Ground Cover Around Pool Sidewalk and Fence

[keatz85]

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I'm finding a lot of conflicting info via google so figured I'd post here, as you all seem to know EVERYTHING haha! It's horrendous to mow/trim around the fence so going to do some DIY ground cover ASAP. Looking for the easiest and cheapest solution but want it to look good, do it right, and have no or low maintenance, so willing budge on both labor and cost if necessary.

1. How far from fence to go out?
2. Edging? Natural/spade, plastic, brick,etc? I like natural because it's free but apparently needs cleaned up every year. No dig plastic seems appealing from a labor stand point. I have brick edging several other places now and constantly have to edge around it so not a fan...pretty sure you have to dig a trench for it too.
3. Do I need to kill the grass prior to cover? Please say no.
4. Landscape fabric? I'm concerned about this because I have other rock covered areas that I have to constantly weed and spots of fabric is showing. There's anti-landscape fabric blogs out there. People swear by cardboard? I've heard newspaper, tarp, old carpet too.
5. Mulch or rock? Something else? Mulch concerns me because I picture it getting in the pool plus you have to replace it but apparently weeds don't grow so replacing it every now and then may be better than constantly weeding. If rock what type of rock? I have black rock about 10 feet from this. Should it match? I'm thinking it would actually look better if it didn't match, like an accent.
6. Step by step on how to do proposed solution?

 

[kimkats]

First off (sorry) kill the grass. You can use round up and double the strength so you are basically "burning" the grass. THEN (really sorry about this one) remove the dead grass. (running to hid behind the couch when I say that one). If you don't you will battle it forever.

Now what to put there.....use roofing felt on the ground. That stuff lasts forever and very thick!

You are going to have to edge along anything you put to hold whatever you put in. That is just the nature of grass. Good grass like to take over so edging it needed to keep it back.

I would use rock to put there as I agree with you about mulch PLUS once the mulch breaks down it will act as compost and help thing grow!

Kim

 

[Arizonarob]

^^^^What the girl ducking behind the couch said.
Felt paper works great, BUT, keep in mind no water will drain through it.
Kill the grass, take it out, double down on landscape fabric, brick boarder along grass line, fill with crushed gravel of your choice.
From then on, you’ll just have to blast the weeds here-n-there that pop up in the gravel.

 

[Pv2]

Act like you want it there, feed it, water it, be proud of it and surely it will die then??? That's how it works for me. LOL

 

[kimkats]

Act like you want it there, feed it, water it, be proud of it and surely it will die then??? That's how it works for me. LOL

True words right there LOL

 

[keatz85]

First off (sorry) kill the grass. You can use round up and double the strength so you are basically "burning" the grass. THEN (really sorry about this one) remove the dead grass. (running to hid behind the couch when I say that one). If you don't you will battle it forever.

Now what to put there.....use roofing felt on the ground. That stuff lasts forever and very thick!

You are going to have to edge along anything you put to hold whatever you put in. That is just the nature of grass. Good grass like to take over so edging it needed to keep it back.

I would use rock to put there as I agree with you about mulch PLUS once the mulch breaks down it will act as compost and help thing grow!

Kim

Thank you Kim!

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^^^^What the girl ducking behind the couch said.
Felt paper works great, BUT, keep in mind no water will drain through it.
Kill the grass, take it out, double down on landscape fabric, brick boarder along grass line, fill with crushed gravel of your choice.
From then on, you’ll just have to blast the weeds here-n-there that pop up in the gravel.

Thank you Rob!

 

[keatz85]

Act like you want it there, feed it, water it, be proud of it and surely it will die then??? That's how it works for me. LOL

This is hilarious, and unfortunately, very true haha! I literally do nothing with the backyard except mow, and on the flip side, spend a bunch of time trying to make the front yard look good. Backyard is lush and green and front yard is...half brown. I guess the good news is I can start neglecting the front yard

 

[bmoreswim]

Spray grass to kill, remove it if it's too high (my experience with leaving dead grass in place is OK if you place thick mulch top). Place mulch 3" thick (this will need to be replaced every 2-3 years). Consider a brick border (though a lot of work). It will be easy to edge along brick as needed. Or no border and just mow along the mulch and edge as needed. A little harder to edge along mulch nicely as some of it flies out if you are not careful (I have probably 1000' of mulch with grass adjoining it - and only about 10' with brick lining - I trim once every 4-6 weeks and am happy enough with my mower cut job the rest of the time). You could do stone but trimming near stone presents its own problems (stones can get thrown in to grass) so a border with stone would seem required in my book. But stone is a nice look. Weeds will grow up through stone no in time also, which will need spraying.

As you can see, little or no maintenance over the years is not really a choice. It's just the lesser of several evils that you get to choose between.

 

[RedDawn289]

This is hilarious, and unfortunately, very true haha! I literally do nothing with the backyard except mow, and on the flip side, spend a bunch of time trying to make the front yard look good. Backyard is lush and green and front yard is...half brown. I guess the good news is I can start neglecting the front yard

Mine is the same lol

 

[keatz85]

Spray grass to kill, remove it if it's too high (my experience with leaving dead grass in place is OK if you place thick mulch top). Place mulch 3" thick (this will need to be replaced every 2-3 years). Consider a brick border (though a lot of work). It will be easy to edge along brick as needed. Or no border and just mow along the mulch and edge as needed. A little harder to edge along mulch nicely as some of it flies out if you are not careful (I have probably 1000' of mulch with grass adjoining it - and only about 10' with brick lining - I trim once every 4-6 weeks and am happy enough with my mower cut job the rest of the time). You could do stone but trimming near stone presents its own problems (stones can get thrown in to grass) so a border with stone would seem required in my book. But stone is a nice look. Weeds will grow up through stone no in time also, which will need spraying.

As you can see, little or no maintenance over the years is not really a choice. It's just the lesser of several evils that you get to choose between.

Thank you bmoreswim! You are so right when it you said, "it's just the lesser of several evils that you get to choose between"

 

[RedDawn289]

Could you post photos once you complete the project. I'd love to see what you end up doing and it'll hold you accountable

 

[PoolGate]

Here is how I am solving the issue of grass under the fence. It works really well the mower can get right up on the grass and no hand work or weedwacker at all when done.

 

[Hayseed]

Act like you want it there, feed it, water it, be proud of it and surely it will die then??? That's how it works for me. LOL

That's what I do, kill it with kindness.

 

[keatz85]

Could you post photos once you complete the project. I'd love to see what you end up doing and it'll hold you accountable

Good idea!

- - - Updated - - -

Here is how I am solving the issue of grass under the fence. It works really well the mower can get right up on the grass and no hand work or weedwacker at all when done.

I see one piece of wood. Are you laying that down one panel, mow, move piece wood, repeat? Or do you have 1 for every panel? Do you leave it there or just to mow? Or something else?

 

[PoolGate]

Good idea!

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I see one piece of wood. Are you laying that down one panel, mow, move piece wood, repeat? Or do you have 1 for every panel? Do you leave it there or just to mow? Or something else?

This is the first of many. The idea is that no grass will grow where the board is. I may change to 5" wide as well the one in the pic is 4". They would be permanent.

 

[ctrav]

Nifty idea...do you plan on painting or as is?

 

[keatz85]

Ended up deciding on the following: remove sod, concrete edging, weed fabric, and river rock. Realized the sod removal and edging would take forever so asked for a few bids from a couple landscaping companies, tried thumbtack (only got 1 bid from a guy 4 hours away), and a guy my relative recommended. Ending up going w/ the guy my relative recommended, as he had their blessing, worked for a landscaping company for like 15 years until it went under, then started his own company 15 years ago. So he had the experience but no building, website, small crew instead of huge crew/payroll, etc so labor was lower. He even let me help (haul wheelbarrows full or sod and rock) to reduce the labor cost. Ended up being a good decision b/c the sod removal was a HUGE job and the edging took skill. Expections were exceeded and it would have taken me forever and not looked anywhere close to as good. Here are some pics:

 

[keatz85]

He also recommended getting some BIG planters to place around the fence on top of river rock which I thougth was genius as you don't have to mess w/ putting the plants in the ground and I think the planters look better.

 

[kimkats]

Good move! That looks awesome!!! Nice that he let you help. That was a win-win for all!