Making my Bed & Crying in it
$100
Medium
With Zone 10 temps returning to more humane levels, it was time for me to make a bed (or three) in my bed less yard. I only wish someone had warned me about St. Augustine grass -- course and tough and able to withstand Florida's heat.
The amount of money spent, time devoted, and difficulty level is dependent on how much vegetation killer you'll need to purchase, your personal stamina, and size of the area.
There are other methods to remove lawn that be more cost efficient, such as covering the area with dark plastic.
The amount of money spent, time devoted, and difficulty level is dependent on how much vegetation killer you'll need to purchase, your personal stamina, and size of the area.
There are other methods to remove lawn that be more cost efficient, such as covering the area with dark plastic.
1. Prior to actually laying out the beds, I walked around my bed less yard to determine which paths seemed the most natural for me to use. Once that was established, I used garden hoses to layout the beds. Once I had a shape that worked well with my paths and the other beds, I used spray paint to mark out the shape.
2. St. Augustine grass is a wicked green monster. Ultimately, I used vegetation killer on the grass within the beds. Then, with an edger, I sliced through the grass, separating the bed from the lawn. I cut out sections to give me the illusion that I was making progress. I used a shovel to pry the roots and weeds from the soil. With my hands, I pulled and yanked, trying to pull up as much of a section in one piece as I could.
3. The finished bed. Only a few more beds to make. . .
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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2 comments
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May the force be with you! That St. Augustine is going to be constantly trying to reclaim its territory.
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I agree with Douglas Hunt. St. Augustine's grows runners, so you have to constantly be on the lookout for those, and get rid of them right away. I have it in my own yard, Love it, too, but you have to be vigilant to keep it under control.
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