. But I'll be sure to put down Tenacity again as the last step on before seeding day.


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## LadyAnglesey (Aug 9, 2018)

My lawn has been a work in progress for so long it seems that I grew weary of seeing dead grass and dirt. So I had the idea to install oversized planters either side of my front entrance. It needed to be "estate planter" size to compete with the house structure and the mature hedges. Previously, the original evergreen tall-ish shrubs there had to be removed years ago due to storm damage. The spots have been blank for ages and I figured those were the perfect spots for the planters.

Sticker shock to find that oversized (3 feet tall) planters cost about $500 each! And these are hard plastic! What a disappointment. So I put on my thinking cap and came up with a dupe:

I found these heavy duty outdoor trash cans at the big box. I like them, not only for the price but because their handles are built-in and recessed, making them appear perfectly round, with no tell-tale "******* trash can wannabe planter" look. I bought some general-purpose bronze and antique gold Rust-O-Leum spray paint and free-handed them. I used an auger bit to drill several drain holes on the bottoms.

Next, I bought 2 extra-large heavy gauge hanging baskets complete with coco liners that fit perfect atop the trash can lip. To weight the cans down, I thought of using bricks, but realized I had 4 plastic pots that still had the soil and pine nugget mulch in them. I dropped (literally dropped, because they were cumbersome) two each into the bottoms of each can, then place the hanging basket inside. This had the added benefit of sitting right on top of the insider planters so the weight of the full hanging basket would slip down.

Then I realized I could change the planter out with different themes as the seasons and holidays changed, so I didn't want the hanging basket to be too bothersome to lift and clean out. I found some empty water bottles in the recycle bin in the garage and lined each hanging basket with them. Next, laid a "Soil Moist" square on top of that. It makes the basket act like it's self-watering and is cheap.

An added benefit was that the empty bottles allowed air and water to pass through, but I also needed only about half as much potting soil. Good thing, too because I forgot to buy any and only had 2 gas on hand.

I filled each basket about halfway with soil, then pressed in my "thriller, filler, and spiller" plants. This arrangement should last well into November and class up my annual haystack pumpkin patch next to it on the porch come mid-October. After that, I'll change it out for Christmassy stuff. And so on. Now I have something pretty and living to look at while I tame this dirt.

Pack of Soil Moist mats: $9.06 (6 mats that can be cut to size)
Hanging baskets with coco liners: $17.98 X 2 = $35.96
Trash cans: $17.97 X 2 = $35.94 (they only come in black and I was anxious they weren't readily recognizable at trash cans, hence spray painting them. They even came with lids so I can repurpose them someday if I ever decide to, but for now, those are stored in the garage.) 
Rust-O-Leum: $6.48 X 2 = $12.96
TOTAL = $46.96 each ($93.92 for both)
COMPARED To: $478.85 (for the real deal) X 2 + $957.70 
My Cost: less than 10%


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## LadyAnglesey (Aug 9, 2018)

Once I began building the berm, I realized I had the opportunity to correct the grading and do some drainage, too. There was a natural swale running perpendicular to the house that I was careful not to interrupt with the berm. I also took the opportunity to expand the flowerbeds outward as the foliage had maxed out the tight lines over the years. There were metal edging guards as much to keep out the Bermudagrass as to define the beds' shapes. With Tall Fescue, I can have the natural borders I much prefer. I never put in annuals or other plants because there was no space. Now there will be.

What I wouldn't have given for a bobcat some days, but a shovel, rake, wheelbarrow, and elbow grease has to do.


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## LadyAnglesey (Aug 9, 2018)

One day while raking, grading, and shifting dirt I realized that the inground utility box submerged on the very edge of my property was smashed and caved in due to the sanitation trucks constantly cutting that curb short on the turn. It's been like this all year...maybe longer as I haven't been the one tending the lawn until now.

Suddenly, I recalled all the reno stories I've read about the utility companies digging up folks' lawns just when it was begging to look great and it was too late to re-seed or re-sod.

Hoping to pre-empt such a disaster, I got online to find a number to call. With my luck, even though they haven't worried about it for possibly years, I'd wake up one morning shortly after the frost day to find a huge section my new lawn piled in a heap, crushing another huge section...displaced by a new utility box.

You wouldn't believe just how hard they make it to find the responsible department. Nowhere on any site will you find a contact heading reading: "In case of repairs for our ugly inground boxes" or something like that. I got on the chat and was fortunately given the direct number, again, not listed anywhere, not even by Googling.'

I called and got forwarded and then finally to a helpful person. Am I the only person in the world that needs to report a smashed box? I almost thought so. They told me they'd report it to the proper department, (funnily, you can't talk to them yourself. It's like the CIA or something), but apologized that she couldn't give me a date/time range.

My hopes sank, but at least I tried.


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## llO0DQLE (Dec 4, 2017)

LadyAnglesey said:


> Now to your question, please don't confuse sawdust with bark. The bark of trees is fine and desirable either for mulching, as an ingredient in DIY potting mix/soil, or even for rototilling into sandy soil to add bulk and organic bits, or to loosen clay soil by providing it with air and water pockets. In time, it also slowly decomposes and adds some beneficial nutrients.
> 
> But the *wood* underneath the bark is sawdust and some folk use it to mulch beds. (I don't recommend it.) But sawdust is the enemy of turf or gardening soil. Nor would I use it to DIY potting soil/mix as it would drain the nitrogen from the fertilizer.
> 
> ...


I'm not confusing sawdust with bark. From what I read topdressing with sawdust is fine and beneficial to the soil. Tilling it in is another thing and that's when it robs nitrogen. See this thread for some info. A lot of very knowledgeable guys with vert nice lawns in that forum use sawdust as a soil amendment through topdressing.

https://aroundtheyard.com/forums2/viewtopic.php?t=3343


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## LadyAnglesey (Aug 9, 2018)

llO0DQLE said:


> LadyAnglesey said:
> 
> 
> > Now to your question, please don't confuse sawdust with bark. The bark of trees is fine and desirable either for mulching, as an ingredient in DIY potting mix/soil, or even for rototilling into sandy soil to add bulk and organic bits, or to loosen clay soil by providing it with air and water pockets. In time, it also slowly decomposes and adds some beneficial nutrients.
> ...


Well then, feel free to adhere to those very knowledgeable guys. After all, I'm just a very knowledgeable, intelligent woman. Look, Mate, I'm not trying to lead you astray or even influence you. I'm just writing according to my own knowledge, research, education, trial and error, and 50+ years of experience. It's not a competition. Your mileage may vary, and I'm not offended if you think mine doesn't match your own. In the end, it's grass; not world peace.


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## LadyAnglesey (Aug 9, 2018)

I think it was only 2, maybe 3 days after calling Oncor when I was out front struggling with getting the new Bloodgood Japanese Maple out of its 30 gal. pot and into position in the berm when Oncor's subcontractors pulled up to take care of that busted utility cover. It was a sunny morning and they were working not 20 feet from me. Occassionally, we all checked out each other's progress.

Turns out, the new boxes are larger than the original, so instead of just replacing the lid, they had to dig up the whole thing and replace it. Either the clay soil was too hard to dig deep enough, or they were giving the sanitation trucks incentive not to crush it again, but the end effect is that the new box is not flush to the ground, but rises about 2-3 inches above the adjoining payment. Sideswipe that and there be some slashed tire walls, I imagine.

The irony was that, even though the area is entirely dirt, they carefully dug out only about 4 inches around. So had I already seeded, the damage would have been very, very minimal. Even TTTF might have closed the gap in fairly short order.

What's more, they finished before I did and helpfully took my sapling to its final place of honor in the berm so I could backfill. After they left, I repositioned the soil around the new box, grading it slightly to compensate for the new height to make it easier to mow near.

Here's the end result.


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## LadyAnglesey (Aug 9, 2018)

After removing the Silver Maple and its old metal flowerbed edging, it became evident the adjacent horizontal edging looked out of place, as well. And now with the tree gone and a much smaller berm in its place, I had room to expand the flowerbeds outward. Their original size was sufficient for the 1 gal. shrubs, but their maturity has "burst their banks", making them look crowded into a stingy space. The overall look was unbalanced. And there was no room to add anything in front of the evergreens to vary to color or texture with annuals or blooming plants.

Funnily, with the edging removed, it was easy to see that they had contributed to the drainage problem, as the dirt stood a good 4 inches above the lawn grade. It had collected and held the dirt and mulch that the rains gradually drove away from the foundation over the years. The water and mud had nowhere to go, so the edging acted as a dam.

So I extended the beds outward the flowerbeds out about 2-3 feet. Then trenched the new boundaries, encompassing a sort of drain into the trenches, both so the water could run off and so the mulch could stay put at the edge.

I also attached accordion downspout extenders to draw the water to the trenched bed edges. The original metal ones were too short by half to do the job and the accordions allowed me to shape and direct them through the beds in the most optimal positions through the foliage.

This is similar to the model I bought.


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## LadyAnglesey (Aug 9, 2018)

And the rains came down! We got 7.11 inches in a 6 hour period. Then another 3.59 the next day. It's been rainy, muddy, and overcast all weekend, so I can't work outside. But all I could think of was that I was so glad I hadn't seeded yet!

It also gave me a chance to test the drainage, downspout extenders, and swales real-time. (I actually went out in raingear once with the shovel and "tweaked" it. Messy, but actually much easier to dig the clay.)

Flash flood warning-type downpours, but I'm happy to see, I got the drainage correct. I now feel more confident that it's been tested and held true (with tweaking).


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## llO0DQLE (Dec 4, 2017)

LadyAnglesey said:


> llO0DQLE said:
> 
> 
> > LadyAnglesey said:
> ...


I wasn't trying to argue with you, merely trying to have a discussion. You've made up your mind, cheers.


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## ken-n-nancy (Jul 25, 2017)

LadyAnglesey said:


> And the rains came down! We got 7.11 inches in a 6 hour period. Then another 3.59 the next day.


Ouch! That's a lot of rain! So good you didn't seed yet, and you'll have a chance to fix any washouts before seeding!

Keep up the great work!


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## LadyAnglesey (Aug 9, 2018)

llO0DQLE said:


> LadyAnglesey said:
> 
> 
> > llO0DQLE said:
> ...


You asked me to expound. I did, using my own real-world experience and knowledge, assuming in good faith that you honestly wanted to understand a different viewpoint better. You didn't. You're the one who'd already made up your mind. No, I don't think you originally posted to argue with me. But at the end, your intent is clear and clearly insulting. Please don't feel the need to continue to do so. Obviously, mine isn't the lawn journal you should be following or posting in.

I'm glad you provided the link for an opposing theory. I belong to that board, as well, btw. This way others can get a well-rounded view as none of us are the end all be all.


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## LadyAnglesey (Aug 9, 2018)

ken-n-nancy said:


> LadyAnglesey said:
> 
> 
> > And the rains came down! We got 7.11 inches in a 6 hour period. Then another 3.59 the next day.
> ...


So true! I dodged a bullet on that one. Seeding will be this coming weekend. Phew!


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## llO0DQLE (Dec 4, 2017)

LadyAnglesey said:


> llO0DQLE said:
> 
> 
> > LadyAnglesey said:
> ...


I'm sorry you feel insulted although I'm not sure how you came to the conclusion that that was my intent. I even tried to clarify in my last post that I was just trying to have a discussion. You were the one that got all uppity right away after I shared the ATY thread about sawdust. The reason I asked you to expound was because I knew of several people from that board that topdress their lawns with sawdust and clearly their lawns are not dead but on the contrary, look very nice. That's also why I mentioned in my first post that perhaps the reason some people's lawns die when topdressing with sawdust is because they put it on too thick. I also offered up the other scenario where if sawdust were tilled in to the soil that that's when it would really rob the soil of nitrogen. As I said - trying to have a discussion. Evidently, you are not interested and I will take my leave as you have clearly stated that you don't want me commenting on your journal.


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## LadyAnglesey (Aug 9, 2018)

I'm familiar with topdressing with a concoction of soil and/or manure, and/or other organic material rather than new sawdust alone may be beneficial. But it often takes heavy and multiple doses of chemical nitrogen to counteract the sawdust, as well. That's an expensive proposition when I could simply remove the sawdust from the equation.

I welcome discussions and hope to learn, as well as impart knowledge and techniques. Rather than a discussion, your replies after the first, which I took the time to explain my view, were cursory and added nothing towards a discussion except a closed-minded view. The point of posting a journal is to impart experience and knowledge, seek answers and advice. It was unhelpful to anyone reading this journal for you to basically say that my thinking was incorrect because members of a different site had a different experience.

I welcome positive criticism and insight, and most of all, respectful discourse. However, framing others' posts are smart and experienced by its nature frames mine as the opposite. Feeling as you do, I cannot then imagine why you'd want to read my journal since you find my experience and opinions objectionably ignorant. But here you are.

Did you honestly want to entertain a more respectful discourse, impart firsthand knowledge? That would help others reading my journal. The reverse wouldn't be true.


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## jessehurlburt (Oct 18, 2017)

You should just come out and tell everyone you do not want any type of feedback or comments. You seem to know it all. Good luck on your reno, lady.


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## iowa jim (Jan 22, 2018)

jessehurlburt said:


> You should just come out and tell everyone you do not want any type of feedback or comments. You seem to know it all. Good luck on your reno, lady.


jessehurlburt: Just wondering if you new what time of the month it is? Lost my calendar


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## samjonester (May 13, 2018)

iowa jim said:


> jessehurlburt said:
> 
> 
> > You should just come out and tell everyone you do not want any type of feedback or comments. You seem to know it all. Good luck on your reno, lady.
> ...


Inappropriate and demeaning! This is NOT the type of culture I want to be a part of.


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## pennstater2005 (Jul 17, 2017)

I removed a few off topic comments. Please keep TLF a friendly place.


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