It's true, our front yard no longer looks like a vacant lot. In fact, surprisingly enough, our grass is even greener than most, including the anal crazy woman next door. Go figure.
Diana gets pretty much all of the credit. She started by yanking out all of the out of control crap around the light post, then the "island" with the tree, then the worst part, up around the front of the house. It's not a total weed removal, as some of that crap was rooted pretty deep, but hopefully it's adequate to get us through at least another year and a half. There were actually dead bushes amongst the weeds.
I ordered two yards of mulch, which doesn't sound like a lot, but it was one huge steaming pile of shit. Even after we spread it around this evening, there is quite a bit left.
I can't even tell you how much waste we've pulled up, and by piled up I mean on the side of the house. I can't in good conscience have that shit hauled off to where ever the county takes it. Last fall I tossed pieces of a teed (tree-like weed) out there, and winter was fairly brutal on it. This time, I've covered the heaps of crap with a tarp, I'm keeping it wet, and hoping it'll decay at a meaningful rate.
The tree hugger in me even hates to use any kind of fertilizer, but I put down one $40 bag a year to kill of the dandelions, and the grass gets nice and green. (I tried the "natural" crap and it does nothing at all.) I'm tempted to use that spray weed killer for near the drive way and the edge of the beds, but I don't think I can do it.
The back yard still looks like a disaster, and in retrospect, we probably have too much landscaping there. And more dead bushes. The tall bushes on the side for privacy seem to be doing pretty well, as is the holly, but the rest, not so much.
But we're no longer pissing off the neighborhood Republibots, and it looks like a guy married to someone who likes gardening lives here, instead of a divorced guy who hates it.
Pull the tarp off every couple of weeks and "mix up" the pile. It will decompose faster and turn into a nice compost, although I'd also hit it with weed killer.
Ortho Weed B Gone and the one time purchase of a sprayer is invaluable. You can spray a large area if need be or you can target weeds. They also have it in a spray bottle, but it's mostly for targeting.
It's too bad your city doesn't have yard waste recycling. Ours does and the best part? You can head up to the place and get free compost because of it.
Wish I lived nearby. Give me one weekend and I'd have the place all spiffy. But then, it's what I love to do.
You know, you could eat those dandelions! They have more nutrition than most greens you already eat in your salad. Food for thought (no pun intended)!
Of course now that you've poisoned them, and your soil, and possibly the groundwater, I wouldn't advise it. LOL!
We look at people who spray poison on their lawns for the sake of pretty the same way you look at people who drive SUVs. Just sayin'. ;-)
(I mean that with much love. You know me. Just had to say it!)