Who has a green thumb?

[sepefrio]

OK, been trying to get my lawn back in shape for the last two years ever since the renters let to go to heck. But now I'm having two problems that I could use some help with.

Neighbors (renters) who don't care. Their lawn is nothing but crab grass and weeds. They only cut it when the city warns them it seems. No matter how hard I try (I've extended weed and crag grass killer aswell as seeding) into their lawn to try and create a buffer with no luck. So I'm thinking more of a physical barrier now. This is the front lawn and I don't want a 8ft tall privacy type barrier, just something to keep their weeds from my lawn. Like putting in a hedge row, maybe 3-4ft tall. Nice and dense with a rock or mulch bed. Any ideas? I can upload a photo later if needed.

Few notes, I'm near the coast in Virginia Beach, Virginia. What I need in the hedge is something that is dense and remains year round. What I, rather the wife, would also like is maybe a little color but no droppings (like berries). If you can suggest a good hedge/shrub or whatever they are called, I would appreciate it.

The other problem is moles. I've tried traps and stomping the tunnels down. My dog makes the problem worse by chasing it and digging holes all over trying to catch it. Do those sonic things really work? Anyone know of an effective method to kill or chase them off. There is so much on the internet, 10 people say X works then 10 people say it's junk.

[Jim Katen]

. . . Few notes, I'm near the coast in Virginia Beach, Virginia. What I need in the hedge is something that is dense and remains year round. What I, rather the wife, would also like is maybe a little color but no droppings (like berries). If you can suggest a good hedge/shrub or whatever they are called, I would appreciate it.

Boxwood.

The other problem is moles. I've tried traps and stomping the tunnels down. My dog makes the problem worse by chasing it and digging holes all over trying to catch it. Do those sonic things really work? Anyone know of an effective method to kill or chase them off. There is so much on the internet, 10 people say X works then 10 people say it's junk.

Moles or gophers? There's a difference.

The sonic things work for a time -- a few months, in my experience. Then both moles & gophers become accustomed to the noise and they just ignore it.

For moles, in my experience, the scissor-type traps work better than the plunger-type traps. My old neighbor, an inveterate inventor made his own ingenious mole snares using Victor rat traps. If you're interested, let me know, and I'll describe them in detail. If you get the knack, trapping can be very effective.

For gophers, I've had the best luck with Cinch traps. One summer, I caught 64 gophers with them. Interestingly, the Cinch mole traps were useless for me. I never caught a single mole with one.

The trick to successfully trapping any animal is to think like the animal. Also, for both moles & gophers set & check your traps twice a day, every day, like clockwork. Also, very important, avoid touching the business end of the traps with your fingers. You don't want your smell on them.

One of the coolest gopher traps used a 12ga shotgun shell. When the gopher touched the trigger, the trap fired the shell, killing the gopher, burying the body, and filling the hole all at once. Sadly, they're no longer legal.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[ghentjr]

Well in CT a gopher is big, cat to racoon size. Moles are simple. They eat grubs, so kill the grubs. Get the best product for grub control and when they are gone the moles will follow. The second way is quicker. Home depot sells a sulphur bomb which you light, then stuff into one of the mole tunnels. That also works.

I agree with boxwood. Slow grower and no droppings.

The crab grass story I got from a lawn guy. If you use fertilizer with crab grass control in it you have to use it two or three times early in the season. In VA I would use first application mid march then a second application 6 weeks later. Then if you want to go for it a third application 6 weeks later. Turf-builder for pre-emergent crabgrass works.

[sepefrio]

Defiantly moles.

I'll try the scissor traps. Maybe the reason my neighbors say they stink is because they only attended them once a week or such, unlike your suggestion.

As for the food source, very true. But what I was told, it would be a waste of time getting rid of the grubs as I also have a lot of worms in my yard, moles other favorite food. I did recently treat for grubs though justincase so we shall see.

Boxwood - The first sentence I saw when I looked up boxwood - "There are over 70 different species of boxwood....." LOL got some reading to do I guess.

Thanks for the tips. Keep em coming.

[kurt]

I get stuff from the grain elevator in Bangor, MI. Put it in the hole, it kills moles. Period. I'll check out the brand name, and get back. I think it's the same stuff they use on fancy golf courses.

The folks that build fancy golf courses don't let no stinkin anything mess with the turf. Check out commercial golf course supply houses for appropriate treatment materials.

And, yes, boxwood. Can't kill them near as I can tell, and they're pretty clean.

[Erik]

In the middle of the night spray their lawn with Kills all! If they don't care it should bother them that nothing grows.

Or just apply salt to their lawn. Something about the thousand year plague comes in mind.

In all seriousness I'm not much of a yard guy Last season I went as far as buying a native short grass ( buffalo Grass). And had it seeded to the lawn. About August My neighbors asked when I was turning my sprinklers on as it wasn't as green as their fescue. my reply it'll make it through suck it up grass.LOL

[John Dirks Jr]

If you have enough room for a taller natural barrier, consider Leyland Cypruss to separate the property lines. They grow fast and can be molded/shaped into hedge forms. I've got 26 of them along the front of my property blocking out the road. I planted them and only had to replace one. They are not that expensive if you buy them small.

http://www.fast-growing-trees.com/LeylandCypress.htm

You can get them at Home Depot for much cheaper than the prices listed at the link I posted. I paid less than $10 each for mine. Like most evergreens they like acid soils so dump your mulched leaves around them.

[mgbinspect]

It's been probably 15 years since I had to eliminate moles, but there are these brutal spring loaded spikes that you put over a smashed down portion of the run. That's how I got rid of them. It ain't pretty though...

[hausdok]

30 cubic yards of concrete and some green dye. []

OT - OF!!!

M.

[Inspectorjoe]

If you have enough room for a taller natural barrier, consider Leyland Cypruss to separate the property lines. They grow fast and can be molded/shaped into hedge forms. I've got 26 of them along the front of my property blocking out the road. I planted them and only had to replace one. They are not that expensive if you buy them small.

"Grow fast" is an understatement! I know - I have 60 of 'em lining my backyard. I don't use them to block out the road, but to give privacy from the neighbors. Gladys and Abner Kravitz live on the east side of me.

I trim the sides and top them every year. It's a hell of a big chore, but I knew what I was in for when I planted them. I top them when they are 15'-16' high, taking them down to 12'-13'. At topping time, I feel just a little like Fred Dibnah.

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[Tom Raymond]

That's some pretty nice sca-haff-olding[:-bigeyes

The results are very nice though.

Tom

[Erby]

Did someone go a little nutso on shopping for Little Giants!

[kurt]

wow....nice setup Joe.