Has anyone been brave enough to use H.O.W Foundation for yard work? ???
I've been reading some good reviews online and never thought to call them.
Then I did, and heard what the program was about and of course, I kinda got a little been scared.
But then again, if they send 4 guys out to do yard work, that's a whole lotta work that could be done way faster than we could!
They do excelent work.....
we haven't used them for yard work, but did use them to move a piano about a year ago. the guys that moved it were very professional. we had some neighbors that used them all the time for tree-trimming and seemed to like their work (since they hired them a lot).
These guys work 7 days a week 10 hours a day......
Then I think they deserve to keep getting work!
Thanks. Will hire them to do even more stuff than I had planned. Read up about H.O.W Foundation as well.
The HOW Foundation is the real deal.
They are reliable and do a good job.
Have a couple of family members that have been using them for years. Both very pleased. (Classic "Don't judge a book by the cover.")
I used them after the Great Ice Storm to remove a couple of large trees. They showed up on time and got the job done without any drama.
After all the glowing reports here and on Angie's list, I decided to book them for two days and will tackle doing my own landscape with their "muscles."
It should look a heck of a lot better than if we did it ourselves, and since I know who to order the soil from, river rocks, and I can go around town and get expert advice on plants, why pay a landscape company? ;D
I decided to have them do some landscaping here also. Where is a good place to purchase the heavy duty metal edging that the landscapers use? The stuff at Lowe's and HD is a lot thinner.
Quote from: Nick Danger on April 13, 2011, 02:08:50 PM
I decided to have them do some landscaping here also. Where is a good place to purchase the heavy duty metal edging that the landscapers use? The stuff at Lowe's and HD is a lot thinner.
There is a better product availble thats made from recycled plastic on comes in rolls....And is much easier to work with....Its green as well and heavy duty....Wont rust and look like smile.....
Quote from: Nick Danger on April 13, 2011, 02:08:50 PM
I decided to have them do some landscaping here also. Where is a good place to purchase the heavy duty metal edging that the landscapers use? The stuff at Lowe's and HD is a lot thinner.
When are you having yours done?
I'd be interested in what you find out regarding the edging whether it's the metal stuff or the plastic that Breadburner mentioned.
HOW Foundation was booked solid for a month, and ours is scheduled for May 16. The man I talked to told me they work 7 days a week. I decided even if I decided to do the stuff myself, it would probably be that long, the way things go around here.
I'll have to check into the plastic edging. I was leaning toward the metal, but I may be convinced to change my mind. I know the metal is harder to install, as it does not bend easily, at least the heavy duty type the landscapers use. Since they are not coming for a month, I have time to check it out.
Plastic only lasts a couple of years (3 to 4 max). Metal will rust, but last for decades.
Always a trade off.
Quote from: heironymouspasparagus on April 14, 2011, 07:54:17 AM
Plastic only lasts a couple of years (3 to 4 max). Metal will rust, but last for decades.
Always a trade off.
Please know what your talking about before you post.....
Quote from: Breadburner on April 14, 2011, 08:25:14 AM
Please know what your talking about before you post.....
That's no fun.
;D
Like you've ever done any gardening??
Ever actually used either plastic OR metal edging?
I thought not, just by the irrelevant comment.
Quote from: Nick Danger on April 14, 2011, 07:08:36 AM
HOW Foundation was booked solid for a month, and ours is scheduled for May 16. The man I talked to told me they work 7 days a week. I decided even if I decided to do the stuff myself, it would probably be that long, the way things go around here.
I'll have to check into the plastic edging. I was leaning toward the metal, but I may be convinced to change my mind. I know the metal is harder to install, as it does not bend easily, at least the heavy duty type the landscapers use. Since they are not coming for a month, I have time to check it out.
One of the days they're coming is a Sunday. I need the work done before going out of town. I'll check around and see what I can find out about the edging, both metal and plastic as well and let you know.
What are you planning on planting? Any ideas where you'll be buying from? I was going to visit a few nurseries for ideas but Lowes and HD tend to give 1 year warranty on plants, so may end up buying certain things from them.
Plastic is good because it is cheap. Will last a while - and a little easier to change configuration - move around. But when you get to "permanent" setup, the metal will be much tougher and last much longer.
Better yet, dig a 6" wide trench, 3 feet deep and poor it full of cement up to about 4" above ground level. Last long time. Easy to edge. 3 foot deep will help (a little) to resist bermuda intrusion.
Honeysuckle,
Check out Southwood nursery, Sanders (way out south) and that one over in Sand Springs - can't remember name right off - any will have much better quality plants (faster start, better long term growth - but can be a little more expensive). Try to get local grown (Oklahoma) if possible - already acclimated. Lowes and HD are "throw away" plants to maybe get you through a season or two.
What kind of work does the HOW Foundation do? We have a big tree in our backyard that needs to be cut down. Is that something they would be able to do or too big of a job?
Quote from: HoneySuckle on April 14, 2011, 11:23:49 PM
One of the days they're coming is a Sunday. I need the work done before going out of town. I'll check around and see what I can find out about the edging, both metal and plastic as well and let you know.
What are you planning on planting? Any ideas where you'll be buying from? I was going to visit a few nurseries for ideas but Lowes and HD tend to give 1 year warranty on plants, so may end up buying certain things from them.
I'm not sure what I'm going to plant yet. We are redoing some of our garden area and turning a portion back into lawn because we (I) have a hard time keeping up with the weeds, mulching, etc of such a large area. I really don't like having a corner lot -- there's just too much to do. I don't even know if the area will get planted this year, because I have so much else on my plate, and don't really like to plant things in the heat of summer, so probably in the fall.
I like Southwood and Sanders best, but I have found some more common plants at Lowe's and HD that are fine. The only ones I lost were from gophers eating the roots.
Quote from: Nick Danger on April 15, 2011, 02:23:58 PM
The only ones I lost were from gophers eating the roots.
Queue Carl, assistant greenskeeper, jokes.
Quote from: Townsend on April 15, 2011, 02:26:01 PM
Queue Carl, assistant greenskeeper, jokes.
Explosives. Bring on the explosives and I believe it was the 1812 Overture.
Quote from: heironymouspasparagus on April 15, 2011, 12:12:21 PM
Plastic is good because it is cheap. Will last a while - and a little easier to change configuration - move around. But when you get to "permanent" setup, the metal will be much tougher and last much longer.
Better yet, dig a 6" wide trench, 3 feet deep and poor it full of cement up to about 4" above ground level. Last long time. Easy to edge. 3 foot deep will help (a little) to resist bermuda intrusion.
Honeysuckle,
Check out Southwood nursery, Sanders (way out south) and that one over in Sand Springs - can't remember name right off - any will have much better quality plants (faster start, better long term growth - but can be a little more expensive). Try to get local grown (Oklahoma) if possible - already acclimated. Lowes and HD are "throw away" plants to maybe get you through a season or two.
You're right about locally grown. I've noticed that some of the plants I got from HD or Lowes do not go past a year or two! The ones that were locally grown are still growing! Thanks for the recommendations. I will check them out this week.
Quote from: JohnsonHC on April 15, 2011, 02:21:15 PM
What kind of work does the HOW Foundation do? We have a big tree in our backyard that needs to be cut down. Is that something they would be able to do or too big of a job?
Call them soon and ask if they can handle this. I heard from a friend that her mother used them to cut down a tree, but I don't know the size.
Quote from: heironymouspasparagus on April 15, 2011, 12:12:21 PM
Plastic is good because it is cheap. Will last a while - and a little easier to change configuration - move around. But when you get to "permanent" setup, the metal will be much tougher and last much longer.
Better yet, dig a 6" wide trench, 3 feet deep and poor it full of cement up to about 4" above ground level. Last long time. Easy to edge. 3 foot deep will help (a little) to resist bermuda intrusion.
Honeysuckle,
Check out Southwood nursery, Sanders (way out south) and that one over in Sand Springs - can't remember name right off - any will have much better quality plants (faster start, better long term growth - but can be a little more expensive). Try to get local grown (Oklahoma) if possible - already acclimated. Lowes and HD are "throw away" plants to maybe get you through a season or two.
There you go again terrible advice......Concrete is what you would want to pour.....Not to mention the fact 3 feet is to deep by far...
Actually, if you want to keep bermuda out, it better be about 4 feet deep. 3 feet won't quite cut it.
And the better advice would be...??
I am getting really confused. One person gives advice and another comes up saying it's bad advice?
What's going on guys? ???
I think he was saying that concrete border is a bad idea. It is a really good way to isolate a section of yard but is obscenely expensive. Plastic or metal will be much better unless you plan to stay there for say, the next 40 years.
You most likely want something that is straightforward to install and has a modest cost. Both plastic and metal are that. There are a couple types of plastic I have used in the past; either the long strips (many feet long) with coupling mechanisms. The other is the narrow pieces (about 1 foot or less) that lock together in pieces. Both are ok. They tend to get beat up fairly easily by lawnmowers and weed eaters. After several years, they will be affected by weathering and become brittle and crack.
Metal is long strips, with means to connect at the ends. Usually powder coated, but after a few years, they will start to fade some and may get rust spots. Will last much longer than the plastic. Not that much difference in difficulty to install between the two.
Helps with either to use your shovel to "cut" a notch in the ground along the path to help 'push' into the ground.
Use a garden hose to lay out the path you want the border to take. And remember; straight lines are boring. Curves add interest and appeal from the street for viewing. Or from just about any angle of observation.
The big question is and what really makes one or the other the "best": which do you like to look at most?? This is very much a personal preference decision. I like the looks of both. The metal gives me fewer maintenance issues, so that gives me a slight bias in that direction. (I have both in the yard right now.) If you like the look, you will probably like and be satisfied with either one.
If you get a serious wild hair and know beyond any doubt that you have a garden area that will be unchanged for decades, and you plan to garden there for those decades, then the concrete thing is pretty good. Can make curves, but the ones that I have implemented are all boxes for veggie gardens. Takes a lot of work, concrete forms, digging tools, and a serious inclination for heavy self-abuse! The wall must go down at least 3 feet to get below where bermuda goes and 4 is better. Above ground, I would say at least 6" to 9" to top. Can add brick or stone to facade and top for decorative touch if want. Not what I would be serious about recommending except in very special circumstances.
If you go the concrete path, with some planning, can add fencing supports (pipe). And if you make it twice the size you really want it to be, you have two sides where one can be used for garden and the other for chickens. Then reverse locations the next year. Put the chicken coop in the middle fence line between the two, with doors that open to both sides.
Bread and I snipe at each other from time to time across the board, so this is probably a continuation of that.
Quote from: heironymouspasparagus on April 17, 2011, 11:38:49 PM
I think he was saying that concrete border is a bad idea. It is a really good way to isolate a section of yard but is obscenely expensive. Plastic or metal will be much better unless you plan to stay there for say, the next 40 years.
You most likely want something that is straightforward to install and has a modest cost. Both plastic and metal are that. There are a couple types of plastic I have used in the past; either the long strips (many feet long) with coupling mechanisms. The other is the narrow pieces (about 1 foot or less) that lock together in pieces. Both are ok. They tend to get beat up fairly easily by lawnmowers and weed eaters. After several years, they will be affected by weathering and become brittle and crack.
Metal is long strips, with means to connect at the ends. Usually powder coated, but after a few years, they will start to fade some and may get rust spots. Will last much longer than the plastic. Not that much difference in difficulty to install between the two.
Helps with either to use your shovel to "cut" a notch in the ground along the path to help 'push' into the ground.
Use a garden hose to lay out the path you want the border to take. And remember; straight lines are boring. Curves add interest and appeal from the street for viewing. Or from just about any angle of observation.
The big question is and what really makes one or the other the "best": which do you like to look at most?? This is very much a personal preference decision. I like the looks of both. The metal gives me fewer maintenance issues, so that gives me a slight bias in that direction. (I have both in the yard right now.) If you like the look, you will probably like and be satisfied with either one.
If you get a serious wild hair and know beyond any doubt that you have a garden area that will be unchanged for decades, and you plan to garden there for those decades, then the concrete thing is pretty good. Can make curves, but the ones that I have implemented are all boxes for veggie gardens. Takes a lot of work, concrete forms, digging tools, and a serious inclination for heavy self-abuse! The wall must go down at least 3 feet to get below where bermuda goes and 4 is better. Above ground, I would say at least 6" to 9" to top. Can add brick or stone to facade and top for decorative touch if want. Not what I would be serious about recommending except in very special circumstances.
If you go the concrete path, with some planning, can add fencing supports (pipe). And if you make it twice the size you really want it to be, you have two sides where one can be used for garden and the other for chickens. Then reverse locations the next year. Put the chicken coop in the middle fence line between the two, with doors that open to both sides.
Bread and I snipe at each other from time to time across the board, so this is probably a continuation of that.
Might also be his frat buddy has been out of town lately, so he's missing him...
;D
I have an insanely large back yard myself as I am on a corner lot. I took a big chunk out of the back by creating a rose garden. I used landscape timbers to form squares and long rectangles, then put mulch in the centers where the roses and trellises go, and chat on the 3' to 4' wide "trails" around and between them. The chat acts as a grass barrier and helps with moisture issues. I simply spray around the outer perimeter now and then to keep the grass at bay. I also have a studio out back and have some flower gardens to the left and right of the front door. I laid pavers down the middle as a front porch and then went ahead and put pavers 3 feet wide to the left and right along the front of the garden areas so that its a straight shot to mow all across the front. The porch, studio and pavers frame in the flower garden and keep the grass out quite nicely.
Timbers are good for squares. I have used them in the past, but so much of what I have now is gonna have at least some veggies in it, I don't use them any more. Or railroad ties for same reason. Don't want any of those chemicals leaching into the soil around dinner.
We moved some old timber last year and saw what looked like a whole nest of termites!!!
I am leaning more toward the metal stuff. Been looking at places where it's used and sure they get rusty, but should last a long time, not so?
Metal lasts a long time.
Looking at both metal and plastic; which do you like the best?
Side question; your name is Honeysuckle - do you have any of the real plant around the yard? (Pretty plant with a nice smell when in bloom. Extremely invasive!)
Quote from: heironymouspasparagus on April 18, 2011, 11:20:17 AM
Timbers are good for squares. I have used them in the past, but so much of what I have now is gonna have at least some veggies in it, I don't use them any more. Or railroad ties for same reason. Don't want any of those chemicals leaching into the soil around dinner.
Damn good point considering what is used to preserve the wood:
http://pods.dasnr.okstate.edu/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-2531/NREM-5047web%20color.pdf
FMC and I both use the staked metal border material you buy in 8 ft. strips in the garden center at Lowe's or H-D. It's flexible so you can create aesthetically-pleasing lines for your garden. It's relatively inexpensive, easy to install and work with, and will last a long time. The only downfall to the material is if the area you are wanting to install a border on is very uneven.
Honey,
Go with what you LIKE the best!! Either material will give good service, so do what YOU like! It's your house, so you should do it the way that makes you happiest and gives you the surrounding ambience that will make your time at home most enjoyable!!
Quote from: Conan71 on April 25, 2011, 09:20:12 AM
Damn good point considering what is used to preserve the wood:
http://pods.dasnr.okstate.edu/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-2531/NREM-5047web%20color.pdf
FMC and I both use the staked metal border material you buy in 8 ft. strips in the garden center at Lowe's or H-D. It's flexible so you can create aesthetically-pleasing lines for your garden. It's relatively inexpensive, easy to install and work with, and will last a long time. The only downfall to the material is if the area you are wanting to install a border on is very uneven.
Yes, we have one hybrid Honeysuckle plant, and three smaller ones that we got last year at the garden show. Don't remember what they were called. It's kind of cheesy why I chose the name Honeysuckle.
There was a product at Bath & Bodyworks called "Honeysuckle" and everytime I used the lotion, wash or spray, everyone would compliment me. My father in particular loved the scent. Of course they don't carry it anymore! Anyway, after my father passed away, I wanted to remember him so when prompted for a user name, I decided on Honeysuckle :-)
I wanted to give feedback on H.O.W. Foundation.
They came yesterday and spent about 4 1/2 hours. I had them haul away some old firewood that had been under tarp for about 10 years! The old, wooden swing set, was taken, as well as some branches, and other bits and pieces of garden stuff that was in a pile.
They worked on my hedges, plants, trimmed back a lot of stuff, uprooted some that I no longer cared about, dug up all the roots that were invading my front yard, and dug up a huge tree root that was like the size of a small tree trunk! That thing was always in the way and we'd trip over it. Then they mowed and cleaned up. A whopping $277 later, my yard looks better than before, and they are coming back on Sunday to help with the edging, filling in boxes with a truckload of soil I am having delivered today.
I may do the planting myself afterwards, but the hard work like digging, lifting, moving that soil to the backyard for future use etc., will be done by these able bodied men.
One thing I wanted to know is whether we are supposed to tip them? I thought they said to me on the phone that they were not allowed to have money? I was hesitant when asked for a tip by the supervisor yesterday. He's also a recovering addict, but I guess worked his way up. Since I wasn't sure, I didn't tip but then I felt badly :'( I don't want to encourage them to break the rules. I paid by check just to avoid handing over all that cash also.
Somone with experience using H.O.W. please chime in and tell me what is proper procedure.
One thing I want to add is that you MUST be there to oversee everything. Some of these guys have very low attention span and their memory seems to be bad because I told them something and they forgot within 5 minutes. Something made me think to go outside and check on them and I realised that they needed to be talked through certain things, and reminded a lot. But I am pleased with the results.
For that price, I don't think I'd mind supervising. ;D
Quote from: nathanm on May 06, 2011, 03:41:57 PM
For that price, I don't think I'd mind supervising. ;D
$61.55/hr for the group is a good deal.
I went to HD and Southwood nursery, but didn't see the same heavy duty metal border material that is used by landscapers.
Is it better to go with the stuff from HD than try to find same material as landscapers? Is what they use better quality? I was reading about installation and seems like you have to dig a trench. I gather that the border they have at HD & Lowes does not require a trench? You kind of hammer it in and connect with stakes?
The group today was OUTSTANDING! OMG. LIke day and night.
Friday guys worked well, but needed a lot of supervision. This crew was very professional and knew what they were doing.
I'm stunned. Will use them again.
We are happy for you! That's good news! I know nothing about tipping them - will ask around the family. I think everyone forgot to mention the "adult supervision" aspect... sorry!
No, that is not cheesy story - that is a great reason (Honeysuckle name). Honors his memory, gives you a happy little memory every time you use it, with the attendant 'warm fuzzy' feeling.
Can't help with 'heavy duty' border - I use the Lowe's stuff. That way, I can move it around if needed (SWMBO likes variety) and if damaged, it doesn't cost too much to replace. Start with a little place and use it. Maybe repeat another little area with plastic. If you choose small place wisely, you are only $15 or 20 if you scrap it and go a different direction. And if you decide you don't like, take it out, give it to a friend, set it at the curb with a sign that says "Free", or see if HOW or maybe even Habitat would want it as a donation for their yard work efforts. It should not go to waste!
Experiment on small spaces a lot. It is research, practice, tuition, and gives a cheap indication of whether you like or not. (And lest you see "$20" and think, OMG, that's a lot, well what did it cost to fill the tank to go to each of those places?? So far.)
Actually, I ended up liking the metal actually. We had plastic before and it sort of got warped in some areas, and tended to fall over. Maybe it wasn't installed correctly? ???
Anyway, I got so excited about using metal, that once they were done with the larger area, I sent hubby back to HD to buy some more so they could put it in three areas! If we were trying to install this, we would have taken several days, and several hours each day. These 4 guys got to work and I was stunned at how quickly they got through.
Now the bigger thing I need/want is to have raised beds, but using bricks to build them. Sort of like the Linnaeus teaching garden. Have you been there? I love those higher beds, but may not go quite as high, though certainly raised to where I don't have to bend so much. I injured my back several years ago, and while a little bending is fine, spending hours bending in the garden is murder on my back.
Now to find plants! I so wish I had the time before to choose my plants so they could put them in the ground for me, but I was just too busy all week.
Where would you all buy mulch? I have used the stuff at HD and Lowest, but wondered if there was somewhere better, or are they about the same everywhere?
Quote from: HoneySuckle on May 09, 2011, 12:27:42 AM
Actually, I ended up liking the metal actually. We had plastic before and it sort of got warped in some areas, and tended to fall over. Maybe it wasn't installed correctly? ???
Anyway, I got so excited about using metal, that once they were done with the larger area, I sent hubby back to HD to buy some more so they could put it in three areas! If we were trying to install this, we would have taken several days, and several hours each day. These 4 guys got to work and I was stunned at how quickly they got through.
Now the bigger thing I need/want is to have raised beds, but using bricks to build them. Sort of like the Linnaeus teaching garden. Have you been there? I love those higher beds, but may not go quite as high, though certainly raised to where I don't have to bend so much. I injured my back several years ago, and while a little bending is fine, spending hours bending in the garden is murder on my back.
Now to find plants! I so wish I had the time before to choose my plants so they could put them in the ground for me, but I was just too busy all week.
Where would you all buy mulch? I have used the stuff at HD and Lowest, but wondered if there was somewhere better, or are they about the same everywhere?
About the same anywhere, but be really careful. I use only pure cypress, but we discovered this year one of the big box stores was selling a "cypress blend" which contained "other forrest products". No idea what those products are but when the Future Mrs. couldn't get a good answer on what those products were, I was unloading 15 bags off a flat cart back to the pallet. Good call on her part. Last thing I want on my property is termite treats.
That kind of built up wall is about the only thing I haven't tried for raised bed. Probably work well, but expensive and takes up a little extra room. I have a retaining wall in back that could almost be considered raised bed - about 18", and it works nicely. Used concrete decorative retaining wall blocks for it, glued the top level on with concrete adhesive caulk and it is still doing well after about 15 years. Lower levels interlock to hold in place.
Mulch -
Well, here I go again. Notice; I am probably gonna piss off everyone, but ANY kind of wood as mulch is INSANE!!! When a tree is cut, the best parts go to make lumber. The shorter good to medium to poor go to make firewood. The leftover diseased, insect ridden, debris is used to make mulch. (Cypress is the least problematic just because bugs like it less and disease is a little more scarce, too.) Pine bark mulch in particular, while not shredded wood, it HUGE problem. Always an ant hill in every bag. And notice all the dead and dying pines around? There is a nematode that is killing them, so you will always get a good selection of nematodes.
Keep any wood AWAY from the house NO MATTER WHAT - if you put wood mulch around the house, at the footing, you are laying out a termite buffet! (Very bad personal experience here - can show pictures of interior wall torn out to repair.)
Cottonseed burr (shell of seed) makes a great mulch. Use compost. Composted manure. Even use hay if you can stand the look of it (needless to say, I love the stuff. The seeds - weeds - that do come up are easy to pull.) Never wood!
Oh, and by the way - before I forget - never wood!
Have you ever used pine straw mulch? I was at Hardscape materials in Bixby looking at rocks and saw they sold it. I've heard its good for acid loving plants but never used it.
Quote from: heironymouspasparagus on May 09, 2011, 01:08:44 PM
That kind of built up wall is about the only thing I haven't tried for raised bed. Probably work well, but expensive and takes up a little extra room. I have a retaining wall in back that could almost be considered raised bed - about 18", and it works nicely. Used concrete decorative retaining wall blocks for it, glued the top level on with concrete adhesive caulk and it is still doing well after about 15 years. Lower levels interlock to hold in place.
Mulch -
Well, here I go again. Notice; I am probably gonna piss off everyone, but ANY kind of wood as mulch is INSANE!!! When a tree is cut, the best parts go to make lumber. The shorter good to medium to poor go to make firewood. The leftover diseased, insect ridden, debris is used to make mulch. (Cypress is the least problematic just because bugs like it less and disease is a little more scarce, too.) Pine bark mulch in particular, while not shredded wood, it HUGE problem. Always an ant hill in every bag. And notice all the dead and dying pines around? There is a nematode that is killing them, so you will always get a good selection of nematodes.
Keep any wood AWAY from the house NO MATTER WHAT - if you put wood mulch around the house, at the footing, you are laying out a termite buffet! (Very bad personal experience here - can show pictures of interior wall torn out to repair.)
Cottonseed burr (shell of seed) makes a great mulch. Use compost. Composted manure. Even use hay if you can stand the look of it
Don't they treat the mulch to make sure it isn't insect laiden before selling??? Oh well. All landscape companies said they were going to use cyprus mulch, but I don't want termites too close to my home. Thanks for the info on the cyprus blend. I would never have known what that meant.
Not sure how I feel about hay :(
Hay is an acquired taste aesthetically... I like the looks pretty good, because of what it means to my gardens. I will get a bale of old rotten hay if available. If I have to buy new, will set it in the corner for a year to let it decompose for a while. What works really well is to get it in fall, for fall yard decoration. Put pumpkins, scarecrow,...all that foo-foo crap on it for the fall season. (You do seasonal decoration, don't you?)
After that, it is winter - just let it sit. Then in EARLY spring, like Feb, Mar, spread the rotten stuff around. Blends in better than just putting that golden bale of hay around. My opinion; rotten hay is the look that people are really looking for - the "natural" look - when they put mulch. They just want it 'manicured'. And hay ain't manicured. It does settle nicely for a good kind of rustic look, though.
Keep it away from house, too. Not too much can go close to house without causing problems. Composted manure is ok. Cottonseed burr is probably ok. All other organics - potential catastrophe.
No, they don't check for bugs. Or spray the stuff. Would you really want all those toxics where your friends, family, kids are gonna be??
Quote from: heironymouspasparagus on May 09, 2011, 07:27:35 PM
Hay is an acquired taste aesthetically... I like the looks pretty good, because of what it means to my gardens. I will get a bale of old rotten hay if available. If I have to buy new, will set it in the corner for a year to let it decompose for a while. What works really well is to get it in fall, for fall yard decoration. Put pumpkins, scarecrow,...all that foo-foo crap on it for the fall season. (You do seasonal decoration, don't you?)
After that, it is winter - just let it sit. Then in EARLY spring, like Feb, Mar, spread the rotten stuff around. Blends in better than just putting that golden bale of hay around. My opinion; rotten hay is the look that people are really looking for - the "natural" look - when they put mulch. They just want it 'manicured'. And hay ain't manicured. It does settle nicely for a good kind of rustic look, though.
Keep it away from house, too. Not too much can go close to house without causing problems. Composted manure is ok. Cottonseed burr is probably ok. All other organics - potential catastrophe.
No, they don't check for bugs. Or spray the stuff. Would you really want all those toxics where your friends, family, kids are gonna be??
Point taken. Always wondered what happened to hay after Halloween!
rdj,
Pine anything is likely to be contaminated with the pine nematode that is killing all the pine trees locally. Bad stuff.
Gently treat with powdered sulfur for acid loving plants. Get a soil test first to make sure you need it.
OSU extension on 15th and the OSU web site have more info than you can ever digest.
Honey,
Use that hay!
Thanks for the heads up. I built raised garden beds for the wife this spring. She has wanted to use hay from day one for mulch. However, she hasn't located any. Good tip on securing a bale at this point in the season?
Quote from: rdj on May 11, 2011, 10:15:16 AM
Thanks for the heads up. I built raised garden beds for the wife this spring. She has wanted to use hay from day one for mulch. However, she hasn't located any. Good tip on securing a bale at this point in the season?
As I recall, you live up on Reservoir Hill or nearby. Atwoods in Sand Springs might be worth a shot. Otherwise, I'd guess there's got to be some sort of farm and ranch store around Bixby. Inola is known as the hay capital of the world, but not sure who you would buy from out there.
Lee's Feed out on east 11th always has hay in square bales. If only need a couple or a few, that will likely be the most cost effective - put a tarp in your trunk and load it up. They don't have the 'big' selection of the big box stores, but for seed and fertilizer and "Co-op store" related stuff, they are pretty good. Knowledgeable too.
Do you have a pickup to haul it in? If so, then you can usually find the big round bales (between 1,500 and 2,000 lbs each). Will look up some numbers for you if you have a truck and want bigger quantities. Flatbed trailer and you can haul more than one. (Mine holds 3 at a time. Put 6 rounds on the garden last fall.)
Take a Saturday or Sunday afternoon ride in the country to look around for sources - plus get an enjoyable afternoon ride in the country.
Hay is good! Wood is evil!
Unless the wood is in ash form - if you have a backyard campfire fixture, and don't burn any Kingsford, you could put some wood ash on the garden, too. (Again, have a soil test.) Ash is good 'sweetener' for the soil (less acid). Kingsford is bad ash for garden because it is about half anthracite coal. One reason I don't use it for cooking out - I only use the hardwood charcoal.
Thanks for the tips. I may have to investigate more this weekend. At a depth of two inches I'd only need about 2.5-3 cubic feet of hay. You wouldn't happen to know how many cubic feet are in a bale of hay would you?
Conan, I do live at Reservoir Hill, not on, at, as in at the base. We are on the wrong side of the street for the neighborhood association to consider us "Reservoir Hill". From a plat standpoint we are in the same 'hood. I'm not bitter or anything. LOL.
Square bales are roughly 18 x 18 x 36. Starts at about 6 to 7 cubic feet and rots/collapses down to probably 1 or 2.
Spreading it out evenly will probably give you a much thicker layer, but it will 'collapse' over time. It will NOT be a smooth, even, 3" layer. It will be rough and ripply for a while. (Best case is to start in late summer/fall, let it rot over winter, then spread it out.)
Repeat every year.
But fresh is still an excellent mulch to hold in moisture and keep down weeds. Good stuff. Adds organic matter to the soil over time.
Someone recommeded Cedar mulch to me and said to get it from Attwoods in BA.
Are you against Cedar as well? They said there shouldn't be problems with termites. We have brick the first half up on our house. Not sure if that helps!
If you absolutely can not live without a wood mulch, cedar is the one to use. ALL cedar - not the "blend". Cedar is also the most attractive, I think.
And the aromatic red cedar (really - juniperous virginiana) chips like they put in hamster cages is a great bedding for outside dogs AND I also spread it through the yard as a mild repellent for fleas and ticks. Works well unless there is just a huge infestation. Looks a little wonky for a while - all those chips laying down in the grass - but they disappear after a couple mowings. If you want a putting green yard, this isn't for you. Plus I don't use a whole lot - a 3 cubic foot bale would do my entire yard (65 x 125 minus 1,000 sq ft for house), spread thinly. (I still don't like wood mulches - no added value there.)
I don't care for mulch, but started using it so I wouldn't have as many weeds cropping up in my flower or herb beds. Otherwise I'd really skip that altogether.
I do have some ground cover growing in other areas and boy they tend to really strangle everything in sight, not just weeds! I've lost a number of better plants that way.
Not sure if the cedar mulch I got at Attwoods was ALL cedar. It didn't mention a blend. Hoping it's the real thing. They tried to get me to buy the Cyprus mulch though ;D
Cypress is kind of similar, but not quite as good as cedar for bug resistance stuff.
Ground covers pretty much by definition mean "extremely intrusive".
Gets tricky, don't it? No free lunch for shade!
The HOW Foundation came and did my work yesterday morning, and I couldn't be more pleased. They took out some old rotten railroad ties around an area and replaced them with metal edging. They also installed metal edging in 2 larger areas of the back yard that I want to plant eventually. They cleaned all the leaves out of the front flower beds, something I had been intending to do for a couple of months now, and never found the time. Also hauled off a lot of old metal edging and landscaping/accumulated junk that had piled up. It only took them about 2-1/2 hours. Cost including the hauling was $157.
They were very courteous and professional, and I highly recommend them!
I used the metal edging from Lowe's since I thought it would be easier to install (and find). I think it's going to work out great, although I may need to have them come out and fill them with dirt at a later date.
Sounds wonderful and you're as pleased as I was. The first crew wasn't bad, but the second crew was awesome. I think the supervisor of my second crew was Stevens? Anyway, I used the meatal edging as well and I'm quite pleased.
Call Rita or Kevin Davis for dirt.
918-280-0717.
I ordered a truckload of garden soil and it was delivered promptly the following day. Rita is a doll. Haven't met her yet, but she'll give you advice about soil if you tell her your plans for the garden. Best of luck. Oh, if you have the time, either call H.O.W. or write them a letter about your experience. The guys told me that there are letters and cards all over the walls where people compliment their work. Seems to make them feel good about themselves.