Rocking out, Part 1

I don't typically like to write about home projects in progress, but I figured I had to write about something or I'd fall out of the habit again.

The main thing on my to-do list since the fence project has been establishing a lawn in my backyard. Lawns are supposed to make weeds easier to deal with and I figured it'd be better for when I finally get a dog. It seemed like kind of a daunting task, so I've been sort of been procrastinating on it. I finally decided to take it on in early August. (Fence was last August, too. I guess something about August kicks me into gear.)

Previously, on 'Kai's Old House'... So the previous owner tarped over the yard and spread gravel over it, which I guess is supposed to deter weeds. Maybe you didn't see it in the photos from when I did the fence project last year because of all the weeds. This is apparently one common strategy for dealing with weeds, but most people find it doesn't hold up past, say, the 9-12 or so months it took to sell a house in 2009.

The common problem is that the tiniest bit of dirt in the gravel will let a weed sprout up. Once that happens, it's a matter of days before it shoots roots down right through that bio-degradable 'weed blocker' tarp. After that, the tarp makes it that much harder to pull out the weed completely, leaving the roots. What really helped get dirt into the gravel was the really half-assed garden the previous rental tenants set up. That would be the little green patch in the photo that I hesitated to blast with weed-killer at first.

The gravel, after I scooped it all out of the backyard. I hacked at this in the spring by trying to just yank up the tarp, imagining the gravel and dirt would neatly roll off as I went along, gathering in a neat pile on one side of the yard. But that didn't work. So I finally got a big scoop shovel, a wheel barrow, and went to work scooping the gravel out. It turned out to be relatively easy, about 6-8 hours work. I tried to see if I could do a little separating by raking the dirt/gravel mix around a bit first, which was semi-effective, but I imagine I'd still need to do some sifting if I ever wanted to re-use the gravel or dirt for anything.

The bio-degradable 'weed-blocking' tarp. The results, at least so far, do not look like an improvement, but trust me, it is.

BEFORE: From Spring, so yes, the green weeds look deceptively pretty.

AFTER: A barren, desolate wasteland. Mission accomplished. If things go as planned, I'll be able to do some tilling next weekend and maybe even start laying down some sod!