Gardening/Maintenance Thread

Shyster
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Gardening/Maintenance Thread

Postby Shyster » Sun May 08, 2022 12:54 pm

The grass is looking a little shaggy, but the lawn is so wet from all that rain that there are literally still puddles in my back yard. I'm thinking the lawn is going to look shaggy all week, because I'm sure not mowing today.

King Colby
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Gardening/Maintenance Thread

Postby King Colby » Sun May 08, 2022 3:45 pm

I cut my lawn 7 days ago to 2.5" and applied weed and feed. With the feeding and the 27 inches of rain, even putting the deck back at 3.5" today was a major cutting

mac5155
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Gardening/Maintenance Thread

Postby mac5155 » Sun May 08, 2022 10:36 pm

Your lawn does look very nice ntp.

mac5155
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Gardening/Maintenance Thread

Postby mac5155 » Sun May 08, 2022 10:38 pm

Also we have a very similar pattern with sidewalk/porch/garage. I did a rock garden between my house and sidewalk with some daylillies, hosta, and gold mop cypress. It looks really nice and adds a bit of curb appeal. Once the daylillies bloom I'll snap a pic.

NTP66
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Gardening/Maintenance Thread

Postby NTP66 » Mon May 09, 2022 6:32 am

We picked up a lot of hummingbird/bee/butterfly attracting flowers while at that garden center, so I'm hoping that we see more wildlife this year than we have in the past. Bees, we'll always see plenty of them, as they go crazy for the pollen on our dwarf chestnut. I'd love to see more of the other two.

mac, I love daylillies, and have a neighbor who does basically what you describe. Fills in the entire area really nicely, and he's got a variety of colors.

DigitalGypsy66
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Gardening/Maintenance Thread

Postby DigitalGypsy66 » Mon May 09, 2022 7:39 am

It's so weird. I'm not a big gardener, but this time of the year I'm usually weeding and cleaning beds and planting a little bit. This year? No point, as we'll be out of this house in six weeks (fingers crossed). I keep wanting to plant something, but alas...

I did talk with the state horticulture/agriculture agent about transplanting my blueberry bushes. Gave me a bunch of tips and suggestions, although June is the dead last month I should be trying to transplant those bushes, but if done properly, it shouldn't damage them. Soil is similar in both locations too.

blackjack68
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Gardening/Maintenance Thread

Postby blackjack68 » Mon May 09, 2022 6:08 pm

Do you have a good sandy, acidic soil for the blueberries?

RonnieFranchise
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Gardening/Maintenance Thread

Postby RonnieFranchise » Mon May 09, 2022 6:26 pm

Freeze a couple weeks ago almost assuredly means no peaches this year :sad:

DigitalGypsy66
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Gardening/Maintenance Thread

Postby DigitalGypsy66 » Mon May 09, 2022 6:50 pm

Do you have a good sandy, acidic soil for the blueberries?
I do! The closer to the coast, the worse the soil gets for blueberries. Fortunately, we couldn’t buy anything where the soil is bad for blueberries! :lol:

robbiestoupe
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Gardening/Maintenance Thread

Postby robbiestoupe » Tue May 10, 2022 10:58 am

I've given up on blueberries in my garden. Tried every trick to get the acidity up and putting in tons of peat moss. 3 strikes and they're out

DigitalGypsy66
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Gardening/Maintenance Thread

Postby DigitalGypsy66 » Tue May 10, 2022 8:01 pm

Check with Penn State's Extension agents for testing and tips. Clemson Extension has been very helpful, but I think it's very southeast specific info.

dodint
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Gardening/Maintenance Thread

Postby dodint » Tue May 17, 2022 11:05 pm

I like having a lawn service, they handle our one acre. Last year we were paying about $125 every two weeks for cut, trim, and hauling away the cut grass. This year at contract renewal they bumped it to $139. Fine, we renewed.
Got a note from them today saying they are adding a 'temporary' fuel surchage of 20%. If they apply that to the total base we are looking at a cost of $166 each time. Or about $3000 per year for 9 months of service.

I haven't looked yet but I suspect I can get a rider big enough to tackle an acre for less than that. Which is what I used to do before we moved in. We only hired the service because we were living in Allison Park and driving to Latrobe every two weeks just to cut grass was a drag.

mac5155
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Gardening/Maintenance Thread

Postby mac5155 » Tue May 17, 2022 11:49 pm

I may know a guy ;)

You're a bit far for him to be honest. You could also probably find someone cheaper.

dodint
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Gardening/Maintenance Thread

Postby dodint » Wed May 18, 2022 12:00 am

My lawyer brain has latched onto something. They sent us a new contract this year. It has an acceleration clause and a 36 month term. Meaning if I cancel it, I have to pay for the remaining 34 months at once.
We signed our contract in mid-March. Gas prices have only increased 6% since then, but the surcharge is 20%; over three times as much.
So they locked in all their customers into these long contracts and one month into the cutting season they pump up the cost by 20%. Hmmmmm.
They also put in a fee shifting clause wherein if I litigate I have to pay their attorney.

Luckily, this is what I do and can confidently get out of the contract with little issue. A class action, on the other hand, sounds nice. I bet I could get a bunch of their jilted customers to join me.

Not that I am going to approach it like that. But it's a good thing to have in my back pocket.

Shyster
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Gardening/Maintenance Thread

Postby Shyster » Wed May 18, 2022 12:14 am

At that price, a smallish riding or zero-turn mower would pay for itself in less than two years.

dodint
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Gardening/Maintenance Thread

Postby dodint » Wed May 18, 2022 12:24 am

Yeah. I checked and a mid-line rider is around $2k. So 12 mowings or less than six months.

NTP66
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Gardening/Maintenance Thread

Postby NTP66 » Wed May 18, 2022 6:19 am

That's **** up, and yes, I'd go the riding mower route myself. Buddy of mine paid a fortune for an electric riding mower, but says it's totally worth it. I believe it's an EGO riding mower.

robbiestoupe
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Gardening/Maintenance Thread

Postby robbiestoupe » Wed May 18, 2022 8:57 am

Chipmunks ate all my corn sprouts, some pumpkin and a few others. Any recommendations? Lethal, non-lethal, doesn't matter. And no, I don't own any guns.

dodint
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Gardening/Maintenance Thread

Postby dodint » Wed May 18, 2022 9:01 am

That's **** up, and yes, I'd go the riding mower route myself. Buddy of mine paid a fortune for an electric riding mower, but says it's totally worth it. I believe it's an EGO riding mower.
$5500 and out of stock. Neat.

NTP66
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Gardening/Maintenance Thread

Postby NTP66 » Wed May 18, 2022 9:09 am

Yeah, he had to wait a while for his. He's determined to go electric for everything, and he clearly meant it. He has a pile of batteries for that thing. :lol:

willeyeam
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Gardening/Maintenance Thread

Postby willeyeam » Wed May 18, 2022 9:11 am

dodint I love that the gas surcharge is based off the total price. Convenient :lol:

DigitalGypsy66
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Gardening/Maintenance Thread

Postby DigitalGypsy66 » Wed May 18, 2022 9:19 am

My neighbhors have a Husqvarna Automower. I remember looking their model up a couple of years ago, and it was $1800. Now that same model is over $2000.

But it's battery powered and fire and forget. I'm not sure how well it would work on the hills of Western PA, but it does claim to mow 45% grades.

https://www.husqvarna.com/us/robotic-la ... mower-550/

NTP66
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Gardening/Maintenance Thread

Postby NTP66 » Wed May 18, 2022 9:19 am

No **** way am I paying that kind of money for that thing. Insanity.

DigitalGypsy66
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Gardening/Maintenance Thread

Postby DigitalGypsy66 » Wed May 18, 2022 9:22 am

Cheaper than the zero turn EGO though. And it works very well, too.

MrKennethTKangaroo
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Gardening/Maintenance Thread

Postby MrKennethTKangaroo » Wed May 18, 2022 9:34 am

dodint I love that the gas surcharge is based off the total price. Convenient :lol:
Laugh it up Mr. CFO. But I'm guessing ulfster's first presentation to the board of directors will include a proposal for a 20 percent price increase across the board

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