Gardening and lawn care (Huntsville clay) (Arab: maintenance, living, costs)

[33458]

Come spring I want to attempt planting a Crimson Frost Birch (with much care) and a Crabapple for the critters...has anyone attempted apples with any success? The dry conditions may prove me foolish, but I'll give it a shot.

Going to build a greenhouse, which may wind up being a coldhouse with lots of blankets instead...will have to take a serious look at heating costs and solar options. Meanwhile my sub-tropicals are in my bathtub and in a friend's house. And a few lizards made the trip - one was still alive months after being left to fend for itself in a freezing garage. I guess he's living off the insects among my plants and burrowing to dorm.
Left behind what I was certain would die a quick death, bringing only that which has already endured freezing temperatures. Read my Jasmines will die back to the ground and then renew in the spring, going to try it...only have Arabian Star with me now...somebody stole my one potted Night-Blooming variety right from my yard the night before we put them in the U-Haul. :I Good thing I didn't dig up the big ones...huh.

Does anyone bother with sprinklers?

And do you cut this fine, short grass or just let it go?

[NicoleC]

Some apples and crabapples do fine here, and it's considered a low maintenance tree if you plant a good variety for here. Petals from the Past recommends the following crabapples for north AL:

Callaway
Dolgo
Hopa

You'll have to water for a few years if it stays dry.

Sprinklers, no, except for garden areas, and then drip irrigation is better. Most of the grasses planted here are sturdy turf grasses that may not look great when it is dry, but survive just fine on limited rain. Bermuda is almost indestructible... as you will find when you start weeding.

What kind of grass do you have? Don't count on anything staying fine and short once spring hits. And if you truly do have a nice no-mow lawn, better watch out or I will be out there at 2am taking cores.

[33458]

Dolgo is the crabapple I'm thinking about...

I don't know what kind of grass we have - it is very fine and short - delicate and pretty. I'm in love with it. Does not give complete ground coverage but it stays.
I have always seen this green mystery untended and near woodland/mountains in the southeastern region - not much in FL...There is something looking like Fescue scattered here and there. Have not seen Bermuda (but the previous owners did not rake so *who knows* what is under there)...lots of glorious moss (slippery and wonderful) and too much of some kind of invasive climber -- not Kudzu but something I think I need to take down or control anyway. It is still a vibrant green despite the freezes. Tough stuff. Here and in Atlanta last w/e...the dreaded Kudzu is dead.

I HATE St. Augustine...that's all we could grow in FL. but was considered a weed in N.Y.

[33458]

Looks like the very fine grass seen here:

[33458]

I think it's Bent Grass? Or it could be FINE FESCUE. Hmmn. Dunno. I can't download any pics from my camera right now or I'd post my yard. Gizmos are still packed...somewhere.

Fine Fescue.com

[Southlander]

If it's green right now it's probably fescue. Once summer heats up, it'll be dead.

[lookingatnorthalabama]

Looks like a hybrid. A cross of Bluegrass...Kentucky bluegrass, featherbed bench...and northern California sinsemilla. I couldn't resist.

[33458]

Originally Posted by lookingatnorthalabama

Looks like a hybrid. A cross of Bluegrass...Kentucky bluegrass, featherbed bench...and northern California sinsemilla. I couldn't resist.

You just gave me a flashback. But that's not the kind of gardening I'm talkin' about.

Boy, do I feel old now.