Community Chat

[SilleeMee]

Not much green stuff around here. We are in a drought and most everything is brown except for the evergreens and some leafy trees which were stripped from the hail we had. Just when we were having the beautiful green leaves coming out then the hail stones came. So disappointing.

[Financialgrl]

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@Caaareful Shopper wrote:

I’m in the DC Metro area — we are expecting rain starting tomorrow and lasting at least the next 7 days.  Our development’s green gardens already have mushrooms growing out of their mushrooms.

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Live in that area as well!   Just moved to an HOA community where your lawns must be kept green.  The irrigation system doesn't come on if it's raining and the water bill so far is less than half this time last year - that part is a win win!

[jeanlake]

Husband refers to the lush green, rolling hills commons area behind our home as Maggie Valley because we've had rain at nights and sunshine during the day. We're doing a good weather Happy dance. (Maggie Valley is a lovely area in Smokey Mountains near my dad's hometown). 

[BirkiLady]

We had an exceptionally moist winter. Trees, shrubs and lawn are lush and green. My favorite time of year. Had my entire landscape (30 years old) removed and redone. It's now in tiers in the back yard with raised shrub/flower beds. Took two years to design it! It is everything and more than anticipated. Gorgeous and so enjoyable. Now trying to keep the sod alive (it was removed while huge amounts of additional dirt was added for the tiers, then relaid a couple of days later) in 90+ weather! It has deep roots and will survive.

Edited: We hit 101 today! My sprinklers will be running early tomorrow morning. 

[SilleeMee]

Here in Colorado homeowners are encouraged to use xeriscape techniques of landscaping because of our arid conditions. It saves water and on occasion there are water restrictions put in place to save our precious water. I am all for xeriscaping even if water isn't an issue. I think it's just a wise choice environmentally speaking. It use to be illegal for residents here to collect rain water in barrels. They changed that law just two years ago yet many people don't take advantage of the opportunity to save money on their water bills. Problem is we don't have enough rain here to collect it. But when it rains it pours.

[BirkiLady]

@SilleeMeeOnce my lawn becomes re-established (in a few weeks), it shouldn't require must watering. Last year I only turned on the sprinklers once all summer!

Over the 30 years of living here, we made sure the blue grass (which I've overseeded with a fescue/bluegrass mix) grew deep roots to reach the high water table water beneath our commons area. Those who water several times each week, have shallow roots in their lawns. We have never watered more than once per week in 30 years. The shrubs I've selected will not require additional watering once established (first year only). Then, Mother Nature will take care of them and the lawn unless Eastern Nebraska has an unusual dry summer. 

My husband was huge on energy and natural resource conservation (worked for Dept. of Energy). Our first "What are you doing?" was when I didn't come out of the shower after 20-25 minutes! I'd never given it a thought until marrying him. Seemed like a lovely way to wash my hair and begin a day. Found out that wasn't his idea of living harmonously with me (on our honeymoon!). We agreed I could take long showers as long as we were in a hotel/motel. Once the honeymoon ended, the showers were shortened.   

[GCR18]

We were green and push until a week of hot weather hit.  The lawn is still tried and dry from then.

[Sweet Caroline 1]

In birmingham, AL and we are having a thunder storm right now.  We have had plenty of rain thus far and can't keep the grass cut for nothin  

[BirkiLady]

@GCR18In that case, let it go dormant during the rest of the hot summer. We've done that. Our lawn has recovered nicely in the fall when temperatures (and rains) return to normal. Best wishes.

[SilleeMee]

@BirkiLady,

In college I dated a guy who was so into conservation that he always looked for places and things that wasted natural resources. It used to bug the heck out of me but after many years had passed and that guy is long gone, his ways became more important to me as I grew older. I'm thankful to have met him and I learned from him. He went on to become a park ranger for the USFS.  It takes a special kind of person, I think, to see the true value of our natural things and how easily it's taken for granted too often.