"FragileWarrior" wrote in message
.. .
"JoeSpareBedroom" wrote in
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"FragileWarrior" wrote in message
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"JoeSpareBedroom" wrote in
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"FragileWarrior" wrote in
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I have a large area between our front walkway and the stockade fence
that
I'm tired of mowing. Since it is almost entirely in shade, I think
I'd like to turn it into a mint garden this year. I don't care
about spreading
because if the mint goes under the fence and into the yard it just
makes the dogs smell nice. I also have no objection to just mowing
it like lawn if it crops up where I don't want it.

What's the best way to make sure that I get garden there and not
mint sprinkled with regrown grass? I was going to rent a tiller
and turn up the
sod but then what? Do I remove the sod chunks or do I just chop
it, turn it under and hope it becomes green manure and not more
grass? Is it better
to remove all the sod and then replace the missing dirt with top
soil? If some grass sprouts up down the line, will the mature mint
plants smother it
out?

All opinions and experiences welcome.

Thx.


You're tired of mowing, so you want to plant mint. That's a great
plan, if your idea of fun is crushing your fingers in car doors
while having your hair set on fire and your leg attacked by a rabid
Doberman. Mint is invasive, so you'll be doing lots of work keeping
it out of where you don't want it.

I want it everywhere. I think we've had this conversation before.

Mowing will not be enough.

Don't care.

And,
there will probably be leftover grass popping up for a long time.
You'll need to deal with that on your hands & knees. Big fun.

I have a plan. When I trim the tops of the mint, I'll get the high
grass, too.


OK - then your motive is NOT that you're tired of mowing. You'll still
be mowing. Let me remind you that you are under oath. :-)

Actually, I *love* mowing. I hated mowing that section of lawn because I
had to LIFT the mower over there and then someone put a stinky little
circlular garden in that patch of grass the mower couldn't get around so
I had to come back with the trimmer to finish, etc. etc. For muss and
fuss, it took up 30% of the mowing time for 10% of the total lawn.


As far as making dogs smell good with mint, eliminate that thought
from your mind.

Why? It does. My Wolfhounds and Afghan Hounds always smelled
wonderful when they came in from the yard.

You never said it. The idea is gone right now.

Nope, still there.

Well, dogs will always stink.


Ah. You don't like dogs OR mint. Got it.

I like mint, but I'm realistic about it. I know people who rue the day they
planted it, because now, it's everywhere in their yard and there's nothing
they can do to stop it. At the local farmer's market, I once asked an herb
grower about containing it. She said she had two concrete cisterns installed
in part of her property, just for mint and horseradish.

Dogs are another story. They train their humans to do antisocial or illegal
things.


You'll only be masking it with mint, in
the same way cleaning products often have smells added to distract the
nose from the chemical smells.


You know dogs that smell like chemicals? Oh dear.

You know what I meant. Dogs smell like dogs.