Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
kimberlysc2015

At a loss as of what to do..

kimberlysc
17 years ago

Hi everyone,

I hope I have selected the right forum. About 2 months ago the city installed sidewalks in front of our home. They literally destroyed our yard and took a major portion of it. I've had no desire to do anything whatsoever in the yard. I've been awful. I have not fertilized the lawn, my bushes such as crepe myrtles, dogwoods, azaleas, or even my

windmill palm. Is it to late in the season to do anything now? Also we seem to be the only house in the neighborhood that not only has a sidewalk but we have a ditch to. They have made the ditch so steep now that there is no way possible that I'm going to try and mow it. They through out grass seed and straw, but let's face it, nothing is going to grow in the heat of the summer. Any suggestions on what could be done with the ditch?

Comments (5)

  • Iris GW
    17 years ago

    With the ditch, perhaps contact the works department and ask someone to come out and inspect it. Tell them you want to talk about it so that they come when you are there. It may not have to be that way. The county changed the intersection for our road and left it in terrible shape. We called the supervisor and asked if they were done; he said "yes, as far as I know". We said "come look at it then". It got fixed.

    If the ditch has to be there and it can't be mowed, how about planting shrubs there or trees? Turn it into something that doesn't HAVE to be mowed.

    You don't have to fertilize. It may be too late in the year (it stimulates new growth). I don't fertilize every year.

    I'm sorry you feel so discouraged, perhaps when it is cooler you'll feel like working outside again.

  • butterflychaser
    17 years ago

    Yes, you can fertilize. Your plants are still growing and still have several months to grow before they'll go dormant. And I'm sure they'd like a little extra nourishment.

    When considering what to do about the ditch, find out if the city will need access to the ditch from your property. If they access the ditch for cleanout and maintenance from your property, then they'll bring in equipment and tromple over anything you plant there. A ditch runs behind my house, but the access to it is on my neighbor's land. So I planted my side.

    Cannas would be great on your ditch. They're pretty maintenance free and can spread quickly. They come in various sizes and colors and would love SC. You could actually create a beautiful living privacy fence with them.

    Despite the heat and drought, grass seeds will germinate. So I'd wait until the seeds come up and spray the grass with roundup and then plant with cannas, elephant ears, gingers, or something else big and beautiful. You might wanna put down some Preen to prevent more grass seeds from germinating too. It's a major hassle to try to weed it out after you've planted stuff in there.

    Good luck!

    NancyAnn

  • greenelbows1
    17 years ago

    To my dismay they came through regularly to scoop out the ditch, so the things I planted there to enjoy the extra water got dug out. Now they don't come through anymore. A new administration will probably go back to cleaning it out regularly, which I suppose may be good for drainage. Some of my neighbors have put in drain tiles and filled it in, which at least gives them a place for visitors to park.

  • catbird
    17 years ago

    You didn't say where the ditch is. Is it between the sidewalk and the street or down the side or back of your property? Presumably it's there to provide drainage and planting bushes or cannas in it will just block the drainage and cause flooding problems. Anything you plant may get washed away in a heavy rain anyway. You may prefer having grass there, so by all means, don't kill it till you find out what's going on. I second the suggestion that you call the city public works department and discuss it with them.

  • louisianagal
    17 years ago

    i would worry about blocking the drainage by planting in there. since it's pretty hot now, maybe wait and observe and think about what you want to do. i agree talking to public works about what mainenance they will do will be helpful to you.
    some ideas: make some island beds in between the ditch and you (i'm picturing a servitude between sidewalk and ditch). with some tall grasses or daylillies or the like there; maybe with some moderate sized boulders in there. you might get more wildlife coming around with the water. maybe a birdbath in with the boulders and plants.

Sponsored
Grow Landscapes
Average rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars8 Reviews
Planning Your Outdoor Space in Loundon County?