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2019-Whenever Misc. Grab Bag Thread

I have no idea how you sods grow *anything* in this clay. I've got mostly clay and moss for a yard, but I guess that's what happens when 99% of your yard is trees. Hooray for trees!

Last night around 3:00 AM, I heard something huge hit the roof directly above my bed. Then that huge thing started hootin' for the rest of the night. I actually felt a little privileged to be able to experience such an event so close up to it.
 
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Staal's parents have a sod farm or at least they did in the past. I even saw their pickup truck at a game. I wonder if they drove it all the way or hired someone to drive it here.

NC is really too warm in summer for fescue but people buy it anyway. People don't like grass that goes brown in winter like bermuda
 
NoMich said:
I have no idea how you sods grow *anything* in this clay. I've got mostly clay and moss for a yard, but I guess that's what happens when 99% of your yard is trees. Hooray for trees!

Last night around 3:00 AM, I heard something huge hit the roof directly above my bed. Then that huge thing started hootin' for the rest of the night. I actually felt a little privileged to be able to experience such an even so close up to it.
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We have an owl who has taken up nighttime residence in a tree in our back yard. Sometimes you see him early in the morning or at night if we don't turn the floodights on when we take the dog out. Cool beasts ... but they're nearly silent flyers so they can scare the crap out of you. We get to see that guy and a beautiful Cooper's hawk who share the hunting ground on my side of the neighborhood. Both of them will sometimes eye up my little dog like a butcher weighing a pork chop by sight. He's probably 3-4 pounds too heavy for them ... thankfully.

And I'm with you on the clay. The only reason I have any grass at all is that the original owner of my current house installed sod with a nice thick layer of proper soil. I suck at growing and maintaining grass, but that guy gave me a head start so it hasn't been too, too terrible. 90% of my experience with cultivating grass in the South has come from building parks and rec. facilities (and the odd golf course) for 3 decades. You can get stuff to grow in that crappy NC soil, but it takes a lot of work. Most people who struggle with clay soil would be better off investing in a nice 4" layer of topsoil before spending anything on seeding and whatnot. That saves you both money and sanity.
 
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Paulie Walnuts said:
Staal's parents have a sod farm or at least they did in the past. I even saw their pickup truck at a game. I wonder if they drove it all the way or hired someone to drive it here.

NC is really too warm in summer for fescue but people buy it anyway. People don't like grass that goes brown in winter like bermuda
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To paraphrase a saying regarding hair....it can turn gray as long as it doesn't turn loose.

My grass can turn brown as long as it doesn't disappear.
 
jeffbear said:
Most people who struggle with clay soil would be better off investing in a nice 4" layer of topsoil before spending anything on seeding and whatnot. That saves you both money and sanity.
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And even before the topsoil pay attention to any drainage issues.. If you have a high flow area no reason to get top soil for it (that area) until you fix it or the top soil will end up in the local creek stream or sewage system depending. But agree on the concept :)
 
when I had grass I hired a local place and they did a very good job of keeping fescue nice and green. they did not charge much and only showed up around 4 times a year. I cut it myself. I did not even need to tear up the yard, just sprayed it with Roundup and they took over from there by putting in new seed.
 
NoMich said:
I have no idea how you sods grow *anything* in this clay. I've got mostly clay and moss for a yard, but I guess that's what happens when 99% of your yard is trees. Hooray for trees!

Last night around 3:00 AM, I heard something huge hit the roof directly above my bed. Then that huge thing started hootin' for the rest of the night. I actually felt a little privileged to be able to experience such an even so close up to it.
Click to expand...
About 20+ years ago, I was awoken by what sounded like a barrel of monkeys let loose about 3 am. WTF??? Had the windows open since it was nice and pollen had gone away or not arrived yet. Someone told me it was a couple owls getting down to business. Damn! I never had one that made that much noise!
 
I lurk and read daily but rarely post, but heard a great thing from my neighbor to share. Unbeknownst to me, as we don’t have children, there is apparently an initiative to put teddy bears in your windows for kids to count as an activity in this time of no school. So I know have my ‘Canes valentines bears of a few years back hanging out in my windows for the kiddos. I’ve got a Kevin Weatgarth and an Anton Babchuck for those that want a walk down memory lane.
 
I barely remember Kevin Westgarth. Babchuck, of course I remember him. No way we win the Cup without him!
 
We sodded zoysia about three years ago. I believe it was in February or March. The sod was actually completely brown when they put it down. It was a very strange sight. It greened up a few weeks later. It’s pretty nice turf. But be prepared to mow it twice a week in the dead of summer.

(Added) When we had the sod put down, they also put down 4 inches of topsoil and graded a fairly steep slope. The zoysia has abandoned a couple of small very shady areas but we were told upfront that that was likely. The part that gets complete sun is insanely thick in July and August.
 
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NoMich said:
I barely remember Kevin Westgarth. Babchuck, of course I remember him. No way we win the Cup without him!
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He only played 43 games here. We traded Anthony Stewart and 2 picks to the Kings for him in January 2013. He played 31 games in the lockout shortened season and had 2g, 2a and 45 PIM. He played 12 games the next season and was traded to Calgary in December for Greg Nemisz, who played 35 games for Charlotte over 2 seasons and has been out of hockey since 2015.

I think Westgarth works for the NHL in China now.
 
A player + 2(!) picks? Hopefully they were eleventyenth round picks.

OK, just read up on the deal. Stewart + a 4th rounder that year and a 6th rounder in 2014. Their two additional picks may have played a total of 24 games.
 
bagopux said:
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(Added) When we had the sod put down, they also put down 4 inches of topsoil and graded a fairly steep slope. The zoysia has abandoned a couple of small very shady areas but we were told upfront that that was likely. The part that gets complete sun is insanely thick in July and August.
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What did you do with that area where the zoysia wouldn't keep? I've got that problem where the front and one of the sides of my yard get enough sun for it, the back and the other side are too shady so it dies out.
 
StormChaserBH said:
What did you do with that area where the zoysia wouldn't keep? I've got that problem where the front and one of the sides of my yard get enough sun for it, the back and the other side are too shady so it dies out.
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Right now, we’re just pulling weeds. (Can’t use a lot poison cuz of the canines.) One area we will probably merge with the adjacent natural area. Throw down some landscape paper and pine straw. Done. The other spot is adjacent to a paver walkway and we just might extend those pavers into a mini patio.

Sounds like your areas might be larger than ours. Probably want to avoid ivy or some other thick ground cover. Snakes! Might go with pine straw and shorter shade tolerant shrubs. You don’t want anything taller because you’ll just create more shade.
 
Some varieties of bermuda are more shade resistant than others. In more stable times, you can get some guidance from the turf grass folks over at NC State ag. extension services.
 
Several years ago when I lived in Polo Run apartments, right by the green-way; my next door neighbor came pounding on my door yelling about a "Demon". Long story short, he had never seen an owl before and didn't know what it was. I had to calm him down (Later had to show him pictures from my encyclopedia it was that long ago). We watched the owl for awhile and then started talking to each other when the next thing I knew the owl had taken off from the branch it was siting on and was coming straight for us. It was amazing! It slowly flapped it's huge wings and then turned and flew off into the woods. We ran into each other like some kind of 1930's comedy bit but didn't get to far before the owl was long gone.

My SIL's brother lives in the middle of nowhere. The Guardians of the Galaxy couldn't find their house. Every night they hear what they call the "unworldly screeching" of not one or two, but a whole Parliament of Owls. His family is used to it now, but its a nightly thing for them and there is nothing they can do about it.
 
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