I want to thank you both for your help. I have a follow up question. I typed that species into Google Image and got a ton labeled as such, but many of them were obviously a different species. Is that typical that so many people put these pictures available on the net and mis-identify them? I mean a few looked like the one I have, but most don't. Thanks again.

Maybe just clear the grass away from the fence for now. Also widen the flower bed and add a new border while you're doing it. You might want to wait until the dormant season to peel away the pots that have plants in them rooted through the drain holes because disturbing the roots very much while it's hot may kill the plant. Depends on how strong a grower it is. Wishing you all the best in your endeavors!

Art, excellent! That's the best choice! Your Yucca desperately needs to have the old soil exported and new soil imported, and probably a bigger pot. I don't know if those cracks in the trunk are normal or not. This thing about letting the soil dry out leaves so much room for interpretation, but if it really is drying 100%, that is extreme, and at some point, any/all plants can die from desiccation. If the soil is causing issues with root rot (overwatering) without going to such degrees of dryness, that's a horrible situation for the plant, constantly fluctuating between extremes. If the pot is unglazed clay, the roots are able to access oxygen all around the inside of the pot, even if the soil is quite dense and airless. If the soil is more chunky/porous/airy, so that it has oxygen in it while moist and does not cause roots to rot, the only care needed is to water often enough so that it does not dry to the point of damage to the roots. This is a much easier care regime over trying to intuit some magic moment when soil has dried to just the right point where adding more water won't kill the plant because of the airless soil. Nobody should have to be psychic to keep a potted plant alive. Best luck! These concepts are explored in much more detail in the 2 posts linked below: http://forums2.gardenweb.com/discussions/1490818/good-growing-practices-an-overview-for-beginners?n=189 http://forums2.gardenweb.com/discussions/1497307/ukeeping-u-them-looking-good?n=38

Sounds like a few possibilities- if daughter/grandkids moved in recently there must be no father on a continual basis. The boy may not understand that your house is no longer 'his' home. He may have witnessed/lived with a defiant/violent/drunk male in the past where this type of behavior is all he saw. Monkey See- Monkey Do. He may be ADHD. ADD. Fetal Alcohol Sydrome Disorder child. - 91-94% of ADHD/AUTISM is later diagnosed at early school age or adolescent age as FASD. ... It IS his mother who needs to set boundaries. Grandma already raised her kids- it is not her responsibility. Is the mother an alcoholic? Drugs? Physically or mentally abused and does not have the capacity herself to guide her children. You may not know these answers yet but dig. Ask grandma over or out for a hamburger. Discuss your worries with her and she may shed some light on the situation. Or not... It is not the child's fault, as much as it puts stress on you. Be proactive- lock your garage door. Lock your home doors. Ask a legal person if YOU may put a lock on the gate. Look at your County Clerk office tax assessment/file to see who legally put up the fence- you may be surprised to find out it is really your fence. Talk to your insurance company- they will have suggestions about how you can cover yourself. Most of these things are private and the neighbor's will not know of you trying to figure out the situation. Sometimes it DOES take a village to raise a child- especially a mentally affected child. I am blessed- I too have a connecting yard because two sisters and their husbands lived side by side. Then they were widows. I was able to know/visit the sister that previously owned my house for a year, before her death a few months ago at 100 years old... Her sister is my neighbor at 90, who is a wonderful woman. Don't dispair- there is a reason you are there. Figure out why as exhausting as it is right now. Chin up!