Tips Needed On Blocking Off Grass Area From The Dogs

[persephone]

I don't know- but trying to establish new turf on unknown soil in Summer, with pretty tight water restrictions seems like way too much work Best of luck with it....

[~JoLu~]

Yeah I've been painfully watering it to no avail But hmm, not for an hour a day, that seems excessive! Plus we have water restrictions.

If you've had new turf laid, pretty sure you can get an exemption in certain circumstances: Water Corp. Exemptions

We gave up on the grass in our dog area, and are going with a crushed gravel instead.

By the way, what a big beautiful tree :D nice and shady to relax under

[ness]

Hey if its any whatever RubyStar - our yard is heavily shaded too and my parents gave up on the concept of lawn for half of it for a while. They put in a gravel area and only converted it back to grass after my instance. The grass doesn't last though and does end up needing replacing.

[BigDaz]

Not sure if this is any help or not, but I use Weldmesh Fencing with star pickets in each end, it looks a tad ugly but does the job for an easily removed solution. Weldmesh fencing can be expensive but you may be able to pick something up on ebay.

[RubyStar]

I don't know- but trying to establish new turf on unknown soil in Summer, with pretty tight water restrictions seems like way too much work Best of luck with it....

Thanks. Except it was actually laid in September, Summer is contributing to it dying off. I know ideal time to lay it is probably around Autumn, but things just didn't turn out that way.

[RubyStar]

:D Yeah I've been painfully watering it to no avail But hmm, not for an hour a day, that seems excessive! Plus we have water restrictions.

If you've had new turf laid, pretty sure you can get an exemption in certain circumstances: Water Corp. Exemptions

We gave up on the grass in our dog area, and are going with a crushed gravel instead.

By the way, what a big beautiful tree nice and shady to relax under

Thanks for the link. At quick glance, it appears you need an irrigation system in place to apply for an exemption. I don't , just me and my sprinkler and hose!

I love the tree, too, even though it gives me grief by helping kill my grass and dumps its leaves and berries on the ground yearly PITA to clean up

[RubyStar]

Hey if its any whatever RubyStar - our yard is heavily shaded too and my parents gave up on the concept of lawn for half of it for a while. They put in a gravel area and only converted it back to grass after my instance. The grass doesn't last though and does end up needing replacing.

If it doesn't take, then so be it. The yard is the dogs domain, well at least that was my intention when I bought the place. My care factor for the back yard was pretty much 0, as it was for them. Now I wouldn't mind a compromise and having it looking nice, too

Not sure if this is any help or not, but I use Weldmesh Fencing with star pickets in each end, it looks a tad ugly but does the job for an easily removed solution. Weldmesh fencing can be expensive but you may be able to pick something up on ebay.

Thanks, not sure what that is so off to google it! :D

[hortfurball]

I was also going to mention the exemptions. Newly laid turf should be watered three times daily for the first couple of weeks, gradually easing off to twice a day, then once a day, then every second day etc over a period of about 8 weeks until you are watering on your approved days. Next time you have a green related problem, feel free to PM me (preferably before the green thing is brown ) The first four letters of my user name should give you a hint as to why. :D

I'd strongly recommend getting yourself a clip on hose pack of Seasol and another of wetting agent. Apply both then repeat a fortnight later. Top dressing really wasn't the solution in this case so don't expect a sudden return to life.

Chicken wire will cost you a bucketload less than any other sort of mesh and wooden garden stakes cost heaps less than star pickets, which are surprisingly expensive when you add them all up. As a temporary measure chicken wire doesn't look too shoddy.

Now do you want the bad news on your 'lovely' shady tree? Sorry but I'm going to give it to you anyway. It is a Cape Lilac (Melia Azedarach), also known as White Cedar, and those berries are toxic to dogs and humans in large doses, as are the leaves. With dogs other than labs, maybe not such an issue but labs being so food driven will scoff as many of those attractive berries as they can.

Aside from the toxicity, it has been pollarded in the past (cut very severely back to the main trunk and destroying the natural shape of the tree) so that those long thin branches going straight up are a hazard in a storm as they have a weak point where they spring from rather than a nice shapely branch flowing strongly from the trunk. (I'm not describing what I mean very well so I hope you get it) Anyway, once a tree has been pollarded, you have to have it done every couple of years or the tree can become dangerous as the branches can snap off quite easily in high winds.

It is also a tree that has been banned by some councils because of the dreadful white cedar moth caterpillars that march through your house like a furry flood, and are horribly itchy to touch.

It is also an invasive environmental weed.

Shame about all of the above because they can be quite pretty when not pruned.

My recommendation would be the one off cost of having the tree removed, and replace it with a more suitable tree (or two smaller trees).

Crepe Myrtles (Lagerstroemia indica) are nice if you want two smaller trees.

Native frangipani (Hymenosporum flavum) is also pretty and reasonably fast growing.

[persephone]

Horty- glad you mentioned the white cedar- I 'thought' that is what it looked like...but had never seen one pollarded ( I HATE the look of pollarded trees )

Native frangipanis are beautiful trees- don't throw bits of themselves anywhere- and the perfume of their flowers is to die for :D

[mutt lover]

Instead of using star pickets you could buy the portable horse electric fence stakes the sturdy plastic ones or metal pig tail stakes and attach the chicken wire to those measure your lawn and put 5 paces apart fso you know how many you would need these will a) be easier to put in lawn and won't wreck it as star post do leave a big hole and b) the portable ones can be re used for other things any time you need them, you can get them at farm supply places at around $5 each. but there are two types of plastic stakes the heavier ones are the better ones or if they don't have them in WA the ordinary pig tail stakes will do the job and you can put the bottom of the chicken wire under the metal bar you push into ground and should be able to put the pig tail stake through the holes in the chicken wire to keep it secure.

Good luck I hope this is of some help for you looks like a nice backyard.

[Tiggy]

I had a lilac at my old house and it had been cut the same, which is a shame, such a nice tree when left alone. I just had Buster at that house and he did eat the berries but definetly not in large amounts just the odd one and he's a piggy dog so they can't taste too nice. He use to pig out on the chinese apples though.

[RubyStar]

Ah well bugger me! I'm in a nice pickle then aren't I! Thanks for the info horty, even if it news I didn't want to hear

Does anyone know what it costs to get a big tree like that completely removed? :D

The times I have taken the dogs over there while I was working in the house, I have gone around the yard and picked up the "berries", even before I knew they were toxic! I was doing it more from a blockage point of view. They do like the eat them, but if I pick them up daily, how much would they need to eat to become a real problem? Gah! I'm gonna have to investigate tree removal, as their health and safety comes first. Just need to find the dosh, which I am seriously lacking. Kinda wish I knew all this before I invested in the grass, it might have helped in the long run! :D

Must go away and think about things now.... so much to think about. Sigh

[hortfurball]

Yeah, sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings.

Hard to say how many exactly they'd need to eat to get sick, it's not specified anywhere that I've read, just that they are toxic in 'large' doses. The trees do drop a LOT in one day when it's that time of year though. I used to have one at my old place and Ella used to try to scoff any berries she could find so we fenced off access to the side and behind the shed (where the tree was) and I'd rake them all up from in front of the shed daily. Would easily get a plastic shopping bag worth if not more each day. My dogs are inside when I'm not home so it wasn't too much of an issue for me, I would just rake as soon as I got home, with Ella trying her best to steal them from my raking pile as I went. I'd just keep her well away from that area until I'd finished collecting them, but she definitely got the odd few because the cheeky shit used to race me to the area when I let the dogs out and snuffle up a few before I could chase her away.

As far as safety is concerned, I'd be just as worried about a branch dropping on one of the dogs in high winds so I'd get rid of it as soon as you can afford it. There is a pollarded jacaranda at my current place that I'm wary of when it's a bit stormy or windy. I'm renting so nothing I can do about it but keep the dogs inside in bad weather and only let them out briefly for toilet breaks. Personally I think pollarding should be illegal.

Sorry, don't know how much it would cost to remove the tree.

[RubyStar]

Yes they do drop a sh*tload!! Currently they aren't really dropping, but give it a month or two and I'll soon be tearing my hear out trying to keep on top of it! Not to mention all the leaves that drop.

Tomorrow I think I will ring around a few places to arrange some quotes for tree removal. Kill THREE birds with one stone - I have a big palm I wanted removed as the berries they drop are enticing to my girls, too! Not to mention being a PITA all over my yard. There is also what I believe might be an apricot tree I want removed. The bugs got to the fruit so weren't edible (not living there currently and not being a green thumb, that was likely to happen!) and they drop and I think the pips could cause problems if the girls eat them. It's quite a well established fruit tree, sad to see it go, but I'd rather be content in the knowledge that my girls are safe in our backyard quite obviously! So I'm up for some serious $$ to get the 3 removed!

While we're here, do you mind if I ask you some recommendations for some dog friendly plants I can plant in the garden? I have a strip down the side of the patio against the fence where I have ripped most plants out, and want to replace them with non-flower type plants that are nice and green, non-toxic and easy care!

Maybe I need to book you in for an information session, horty

[Tiggy]

I'd keep the fruit tree .

[persephone]

I'd keep the palm.... or - offer it for sale!! If it is a big old one- often they sell well- buyer to remove,of course. Old established palms are sought for housing projects/parks, etc. make enquiries

A few in our town were removed from private gardens and planted at he Club and other spots! They were very old. Is yours a date palm? they take SO many years to grow..... it is a shame to kill them, I think.

[RubyStar]

I'd keep the fruit tree :D .

I'd really love to, but wouldn't the pips be big enough to cause a blockage when the girls eat them? They are really hard pips, so can't see them breaking down in their system. Would be nice if I could get it to produce some nice edible fruit, but I worry for my girls :D A friend told me I should try selling the apricot tree, as it's quite well established. But it looks like it was pruned right back like my big tree was - actually, ALL the trees have been cut right back years ago, and have new branches off shooting everywhere. These trees aren't anywhere near as big as the one in the lawn that needs removing.

I'd keep the palm.... or - offer it for sale!! If it is a big old one- often they sell well- buyer to remove,of course. Old established palms are sought for housing projects/parks, etc. make enquiries :D

A few in our town were removed from private gardens and planted at he Club and other spots! They were very old. Is yours a date palm? they take SO many years to grow..... it is a shame to kill them, I think.

It's HUGE, it towers probably 3 times the height of my patio, that I can't even see the top unless I stick my head out the side of the patio and look up. It's a cocos palm, not sure if anybody would want that? If I knew where to start hunting, this would be a great option! But I'm one of those lazy types, and one who hates making phone calls, that I think it would be easier in the end to just get it removed I may do a bit of investigation come to think of it - I had one of those old concrete laundry troughs that I wanted gone so posted on the net for anyone who wanted it, come and remove it themself, and it worked! Apparently those things are highly sought after!! Who woulda thunk it? I was all prepared to pay a tradie to come and get rid of it for me.

Edited January 17, 2010 by RubyStar

[Golden Rules]

Hey you

I have a Cocos Palm or two as well and they are dreadful trees, dropping berries all the time (well, the female one does). I have to have the tree trimmed and berry bunches removed every second year or so. I found a great chap in the local newspaper last year who did it for a very reasonable price so I reckon you need to call a few places and get quotes.

I got quotes to have my two Cocos Palms removed a couple of years ago and was looking at $800 at least at the time, not cheap

I wouldn't remove the apricot tree. The fruit only falls off it when it's overripe so all you'd need to do is pick the fruit before becoming fully ripe, and let it ripen off the tree! If the apricots are anything like the size of those you buy in the shops, the stones would be so small, I reckon they'd pass right through your labs ;)

I'll come and pick the fruit for you if you don't want it and will give you apricot jam in return!

As for the lawn, I have a small patch of lawn that looked just like yours if not worse, about this time last year. I used Scotts lawn fertilizer on it, plus a wetting agent, and a sprinkler every day for a couple of weeks. The lawn went from brown to green (remember Horty?!). I need to do it again but am waiting for the worst of the summer heat to be over. I have always found lawn to brown off in summer and green up in winter.

I removed most of my lawn other than the small 30 odd square metres which was kept only for the dogs to pee and poo on!

But you are right, it is much cooler in summer and I know what you mean about it being 'peaceful'

[RubyStar]

Hey you

Did you have a username change?

Thinking about it more, I may just get the berry bunches removed from the palm tree as a short term solution. I have already removed one or two, but there is another REALLY high up, so I may have to get someone in for that! Gotta be cheaper than removing the whole thing at this stage! I may keep the apricot tree, and see if I can learn how to care for it to keep the bugs from eating the fruit and make sure I pick them before they fall - I just need to recognise when that time is! As for the big tree, as much as I'd love it to stay, that one looks like it must go So I'll shop around for quotes.

I'm going to have such a busy morning before going to work each morning - palm tree berry patrol, toadstool in lawn patrol, poo patrol, and big tree berry patrol until I can get someone in to remove the bad boy! Or maybe I will just drop the dogs off at their grandparents house for free doggy daycare

You give me hope with my lawn ;) I'll just have to see what the cooler weather may bring

[hortfurball]

I remember, Golden Rules (now that I've figured out who you are, LOL!) How's the garden looking? Should be quite lush by now. If mine's anything to go by your cannas should be showing their true colours and the justicias should hopefully have shown why I rave about them. 'Bout time I called you to arrange a visit I reckon!

Rubystar, I second what Tiggy and Golden Rules say - I'd keep the apricot too. The palm...well...you won't find a taker for a cocos that big unless you are willing to call all the big landscaping companies and maybe a developer or two, and even then they probably won't want it as cocos went out of favour when everyone realised what a pain in the butt they are. I have one down the back of my place too and it has a MOUND of berries under it from years of them building up before I moved in...then of course there's the thousands of cocos babies springing up...eurk.

Regarding recommendations for plants, no worries, but I need more info regarding sun/shade, aspect, your preferences and yep, you can book me for a consultation if you like, mates rates of course, but in the meantime, take the little bit of advice I gave you earlier and get yourself down to Bunnings for some Seasol and wetting agent. It's only about $16 (I think) for a double pack of Seasol and the wetting agent shouldn't cost you more than about $15 either. (possibly a bit cheaper, my memory fails me as I bought them wholesale in a keg a few years ago so haven't bought retail for a few years) Then after applying them, make sure you give the lawn some water regularly. You are allowed to hand water outside of your watering days by the way.