Am I doing the right thing?
My lawn, such as it was, died over summer. Watering of lawns is prohibited under the current drought conditions. Yes, we have had some rain but still well below average. Most of my garden is garden. The front yard long ago became just plants and mulch. The back yard has some lawn but it turned to a dust bowl over summer. Now, for reasons I can only ponder the justice of, the grass is not coming back but the weeds are. [sniff!]
Well, when I was out for one of my walks (DIY back therapy) I noticed something strange: the parklands were all thick and green. They don't get watered either but there they are, absolutely, obscenely, lush after a little autumn rain.
That has to be the grass for me!
So, on my walks, I have been taking a plastic bag and a small knife and bringing back runners of this wonder grass. It is, I think, some sort of couch (spelt cowch, pronounced cooch) grass. I have been planting these cuttings all over the back lawn area; it looks like a bad day at the Shane Warne hair clinic at the moment but hopefully that will change.
My worry is whether I am bringing in a Trojan Horse, or horse feed, will this supergrass take over? Will I spend my semi-comatose moments at night wondering if the faint rustle I can hear is the couch grass on the march? Will I spend my waking hours thrashing it back from the rest of the garden?
I'll let you know.
In the meantime I am hopeful for some lush, green grass.
...
You couldn't post some over here could you Lee, I need something just like that for my garden
ReplyDeletePete
good luck with it and keep us posted.
ReplyDeleteI found a native prairie bunch grass a couple of years ago that I really like - strong in droughts - and grows to a lazy gardeners' max of about 8 inches, or can be cut. I let it grow, and have california poppies popping up here and there in the still-blank places between the bunches. It isn't your average front lawn, but I like it. It's only sin is one of ommission - it isn't green 12 months of the year. I think I'll survive that weakness.
We have that here, but it's considered a nasty invasive and hard to get rid of weed (no offense). But if it is green you're looking for, that'll do the trick for you as long as you can manage to keep it from choking out the rest of your gardens. It always has been a mystery to me how we have to work so hard at keeping our grass lawns nice and green and lush, careful not to water too much, and careful not to let get too dry, very tempramental. But no matter what you do, the weeds thrive in every condition.
ReplyDeleteMaybe we've got it all backwards. Maybe we're growing the wrong things. Maybe we should embrace dandelions and crabgrass.... :-)
You should do some research on what the golf clubs use on their tees, Lee.I know they use special hardy grasses.
ReplyDeleteThere's nothing like a blue couch! ;)
Oh, well,.. I wish you luck with your sneaked variety! We have tried all sorts, but GOM manages to mow them into oblivion!! haha. NOT.
ReplyDeleteBut, long ago I thought of the farmers & thought to myself, 'Who bloody cares if a suburban lawn wont grow?'
Somehow it all came into perspective, & now if I see soil or weeds, well... tough times!
Imagining you having grass nightmares...
ReplyDeletebtw, left a gift for your counterpart J. Cosmo at my place...sorry, no rhyme for orange but I'm still thinking...
When I googled "couch grass" to see if it was indeed what I thought it was, I came across this link. Thought it was funny and creative http://readymademag.com/feature_6_sodcouch.php
ReplyDelete:-)
Thanks Susan. The couch couch?? (We generally call sofas couches here, but pronounced cowch). I saw the picture when looking for the graphic for my post but hadn't looked at the site. You wouldn't want it to get an attack of thistles.
ReplyDeleteI still call a couch a couch. (cowch) Canadian always, despite the relocation to the USA. Sofa seems so formal, couch so much more comfortable. Or, another Canadianism, chesterfield, a word I've never looked up but will have to now, just to see what I've been talking about all these years.
ReplyDeletelee, you had me chuckling so much at this post my husband feared i'd lost my mind. hahahahahahaha!!!! a bad day at the Shane Warne hair clinic! hahahahahaha! and the way your good ideas take on an unexpected life of their own... and your response it. classic lee. oh this laughter did my heart good. thanks!
ReplyDeleteYes, how unfair is that! The golf courses are green but where kids should play it's all dry! Good luck with the growing.
ReplyDelete