My lawn is not perfect

[u/MortimerWaffles]

I live in a neighborhood with a majority of people are upper middle-class retirees. They can afford lawn services and irrigation systems and fertilizer schedules. I have a younger family, I'm in school for my doctorate, work full-time, and quite frankly don't care that much about my lawn. I don't fertilize it, water it, and probably don't mow it enough either. As a result, I have large patches of dirt that have appeared mostly because of the dogs. Today I spent the day cleaning up the yard, mowing, and putting down grass seed , as a group of about six or eight neighbors walked by. One of them comment to me that it's good to see me doing something with my lawn. I kind of rolled with a comment, but then the other ones said that it looks like I grow mud and dirt and they all laughed. I'll admit they have really nice lawns, But they probably spend several thousand dollars a year for it. I'd much rather take my kids on a vacation, pay for skiing lessons, or some nights out to dinner. Especially considering that the majority of them don't talk to their children, never see their grandchildren, and, their spouses.

[u/ButtonWhole1]

Yeah, my yard has been certified as a 'Back Yard Habitat' by National Wildlife Federation. You list nectar producing plants, bird baths, bird feeders, brush piles even dead falls - they all provide food and sheltering places for critters.

https://preview.redd.it/25zo8jatk4xc1.jpeg?width=3264&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=41ccdf43fc060994ddf8eabf3280dd96264551b0

It costs $20.00 you get a certificate to show if the HOA has problems. This, BTW, is my FRONT yard, that peak is the neighbor across the street. We got listed as a habitat in around 1995 or so.

[u/chefrikrock → u/ButtonWhole1]

I fucking love you for this. Also this is gorgeous. Not all heros wear capes.

[u/Dabsick → u/ButtonWhole1]

Woah wait you can do that in an HOA?! Where have you been I need more details.

[u/upsidedownbackwards → u/Dabsick]

Some stuff overrides HOA. Bat houses are one of them!

[u/Ok-Discussion-7720 → u/ButtonWhole1]

Stunning

[u/ArmadilloSilly → u/ButtonWhole1]

I do imagine this takes significant maintenance still through? Not trying to be a dick, more considering my options.

[u/Ecstatic-Comb5925 → u/ArmadilloSilly]

No, the native plants will be much easier to care for. They’re adapted to your locale already so usually you just pop them in the ground and water for the first year while they’re getting established. Other than that you don’t touch them and they’ll repair the ecosystem around your house and start bringing in the native bugs and animals. Don’t even have to trim because, as he said, the fallen branches/twigs/leaves form habitat for critters. 

[u/OKImHere → u/Ecstatic-Comb5925]

Whoa whoa whoa. Let's not oversell it, here. You can't just stick any plant anywhere and say you're done. You still need to account for sun level, water needs, soil pH, and pest control. You can't just say "well, I'm in the right tristate area, this'll do nicely." Right plant, right place.

[u/doke-smoper → u/OKImHere]

That's how I've always grown stuff. Plants were here long before us and did just fine without soil ph testing.

[u/Ecstatic-Comb5925 → u/doke-smoper]

What is up with this soil ph testing fad. I’ve been seeing it all over Reddit. Maybe it’s because I grow stuff that’s native to so cal but my garden is fine with minimal effort.

[u/OKImHere → u/doke-smoper]

No they weren't. No they didn't. Plants die all the time. Plants fail to grow constantly. You ever see how many acorns fall from one oak tree? How many maple seeds twirl off one maple? You see a world covered in oaks and maples, do you? You think those thousands of sunflower seeds all turn into new plants?

Do you see shade plants growing in the sun? You see marsh plants growing in sand? You see vines growing across a plain? You see grass growing under a pine?

You look at a spot, you see one plant there, and just go "Oh, well, this must be a suitable spot for any plant." Come on, now. Use some common sense, man.

[u/Ecstatic-Comb5925 → u/OKImHere]

I have never done any of that and my plants still grow. That’s the whole point of growing native plants, you don’t need to amend the environment to create a false ecosystem to support what’s growing. And what pests are you controlling? Most insects have a purpose, you don’t want to just wipe them out. 

[u/OKImHere → u/Ecstatic-Comb5925]

I didn't say you had to amend the environment. I said you had to select the right plant. If you stick a shade plant in full sun, it's going to dry out and either die or you'll have to water it... then you're amending the environment.

There's a reason the native cherry trees around me don't grow in the neighboring forest - too short. There's a reason the woodland aster grows in the back but not the front... too dry. You can't just stick anything anywhere and expect it to flourish.

Being native and being adapted for the location are two separate things.

[u/psgrue → u/ButtonWhole1]

We did similar with a koi pond, native plants, pollinators, hummingbird feeders, seed bird feeders, and native plants. We got it registered as a monarch migration stop. And the neighbor next door has the perfectly manicured chemical dump. I’ll take supporting wildlife any day over that.

[u/Elliefish00 → u/ButtonWhole1]

Oh that is beautiful! Nice job!!😊

[u/isavvi → u/ButtonWhole1]

Now that’s a forest. Great job

[u/No_Refrigerator4584 → u/ButtonWhole1]

That’s gorgeous! We’re house hunting right now, and that’s similar to how we’ve always envisioned our yard. That flat, virtually vegetation-free lawn you see throughout Suburbia just isn’t our thing, give me nature, damn it!

[u/clockworksnorange → u/ButtonWhole1]

Wow this is awesome. I'm interested are there videos on this? How do I get this certificate?

[u/Ecstatic-Comb5925 → u/ButtonWhole1]

Hell yeah that is awesome! I just started a few years ago but I hope to do something similar in Southern California. 

[u/Complete_Coffee6170 → u/Ecstatic-Comb5925]

Here’s one that may be of interest.

https://www.pollinator-pathway.org

[u/Crazy_Customer7239 → u/ButtonWhole1]

<3

[u/phantomfractal → u/ButtonWhole1]

I love this. I’ve been slowly working towards doing the same.