Gregg Bolinger

I'm pretty sure I have a grub worm problem. I'm going to dig up some yard later today to make sure. Assuming that I have an infestation, all the reading I've done to date suggests that trying to get rid of them now is pointless. That the damage is already done, hibernation is setting in, and I should wait for the fall when they start laying eggs again to get rid of them. I'm hoping to confirm this is the case but if not, I would like to know the best way to get rid of them.

All I've ever heard that grass called is "nutgrass" (because it will drive you nuts).  I don't know the real name for it.  And yes, I do not care for it because it looks completely out of place and sprouts up taller than the rest of my grass the day after I mow.

The only way I know to get rid of it in my existing lawn is to pull them out bunch by bunch, at least that is what I've been told because trying to kill it will just kill all the grass.  However, since I have a large body of it where i don't care what dies, it might be nice to just rid myself of it if I can, in that area.

So when fall comes, what do I do?  Just seed like the weeds aren't there?  Hope the grass suffocates them come spring?

The picture of the weed I'm holding, those are also littered throughout the yard in little bunches.  The day after I mow, they pop up taller than the grass. And I mow as high as my mower will let me.

I'm in Wichita, KS.  It can get in the teens but generally high 20's on occasion during the coldest time.  And that doesn't last long.  Today, it was 113.

I water twice a day every other day.  15 minutes in each zone.

I went out and took some, just for you. 

This is going from yard to weeds.  The very very bottom of this image is yard.



This is one of the kinds of weeds (at least I'm pretty sure it is a weed)



This is what happens if we don't mow it

I'll admit to not having done a ton of my own research on this topic so forgive me if there is a "duh, read this article" readily available.

The back part of my backyard is all landscaping that the previous owners had started.  There is so much, we can't keep it up. So we want to take the middle section and turn it into yard, leaving the 2 corners landscaped with the trees and flowers, etc.

The middle section is all weeds right now because we just let it grow up and transplanted / removed all the good stuff.  And we just keep it mowed.  This fall, I'd really like to seed that section with matching grass but first, I need it de-weeded.  What is the best way to go about that and is it something I can get started on now?

Also, before someone brings it up, I realize weeds aren't all bad.  And single grass lawns aren't always a good thing (technically ours is 2 kinds of grass).  But we live in a neighborhood with pretty strict lawn rules.  So I'm forced into this a bit.

Adding worms...

Hycel's a fun guy to be around.  He's always full of life and good energy.

I just attempted a different approach than he did to composting.  I didn't shoot any video but my wife took some post completion photos which I'll post here eventually.  I couldn't find a compost bin that was under $100 where I live so I bought a 32gl plastic trash can, cut the bottom out, drilled some holes, and buried it halfway into the ground.  We'll see if it does the job.

Part 4

paul wheaton wrote:

7)  Is "hycel" the name of the guy?

Yes, Hycel Taylor.  He lives in Boston.  He is my biz partner on Wild Bamboo Rocket, LLC.

http://www.wildbamboorocket.com/?q=node/7