Alternative to 670 rolls of sod & some help...?

[44trxfun]

I read Bob's post and got a good chuckle out of it. I certainly agreed with the "male bonding" type of experience for the fellers who would be dog-tired at the end of laying all that sod.

But I can't help but wonder. What is the American obsession with big (BIG) lawns? I recently re-transplanted myself to wesern NY from the west after 20 years; the same west that's going through yet another year of drought. Obviously, water's not a limiting factor in the eastern part of the country, but it seems to me a lot of critter habitat is being lost to the "lawn industry". Not everybody's looking for more critters, but with reasonable care, you can definately keep rodent populations to a minimum.

I won't go on and on here, but if you're into it, take a look at NWF Backyard Wildlife Habitat . Their web page looks a little frilly to start with, but they really have some good ideas to make former lawn areas much more ecologically productive. You'll still get plenty of seat time on your tractors, but in my opinion, you'll have a much nicer piece of ground than just acres and acres of lawn.

 

[KiotiMutt]

I don't know if I would call it an "obsession". It's just a matter of preference. Some want a large lawn, some dont'.

Just my 2 cents.

KiotiMutt

 

[Junkman]

I am surrounded by wilderness and I want a lawn to separate me and the critters that inhabit the wilderness. I enjoy the deer and other critters, but I would rather that the deer stay off my deck and the porcupine not tease my dog. It also helps to keep the mosquito's at bay. In my own way, I am creating additional food for the wildlife. So far, they have leveled 6 holly bushes, ate all the hosta, devoured 2 hydrangea bushes, and trampled untold other plants. I just keep trying to stay ahead of the carnage and hope that in the end, we can all cohabitate peacefully.

 

[RobS]

We have some lawn around the house for recreation and landscape but most of our property is either field (bush hog monthly) or natural. One large section in front we are attempting to develop as a tall grass prairie. Nice looking, low maintenance and plenty of habitat for wildlife. Got a long way to go, but hoping it will be worth it.

I'd rather blow snow than cut grass /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[PhilNH5]

I am a minimalist on lawn care. So the less grass I have to cut the better. Doesn't seem like most folks think that way.

I recall reading that humans hae a biological evolutionary bias towards large swarths of grass. This supposedly is due to humans as a species getting started on the plains of Africa.
Sounds plausible to me but I have no idea how you could prove it.

I am going off on a tangent here but I used to work in Newark DE. Newark is a large spread out community covering lots of square miles. Locals told you where they lived by naming the development they live in. They would say " Im from Whispering Pines" or Tall Oaks or some such name evoking the thought of green sylvan forests. Except the first thing the developers did was clear cut and bull doze the land flat so there was not a Whispering Pine grove nor a clump of tall oaks any where in the development. I guess the developers new that the swarths of green grass sold better than stands of trees.

Me - I like New England. Lots of trees. Less grass to mow.

Phil

 

[44trxfun]

This is actually where I fall too Junkman. Truth be told, I really LIKE a bit of lawn around the house. It's great living in the east where things stay green for more than a week. It looks...homey(???)...or something. But, around here, there seems to be a push for big, big lawns with very little diversity. I look in the old farm fields and see dogwoods, willow, viburnam, etc. and they're loaded with birds, deer, etc. "All's I'm saying" is that as more and more people move to the country (myself included) and scrape all that off, I think something's being lost...

Then, I think about the relationship between natural resources and global/local consumption of same, while observing the trend for bigger and bigger rigs, and I think something is definately wrong...

Hmmm, another benefit to smaller lawns is less time to ponder the fate of the world...

 

[Yankee]

"But I can't help but wonder. What is the American obsession with big (BIG) lawns?"

People do obsess about lawns, no doubt about that, but there are some reasons for it (I don't necessarily agree that things should be this way):

1) Most people only have equipment to maintain lawns, not fields and woods.

2) Cleared land is worth more than most uncleared land.

3) It costs far more to clear than keep land cleared.

4) People tend to value views across open space.

5) Fire concerns in some areas of the country push people toward larger lawns vs. fields and woods.

6) More and more controlled neighborhoods (homeowner's associations) require landscaping.

7) Lawn is easier to maintain than other types of landscaping.

8) Lawns are cheaper to establish than gardens and planting beds.

 

[SPIKER]

Junkman I had to laugh at you're reply! lol feed ing the deer & rabbit population seems to be my womans expertice too, but she usees the term GARDEn for her food plot! lol.

I too hate mowing yard, but I do like the looks, I would rather have a wild flower prarie myself personally but like others said skeeters in summer would keep you away from looking at it for sure. same for being OUTSIDE at night.

I suspose i shouldn't talk much becasue I mow about 4 acres total, most with 5' RFM rest with rider and ush mower. I have 2 acres aroun dhouse and front lawn my road, where septic is . need to keep that mowed rest is inbetween my TREE PLANTINGS which the deer helpe TRIM short all winter long. think maybe the huner up fron will HELP that situation this year.!? Only told him to get th eBUCKS with their persistnat & rampent antler raking of th etrees I have nearly 2/3's scared where his PATH is.

Mark M

 

[Panache]

While I like woods, remember fire does not like green grass. See Firewise for more info on distances from woods to structures.

 

[hennydamule]

As a director at a Nature Center, I love this thread. The key here is biodiversity. I live in CT and the McMansions that keep popping up all over the place are real eyesoars. The clear cut lawns give everyone a great view of the unoriginal architecture. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif Beyond that, however, having just one type of grass growing over a huge area just isn't healthy, as monocultures of this kind take huge amounts of chemical maintenance, and are easily susceptible to being wiped out by one disease.
That said, however, I do love having areas of lawn at my house, at least enough in some spots to put up a volleyball court. But I also have some woodland, some garden, some wildflower, some wetland, etc. The more diversity the better. Even in the lawn, if it's green and not invasive, I let it grow.
For those of you looking to add some diversity, most state DEP or forestry departments will have a forestry and diversity program where you can get REALLY CHEAP seedlings of different, native trees and shrubs.