"tenplay" wrote in message
news
tenplay wrote:
I am a real novice at taking care of lawns and gardens. My yard has a
huge "lawn" that is in very bad shape. It has weeds, moss, crabgrass,
bald spots, etc.. Other than regular mowing and occasional weeding, I
don't know what else to do. A friend suggested hiring a lawn service
business for a year or two to get the "lawn" back into decent shape. Has
anyone tried this before? What exactly would they do? How much should I
expect to pay? I live in Western Washington. Thanks for any advice.

Appreciate your different points of view. My backyard abuts a natural
wetlands area with a lot of birds and other wildlife. So I should study
the possible effects of any chemicals before using them. I will visit the
local office of the Washington Cooperative Extension before I proceed with
work on the lawn. Thanks.

Good move. Remember, too, that the tradition of lawns is one imported from
England 400 years ago. Many of the grasses we grow have no business being
grown in certain parts of the country. But, you can buy them because it's
possible, with enough water, chemicals and effort, to drag these plants
kicking and screaming to a point where you're happy, and you think they're
happy, too. Golf courses do this all the time, but you don't have to. But,
ask anyone who's observed natural prairie grasses and they'll tell you that
when the weather gets hot enough, the grasses turn brown and stay that way
until autumn, when some of them green up again.

The point is that in additon to asking the cooperative extension people how
to care for your lawn, you should be sure to ask which varieties are likely
to need the least amount of support in your area. If you have difficult
spots on the property, like deep shade under trees, consider things other
than grass. Otherwise, there are weeds that'll be happy to live there and
drive you crazy. Consider things like pachysandra and vinca.