If it were my neighbor and he is as nice as you say, and if he really couldn't afford to do it, I would pay to do it myself (as long as he was ok with it.)

His pride might prevent it, so maybe you could tell a little white lie and say that you got some special two for one sale for lawncare products and would he mind if you applied the extra stuff to his lawn...

I will cut my neighbor's lawn when he goes on vacation, so I would probably volunteer to cut it too.

If it bothers you as much as it seems, it will be worth the cost (plus it won't hurt the neighborhood property values. Heck, maybe you can get the other neighbors to chip in.)

A quarter acre is nothing. If it really bothers you, do the guy a community service and renovate his lawn for him. Probably not what you want to hear, but that is what I would do.

Welcome to Floreeduh.

Lord the nerve of some people. Next thing you know, he will park a trailer house on the lot.

You ought to form an HOA and force the gentleman to make repairs, or sell his house at 75% market value and toss that trailer trash back to the trailer park where he came from.

My "bad lawn" neighbor just moved out. In the 2 years he lived there, he took a very nice yard and turned it into a weed pit. He often commented on my lawn and asked how I kept it going in the summer heat, but then promptly ignored everything I recommended. Oh well, not much else I was willing to do. I offered to split the cost of aerating and overseeding both lots, but he insisted on only doing it in spring - not fall. In NC, you can't seed in spring, but I couldn't convince him of that. It wasn't like he didn't have the money to take care of it - he hired a guy to come by and scalp his entire lawn each week.

Oh well, not much you can do if someone doesn't keep up their property. If he starts growing 2 foot weeds, the city probably has an ordinance against that. However, mowing a once a month is usually plenty to stay within the letter of the law.

Your neighbor may hate the way that you take care of your lawn, just as much as you hate the way that he takes care of his.

Perhaps your neighbor is an environmentally conscious person, who doesn't believe in belching excess Carbon into the air just to keep up with the Jone's. Perhaps he also believes that using pesticides and fertilizers is bad for the birds and butterflies, and he cringes every time the toxic lawn service visits the neighborhood.

Some people place priority on other things besides having a landscape that looks like putting green on a golf course. Unless Tiger Woods is putting for bogey, the desire for that picture perfect turf is just brainwashing by the corporations who sell chemicals.

joepyeweed,

You made some good points. But in my case, I'm not trying to keep up with the Jones. In my neighborhood, I'm Mr. Jones.

(I know it's not funny if I have to explain it... but that was a joke.) :>)

I agree that some people just donÂt place priority on their lawns, and do not like to use chemicals/pesticides. But, when you chose to live in an area where the Ânorm is to have at least a mowed lawn, then I think you should follow suit. Then there are some people who go in the other extreme where the Âtoxic lawn service is there every week  whether the lawn needs it or not. IÂm in between  no toxic lawn services for me  but I like to keep my lawn looking nice through organic methods; and mowing every 4 days, at least. IÂve got a pretty nice lawn, so IÂm pretty happy  I hope my neighbours appreciate it, too.

IÂve had the neighbours who donÂt give a hoot about lawn care, at all. They mow once a month, if weÂre lucky  the weeds are knee-high and the weed seeds blow into my yard. It bugs me, too! Those neighbours were just plain lazy, and wouldn't know a butterfly from a bee.

Just this morning, a Âtoxic lawn service truck equipped with enough liquid pesticide to kill every weed and bug in a hundred km radius, had the audacity to stop in front of my house! I kept my eye on it (to be honest) because mistakes have been made where they spray the wrong lawns. My other biggest concern was that my neighbours would think IÂve gone over to the Âdark side ; ), and IÂm spraying now, too.

That *is* funny... : )

In my neighborhood, I'm Mr. Jones.

Yes, that was my point. We don't really know WHY your neighbor isn't as particular about his lawn, but sometimes people are not just lazy, they just have different priorities and we need to respect them for it.

A few weeds next door isn't the end of the world.

Are they nice people and make good neighbors otherwise?

Like it or not, lawn care is a part of basic home maintenance.
Fine if you don't want to use chemicals, you can still keep it kept up and if not then you're not grown up enough to live in a house so you move into a place like an apartment where someone maintains the grounds. Lawn care is also a way to show pride in one's home. If you are proud of your home or enjoy living in it then you are more likely to want to keep up the lawn. When I lived in Florida briefly in 04 I hated the house, it was a real piece...
I was not as into keeping up the lawn because it was like tying a pretty bow on a pile of cow manure. Pointless.

Anyway if that isn't proof then I don't know what is. It's almost like you gotta move into a million dollar neighborhood to get people that keep up their yards.

If his weed seeds blew into my yard, my Roundup would blow into his.

Like it or not, lawn care is a part of basic home maintenance.

Yes, but why does every home have to have a cookie cutter, mono-culture putting green of a lawn. Even golf courses have "rough" that looks quite attractive. Its communistic to enforce your "idea" of what is a nice lawn on to someone else.

Actually, it would be communistic if I came and told you that your lawn didn't belong to you because there is no such thing as private property.

Here is the crux of the OP:

"He only mows it once or twice a month... Which means that most of the time, he basically has a quarter acre of crabgrass and noxious weed seedheads bobbing in the wind and belching millions of seeds into the air.

"...And of course, it also looks like a minefield of fire ant nests. So naturally, all the money I spend ridding my property of these pests is for not, as they constantly migrate here from their little safe haven next door."

I don't think this has anything to do with organics vs synthetics. It doesn't even have to do with whether the yard has a few weeds.

It has to do with an elderly neighbor who doesn't seem to have the resources to deal with his yard. I don't interpret that as the neighbor being a "friend of the earth, " or any such thing.

I also don't think the OP was inferring that he wanted his neighbor to have a cookie cutter yard. The OP seems to want a way to get the guy to cut it more than every two weeks and maybe provide a little more care.

The neighbor, based on description in the OP, is a nice old guy who can't afford to do basic lawncare.

All that being said, I've already suggested that the OP look into doing the lawncare themselves (assuming the guy is ok with it). If the neighbor isn't ok with it. Then that obviously won't work.

But I don't see the sense in turning this into a debate about organics or cookie cutter yards. I don't think the OP actually indicated that is what he wanted.

Its not about organics at all....and I don't think I ever mentioned the term. Its about the philosophy of what constitutes a good yard...

Joepyeweed,

I see your point. But I'm not sure that I would have ever elevated my approach to lawncare as a philosophy.

You may be right. Our desire for a "better lawn" may all be a bad scene from the manchurian candidate where the lawn care companies have controlled our minds and convinced us that we all need perfectly manicured lawns.

But I like the way my lawn looks. I'm not huge on the synthetics (roundup aside), so Scotts and the others aren't making much money from me.

I'm mostly organic in my approach. I tend to use a weed hound on my "perfectly manicured, weed-free lawn," when one of the "evil doers" do show up in my lawn."

What harm is there in my enjoying both the end result (my lawn) and the process of getting there? I like working in the yard. That doesn't mean it is for everyone. But it is my hobby. I enjoy it.

I may be wrong. But you would concede that cutting a lawn every two weeks does not make for a good lawn, wouldn't you?

Fireants? Surely that doesn't make for a good lawn. We can agree on that, right?

Once again, I think we're having a debate separate from the OP. He/She simply wants help in dealing with uncut weeds and fire ants. I'm sure the OP would be thrilled with a weedy-but-regularly-cut and fireant free lawn next door.

I don't think the OP was complaining about a few weeds here or there. I think he/she was frustrated with how to help or approach the neighbor.

What harm is there in my enjoying both the end result (my lawn) and the process of getting there?

There is no harm in enjoying your yard and the way you maintain it. Please feel free to enjoy your yard...

Where harm comes in is being mad or "peeved" at your neighbor (as stated in the original post) because he doesn't spend as money...and he causes weed problems...and his weed problems cost me money. Their is animosity in the neighborhood over lawn care. Bad Karma.

I may be wrong. But you would concede that cutting a lawn every two weeks does not make for a good lawn, wouldn't you? Nope, I haven't mowed my lawn in over 4 weeks either.

Fireants? Surely that doesn't make for a good lawn. We can agree on that, right? Nope. I am a hindu and all creatures are sacred in the Universe. (Well I am not really hindu, but I don't have to deal with fire ants... but I do experience peer pressure from my neighbors to treat my lawn for grubs... which I refuse to do...and what is amusing about the grub issue. I don't treat my lawn for grubs, but I don't have grub damage either. But I do have moles. My neighbors on the other hand have both grub damage and mole damage. Of course they blame me, because I don't treat my lawn. But if the grub treatments and the mole traps really worked, shouldn't they have less damage than me. And they don't, they have more.)

joepyeweed,

LOL

Well, you certainly march to the beat of your own drummer. That is certainly your right. But why would someone who lets his lawn go 4-weeks without being cut find anything of interest here in the land of the lawncare nut?

I know it's easy to misread things. So, I'm making clear I don't mean this in a negative way or anything. But I'm not sure what you would find interesting to read about here.

I'm fairly certain, most of the folks who come to this forum don't have a picture of your yard in their minds when they think about how they'd like their lawn to look.

No offense intended. I can't believe it would be to proselytize to your way of viewing lawn care... You're welcome to do that, of course.

But I think it would be a very hard sell.

"Yes, but why does every home have to have a cookie cutter, mono-culture putting green of a lawn."

It doesn't!!!
Heck I wouldn't want that I want to have the best lawn around!

PEople just have to keep it looking decent and non offensive. This time of year in Florida that awful bahia grows like 2" a day, no joke and the seed heads can extend 3'. This all happens over the course of a week so if you can't get out there then your tropical swampgrass will look unkempt in a short period of time. Now for the rest of the country it takes a bit longer, especially for bermuda to look unkempt. I get a little Po'd when I walk around the neighborhood here and see people that have paid chemlawn god knows how much to fertilize their lawn then I kid you not let it grow to 6-8"!!! I did not know bermuda could even grow that tall. Then the weeds get out of control.

So in summary....
It doesn't have to be a putting green. Just keep it from looking like an abandoned crack house and I'll be happy.

And Joe Pyeweed, I think the two of us would probably agree a lot more about high maintenance lawn care than you might think.

offer to help with his yard in order to keep your better looking. if he says no, then live with it.

that pretty much is your only 2 options.

and be glad that the only "problem" neighbor you have jsut has weeds and ants. it could be MUCH worse.

Actually I am not here to proselytize, but rather point out an alternative view...I certainly am playing a bit of whimsical devil's advocate in my posts.

Cripes a lot of people think that its illegal to let your lawn grow taller 12".

Here is a picture of my ideal lawn.

{{gwi:22167}}

Most people don't live in barns out in the country I don't htink, where all stuck one on top of another in the suburbs most of us trying to get by and put up with one another.

Where I lived in florida the city actually had an ordinance about grass height but I could have easily have been busted for it, I'm sure. I think the grass height requirement was probably 12" (!) Yes you read that correctly.

I've been one of "those" neighbors before. I will say that I have looked at my yard and didn't really think I could get it "fixed". If I had a neighbor that would help with a renovation, I'd be all over it.

I would offer that to your neighbor, the worst he could do is say no. He just may see no way to fix his lawn, it may be very overwhelming to him.

This site has help me get the courage to renovate my lawn. I'm really looking forward to doing it in a month or so!

Thats not a barn, its a log cabin. And I do have pictures of similar yards in suburban areas. The yard in that picture is actually surrounded by a split rail fence and mowed border. It has a hardscape walk that curves through the flowers towards the door. You can't see any of that from the position of that pic, though.

If you live in a HOA that regulates landscapes then they can enforce any lawn height that they wish, because by buying property there, you agreed to those covenants.

However, If you don't live in an HOA, local ordinances that regulate a lawn strictly on the basis of height are unconstitutional and can be easily over turned. There is plenty of court precedent stating personal property rights, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, that nullifies most lawn height ordinances. One can grow almost anything that they want on their property as long as its not specifically listed by species as as illegal, noxious or invasive in that state.

No laws are "easily overturned." If you really want to fight a law, plan on spending years in court and thousands of dollars. Even if you win, you likely won't recoup any of those costs. Frankly though, you will probably lose or run out of money trying. Zoning laws are almost always upheld - so expecting some sort of overreaching property rights argument to carry the day is fairly naive.

The law is stricken from the code it just becomes unenforceable. When you are ordered to appear in court, you give the judge a print out of case histories and a couple law review articles regarding weed laws. The judge reads them and then dismisses the case.

Its not difficult or expensive. You do have to take a day off work to appear in court though.

Though sometimes you can give the information to the district attorney and he will dismiss the case before it ever gets to court. Even more simple.

I wish there was an edit key. That first sentence should read:

The law is NOT stricken from code, it just becomes unenforceable.

I couldn't see that it was a barn due to all the brush blocking the view!
What it boils down to is why would anyone buy into a subdivision where yards are not kept up? They'd go in and say "this place is a dump". The HOA rules help sometimes. If you live out in the sticks, nobody cares what you do or how your grass looks.

To live with and get along with others you have to do it to keep values up.

That's just the way it is. The majority of folks would rather live with maintained lawns than the above picture.

The majority of folks would rather live with maintained lawns than the above picture.

That is certainly true.

But does everyone have to conform with the majority to have good values. I tend to think that being a good steward of the environment is a good value.

I would just like to promote the thought that a neighbor with a more natural lawn, has a different land ethic that can be appreciated rather than chastised.

The things you can't see in that picture are the cars up on blocks and the dead bodies people have hidden in there. If you want your yard to look like that, then why would you move into a neighborhood that is filled with well kept lawns, move out in the sticks where you can enjoy your "natural lawn" to your hearts content without infringing on others rights to enjoying their property. People like you don't do well in civilization and seem to get joy at making others miserable.

somehow civilization and civilized = golf course looking lawn. So I guess its a free country, and we can do what we want, as long as its the same thing that everyone is else is doing.

This home is in a suburban neighborhood:
{{gwi:22173}}

joepyeweed,

FWIW I admire your concept of wild flowers, but it would produce problems in a developed neighborhood rightfully so raising concerns with infestation of rodents and serpents. I have some similar looking pastures around the farm, but that is far removed from developed areas where ordinances exist.

There are many myths about Fire, Vermin, Mosquitoes, and Pollen linked to a natural vegetation. Many of the court cases include testimony that debunks such misinformation.

Particularly with respect to vermin, natural vegetation does not provide the type and quantity of food required to sustain a population of rats or other vermin. Typically, the man-made food supply often stored in barns or garbage dumps is what sustains vermin. Attempts to reduce vermin populations are more successful when garbage dumps or storage bins are properly maintained.

(Reference The John Marshall Laws Review, Volume 26, Summer 1993, Number 4)

First of all, how do you know that is a house in a suburban n-hood? Judging by the lack of other homes in the picture I'd say that's a farm house on acreage.

And second of all, what makes you think the concept of wildflowers is the right answer. I really don't think my area would be a meadow covered in wildflowers if the developer never came around.

And also the line is being blurred between someone not keeping up their yard and instead planting some alternative ground cover. I don't have a problem with planting other ground cover, it's like I said if it looks like an abandoned crack house then we have a problem.

clicked the wrong button. Have one more sentence...

If it's something that looks at least a little nice and the property as a whole is being maintained even if it isn't my taste then that is something different.

Quirky,

Wow!

I think I've seen that yard before... but I think there was a guy in it then...

{{gwi:106675}}

:>)

(Warning: this was a joke)

My white trash neighbors winter in Florida? I thought I was reading my own post when I read this. Not much you can do, free country and all. What I did was dig up a planting strip to separate my lawn from his weeds and planted some nice, dense shrubs. A few years from now, no crap weed lawn to look at.

I like rudysmallfry's post. Tolerate your neighbor's weeds with a vegetated screen...

I recently read "Front Yard Gardens: Growing More Than Grass" -- very interesting look at the history of "lawns" and some alternatives to those traditions. Probably not for HOA folks, though.

In my neck of the woods, there is an organization associated with our county that we can call. My neighbour was reported because their lawn was knee-high (which was just the tip of the iceberg), making it a garbage trap for the refuse that they simply tossed out the back door.

The place started out nice: newly built home -> homeowners couldnÂt make payments on newly built home -> home appearance starts going downhill -> homeowners have to sell -> home has lost value so they canÂt sell -> home turns into rental home -> a series of renters who continue to contribute to propertyÂs downfall move in one after the other.

Joepye, I think your philosophy is outdated. Such a theory no longer has anything to do with aversion to chemicals or submitting to mind control. I can understand there was a time of no other alternatives, but these days there are just too many options. Information is easy to find and frankly, friendly products sit on the shelves next to the woefully-loathed ones. This guy should not have to be bothered with his neighbor. There is simply no excuse except one's own "philosophy," which this guy clearly does not have. If he did, then his lawn would like your picture preferences. The man is lazy or just doesn't give a darn. There is no philosophy or particular preferences associated with the complaint of this thread. If there were, the neighbor would not mow once or twice a month. He would never mow and his yard would look exactly like yours. Your arguments (not meant literally, only in terms of debate) would work swell for someone seeking advice or absolution for his own way of thinking that is contrary to the normal desire to keep up with the Jones'. This guy isn't. He's looking for suggestions to deal with his lazy neighbor.

I grew up across the street from a lady with your same philosophy. I loved her lawn that was not a lawn at all. It was lots of different low growing-to-knee length-to-hip high vegetation piped with hostas all around. She was out in her yard 3 or 4 times a week pulling weeds and doing whatever. No manicured lawn I've seen is any more beautiful than her meticulously kempt hodge podge, and I never saw a bottle of anything her hands. I loved her yard mainly because it was well kept and intriquing to say the least. The little girl in me and then the teenager was constantly drawn to it, and I didn't think it an eyesore at all. My point is to wonder how it can be that "philosophy" lacks standard? It's a contradiction in terms.

I don't really get your point...

Yes, this neighbor doesn't care what his lawn looks like... and because of that he is judged as lazy, with quite a bit of hostility.

I was trying to point out how much animosity is created between neighbors simply over the appearance of a lawn, when frankly, not every has the same desires or priorities. And its a free country. Its not the lawn that is the problem, its the attitude.

I just cannot promote being frustrated with someone because they don't have as nice of a lawn as everyone else does.

I am sure glad I live in a development with rules to keep ones yard and property looking nice. That being said, most of my neighbors don't take care of their lawn properly...but I don't mind...I have the nicest looking lawn on the block..;)

Sorry, but the photos of the wild flower lawns are not what I call a nice looking lawn. Maybe if you are in the mountains of Colorado. If a person doesn't like manicured lawns, don't live in an area where it is the NORM. The masses decide what is acceptable and so far, more people (unless out in the country) prefer nice green , kept up lawns.....To each their own, but the wild flower (weed looking) lawn is not going to catch on anytime soon if ever. AND THANK GOD!

Now, where did I put my grass shears?

to add to my post/.......the wildflowers DO look nice in some in landscaping around a manicured lawn ...if NOT overdone..

joepyeweed, unfortunately, none of the "anti-golf course lawn" folks around here cast wildflower seeds about and grow a serene meadow full of butterflies and hummingbirds, unless you consider crabgrass and nutsedge wildflowers that is.

It's pretty easy to tell laziness/indifference from environmentally friendly.

And as mentioned before, in a sub-division where you can literally pull into the wrong driveway because the homes look so similar(don't ask how I know that ;-))why would you think anyone else would want to see a meadow pop up?

So they can find the right driveway. :-)

hahahahaha

Hmmm....that actually might be a good idea, as long as the driveway isn't too overgrown to pull into. LOL!

Posted by crazy_lawn z5 (My Page) on Wed, Jul 25, 07 at 17:31

I am sure glad I live in a development with rules to keep ones yard and property looking nice. That being said, most of my neighbors don't take care of their lawn properly...but I don't mind...I have the nicest looking lawn on the block..;)
Sorry, but the photos of the wild flower lawns are not what I call a nice looking lawn. Maybe if you are in the mountains of Colorado. If a person doesn't like manicured lawns, don't live in an area where it is the NORM. The masses decide what is acceptable and so far, more people (unless out in the country) prefer nice green , kept up lawns.....To each their own, but the wild flower (weed looking) lawn is not going to catch on anytime soon if ever. AND THANK GOD!

Now, where did I put my grass shears?

I would tend to disagree, the wildflower/prairie look seems to be catching on from what I have seen lately. However there is a distinct difference between wildflowers, natural grasses and then weeds. It takes time and money to establish and maintain a "prairie" or wildflower yard. As much as I would like to disagree about masses deciding what is "acceptable" I can't. A perfect example of that is the sex,language, and violence on TV and video games today. I tend to cringe at some of it, but society as a whole must view it as exceptable.