When I walk my dog and see a few dandelions at the house across the street at the road's edge, I deadhead them so they don't set seed and fly to my side of the road.

I feel okay doing it just a few feet in from the actual road edge. I think that's town property.

Besides, its a "renter". LOL

A lot of neighborhoods are having big problems with this thanks to the subprime mortgage crisis and now the lack of jobs. I know that my builder was working with a lender that advertised you can move into one of these brand new 3-5 bedroom houses for no money down with payments that were initially cheaper than what it cost to rent an apartment. So folks literally moved out of their apartment and into a big house that they couldn't afford to maintain or just didn't care to maintain it. Some of the homes were snatched up by speculators (and HGTV/TLC viewers) thinking they're going to strike it rich and some of those are now rented out to people who don't do anything to maintain their lot. 5 years later a large number of these are foreclosing. The people sometimes try to sell their house first then give up and it forecloses.

Without the rules that we have, we wouldn't be able to legally do even the most basic maintenance for the homes that are vacant. Nevermind dandelions but when there are serious problems that really make a nice house look run down then we can help what remains of property values by taking care of it.

Now that we're finally getting somewhere and new owners are moving in, we're trying to start programs that encourage homeowners to add landscaping and take care of their lawns. Without the rules and HOA aggressively tackling this problem, we'd be surrounded by vacant homes that look very run down. So its times like this that you appreciate the rules.

"Wow. We're not even neighbors and this grass stuff is dividing us all lol."

Yep ... though the issue usually only becomes major when you're dealing with renters or vacancies. Most other folks you can work with.

And the problem with dandelions is that they spread so virulently. If you do nothing to keep up your lawn, they will take over.

A dandelion here or there is usually not a problem. Most homeowners keep their property at least this well. But it is the rental properties and vacancies that become dendelion farms, and that's not pretty ... even a little bit.

On the subject of foreclosed homes,

One two over from me has been foreclosed on. It seems the bank has subcontracted some company to do the maintenance on it. House has a 1+acre yard but is in VERY poor condition. I went for a walk through, it should be torn down IMO.

What do you think is the best way to keep Fannie Mae taking care of the yard work and keeping the siding on the house?

Repeated phone calls to them or bug the county into coming by? I hesitate to invite the county inspector over. All of us here take advantage of having big lots. My one neighbor has a 30 foot boat, me and the other bon-fire pits. We all maintain active brush areas even though there is technically an ordinance against that, its just silly to take your twigs to the curb and wait for Uncle Sam to come pick them up.

The entire country has problems with foreclosed homes, and on top of that, no money to do anything with them, like keep West Nile out of their pools/tires/flower pots. No good answer to generalize to anywhere. Here, I just go over and pull weeds and make sure no standing water.

Dan

toronado, if you don't have an hoa, then contact the county. They will in turn send a warning notice to the bank.
In my findings, the banks do a reasonably good job of having the lawns mowed but sometimes serious things happen like pipes bursting. They aren't going to be like a homeowner and apply weed control and fertilizer but they will do the bare minimum to keep it legal.

Maybe.

Dan

I would be perfectly content if they keep it legal. All that would require is bi-weekly mowing.

I'm not above making a pass or two with weedkiller over their driveway seams. Not that I care if the bank recovers their money selling the house, just might help sell the place sooner before it devalues further and becomes a crack house.

Couldn't help but put my two cents into this discussion.

Anyone here who thinks having a dandelion free yard makes a good neighbor, than I feel sorry for you. I'd rather have a neighbor who waves as I go by, wishing me a good morning/afternoon, will give our car a boost in cold weather if our battery is dead, give us a ride if our car is in the garage, who is there for us if we need anything and vice versa.

I do not use pesticides/chemicals of any kind on our garden, and have been on many pesticide-free garden tours over the years. People love my garden, weeds in the lawn and all.

And heaven forbid, I consider myself a good neighbor. We've been neighbors with some people for almost 40 years. I've driven and sat with one who has been battling breast cancer for 8 years now as she has weekly chemo. I cook her meals a couple times a week and bring warm muffins over when I bake. She and her hubby are invited to all our holiday dinners if their daughters, who live out of town, aren't around. They don't complain about the pretty yellow dandelions they see in my lawn....they see me as a caring person.

The elderly couple beside us (mid 80's) have many health issues...the hubby can't drive any longer....so I pick up things at the grocery store or bring them when they want to get out. I take them for lunch occasionally and call to check up on them. Oh, and they're also on my muffin list. They also don't condemn my dandelions.

I'm not saying I would like someone on our street to have old vehicles piled up in their yard, or a house that's in disrepair, but it takes more than a manicured, chemical filled yard to make a good neighbor in my books.

Val

Val,

No one was advocating ignoring the muffin needs of neighbors. The point was that when one party's yard is significantly worse (in disrepair, the source of weed seeds, or noticeably unsightly) than the other yards in the neighborhood, that can become a problem. If you lived in a community, where very neat, orderly yards were the norm, baking muffins will not stop many of your neighbors from wishing you would properly maintain your yard. Having to choose between baking muffins and keeping your yard in reasonable condition (relative to the other yards in your neighborhood) is a false choice.

Jumping in as well...

Moved into a house last year that backs up to wild fields, etc. The entire neighborhood deals with dandelions among other types of weeds.

What doesn't help is the prior homeowners did nothing to properly care for the yard (not just the lawn). Simply by mowing much higher the backyard looks loads better.

The front yard isn't very "nice" and has many dandelion's along with other weeds. At this point it'd be a major reconstruction to redo and pull them up.

Ain't gonna happen - ever - as long as I live here (well maybe some of the other sort of funky weeds might have to go).

Our fertilizer schedule is much less aggressive with a toddler now out in the yard.

Does this make me a bad neighbor? You tell me and really - since my home is well maintained otherwise - my advice to you would be to learn to live with it.

Anyone ... and I mean anyone on this message board or any where else who judges the value of a neighbor based on whether or not their lawn is "manicured" according to his/her own definition is full of self-absorbed B.S. and needs their head examined.

Does that mean I want a slob near me? No - but weeds / dandelion in and of themselves don't make a slob.

To quote Brandon - "I just hope you are never my neighbor."

Truthfully, Dandelions are really pretty unoffensive as weeds go. They're really not that noticeable. Bull thistle, crabgrass, dog fennel, that's some bad weeds right there.

You know what would annoy me out of a neighbor? Planting Zoysia lol. Even though in sun it competes GREAT with the weeds, it looks dead the other half of the year and is difficult to control.

Personally I'm not THAT good of a neighbor. I forget everyone's birthday and stuff. I do help them push their mowers around when they get stuck and stuff like that though so irregularly I go through some trouble for them. At least to my face the neighbors seem happy enough with me. Maybe just because I'm bigger though, who knows.

Are we really talking Dandelions or is the point directed towards folks that don't keep their yards looking nice?

As in...its (the yard/home) in complete despair compared to the other homes in the vicinity.

If we are really talking "just" Dandelions I haven't seen a Dandelion free yard...ever (during its bloom time). I'm a weed removal freak and I can't keep up with those buggers.

I'll tell you one thing I really really really hate those dang prickly weeds!...like those ones found in the adandoned forclosed homes with round purple blooms.

"Simply by mowing much higher the backyard looks loads better."
Yes. I can't believe I'm jumping into an off-topic thread when I have better things to do...but...oh well. The way retards around here cut their grass burns me up... Almost every single owner seems to cut it on the lowest or 2nd lowest setting possible. The poor grass has no chance and the soil/air interface is opened to weed seed germination. Everyone wants their yard to seem like a putting green...except putting greens are cut higher! I on the other hand cut on my mowers highest setting. After spraying the first area I sprayed 3 years ago, no weeds have come back on a large scale because they couldn't germinate. I still spot treat troublemakers like the odd creeping charlie or dandelion that shows up, with a selective. When there are only a couple per 1000 square ft. spot treating is possible. The grass greens up first in the spring and is the last to go brown in the fall, or in droughts. It looks better at all times of the year no matter the conditions, because minor bare patches and irregularities are hidden.
You can pull off the scalped look if, like gulf courses, you have an aggressive herbicide regime. Trouble is only one guy in the 'hood, a retired government executive, does that. A company treats his lawn at least twice a year. He's so OC he sometimes cuts his lawn 3 times in 1 week to maintain the perfect inch-high look! At least he has something to entertain him in his retirement. The people who can't afford this still scalp their lawns and therefore have dandelions and crabgrass, primarily.

I foresee a new reality t.v. series - 'Weed Wars.'

This thread has been education in a rambunctious sort of way. I, like I think the article author if I remember correctly, sort of thought as long as you mowed fairly often, lawns 'just sort of happened' & grass either choked out the weeds, or at least the weeds left (e.g.: clover) were fairly short & green anyway so it didn't make much difference - a dandelion flowers are yellow and cute. I didn't realize there was such deliberate urban warfare on weeds.

Secondly, I'm now confused on the dandelion management issue. Earlier, a poster noted:

"A mower would help to mow off the dandelion flowers before they turn to seed - also does wonders to mulch up the leaves and keep them on your own property."

And I see that, yes, dandelion flowers are so low to the ground you'd have to move very low to get some of them - even then, not all.

Yet now I see it posted that mowing your lawn on the low setting improves conditions for weed germination.

Sometimes I sort of live 'in a box,' so I can't overgeneralize from my own experience, and I wonder how many regular homeowners know the ins & outs of all this stuff?

Richard.

davidrt28 - Agreed, a great many people think they need a putting green only they never learn they are really mowing their lawn into a slow death.

drrich2 - "And I see that, yes, dandelion flowers are so low to the ground you'd have to move very low to get some of them - even then, not all."

I just mowed yesterday and about 99.9% of the dandelion flowers that were there before I began were there when I was done.

I'm hoping in this house, I can regain control of the weed issue as I had in my last simply by mowing higher. For my type of grass I mow at 3.5" to 4"

Me: "A mower would help to mow off the dandelion flowers before they turn to seed - also does wonders to mulch up the leaves and keep them on your own property."

drrich: "And I see that, yes, dandelion flowers are so low to the ground you'd have to move very low to get some of them - even then, not all."

Not in the offending neighbour's yard that I'm talking about. They don't mow, so the grass is high (but not thick), so the dandelions have to grow higher. All they have to do is mow.

When I get dandelions, yes, they are pretty low, and the mower does go over them because I don't mow very low. But with those, on the second pass by the offending dandelion, I BEND OVER, and pull out said flower and throw it in front of the mower. Dandelion flower be gone. And it took a whole 2 seconds. Or, I sometimes even go outside and BEND OVER again, and use a tool that takes 3 seconds to dig up the whole dandelion. OMG, it's exercise and fresh air. lol

Way off topic for the tree forum but does anyone swear by any particular garden tool that removes weeds without tearing up your grass?

This is a tool similar to the one I use. It doesn't tear up the grass. I sometimes lean against a TREE when I use it. : D Or a TREE will shade me when I use it. ; )

{{gwi:338997}}

I have a turfhound. It removes broadleaf weeds without having to bend over.

I am not getting cancer for anybody. Chemicals that people put on their lawn can cause cancer down the road in people and I am not willing to take that chance. I live in a rural area and every one of my neighbors, including myself, mow their lawns once a week. We usually all do it on the same day funny enough. We all keep our homes and properties in beautiful shape but none of us uses chemicals on our lawn to keep dandelions from turning up. We just mow our lawns weekly.

Although if I chose to live in an area with a HOA or in a neighborhood where people all do use chemicals then I think I shouldn't be a neighbor who comes in a changes the rules mid game and lets dandelions grow. Out where I live there aren't such expectations.

Everyone who douses there lawns with chemicals I wish you well 30 years from now in your chemotherapy. God forbid you have small children running barefoot in your yard. I am proud to say my young children will not have a foundation set where they are soaking in all those chemicals during their formative years. Besides I never experimented with drugs and neither has my lawn.

As to the article, if he lives in a neighborhood where everyone uses chemicals and he bought his house knowing that, well, I think he is completely out of line. If we wants to be green he should move to a neighborhood where they gladly promote such ideals.

Who lets their child run around barefoot?
That puts them at risk of stepping on a hypodermic needle or broken glass for heaven sakes.

That's right, I never see children or anyone else going barefoot.

?!

We all certainly do live in our own different realities.

Unfortunately.

Like I said, public utilities in my region are telling people to knock it off with the lawn chemicals.

"Who lets their child run around barefoot?"

I spent a whole lot of time barefoot growing up. I has concerned about the possibility of stepping on glass, metal debris, thorns and sharp rocks.

I don't know that I EVER worried about stepping on a hypodermic needle.

Every time I think my view of modern culture has hit the bottom, I soon find reason to dig.

Richard.

The back third of my one acre property is unmanicured in my covenant controlled community. There have been two annual complaints about my cultivation practices as compared to the covenants/expectations, 1) I don't have enough pasture grass coverage to choke out the weeds. That complaint comes from the wife. 2) I don't mow the grass often enough and it gets too tall. That complaint comes from my close neighbors (good friends, muffin-wise). I live in a dry prairie environment. Here's why I bear the complaints: the only grass seed that really germinates and fills the weedy gaps is from grass that is already growing and allowed to go to seed. It falls into the empty spaces and spreads naturally. I am happy watching it do this, since grass seed heads can be quite attractive. But nobody else is happy about these practices. They want me to mow and keep reseeding the area with expensive grass seeds bought in a store. I like the natural, free method...which creates a real personal quandry since I am also on the HOA board trying to enforce cultivation policies. It seems that the posters in this thread are polarized, but we all know from gardening in the real world that nothing is black and white. So in my HOA role, I err on the side of tolerance. Unless a cultivation policy is causing others harm (in a way other than just their personal preference/bias), can't we all just live together?

part of living in a free society is having to tolerate the way other people enjoy that freedom.

At the core of the complaint is the HOA system its self. If there was no HOA, there would be no issue to begin with. As it is now, a yard with a dandelion amidst perfect green lawns sticks out like a sore thumb. In "real" cities and communities, built before the HOA craze, most lawns have some dandelions and weeds, therefore, it doesn't look that bad. If the HOA wasn't an*l about it, then it wouldn't be an issue. I will never understand people that willingly live in an essentially dictatorial and communist community. It is against the American spirit.

Krycek1984,

If you don't want to live where there is a HOA, then don't. Some people wish to do so, and that is their right. It seems "against the American spirit" for people to demand that such mutual agreements (has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with anything dictatorial or communist) should not exist! Like you, I don't think I would really like to live where a HOA has significant say-so as to what I could do with my property, but I certainly think individuals have the right to participate in such agreements if that's what they choose. It's un-American and rather dictatorial to deny those people that right!

It is their right to enter these contracts. But you know what bothers me? Is that people move into these developments and then complain about the HOA and how it limits them and causes aggravation.

It just amazes me that people would choose to live where someone else can tell them what they can do with their own property.

And yes, HOA's are against the American spirit. I see your point, that they serve a purpose, and not allowing them is in and of itself un-free. They exist and will continue to do so, and that's great for those people. I just don't see how they are "American". You are essentially choosing to live by someone else's rules and bound to follow those rules. That is, of course, un-American and the antithesis of freedom.

It's choosing another layer of taxation and governance in addition to that imposed by the city, county, state and federal government in exchange for some perceived benefit, like not having a hoarder next door or on the block. In our culture control over nature is held in high regard by many, by some to the extent that it apparently trumps property rights - resulting in people coming over fences, without permission to tidy up or cut back.

Or spray and kill honey bee hives with Raid, as was related to us on a recent Backyard Wildlife garden tour - her neighbor had stepped on a bumble bee and been stung in his yard, responded by coming onto her property and destroying her hive.

Krycek1984,

I see it completely opposite from you. To me, the people that choose to have a HOA are exercising their right not to be annoyed by drastic behavior from unruly neighbors or to have their property values significantly lowered by those that don't respect or care about others.

The America I live in has little to do with unbridled freedom. I hear people talk about that, but it usually makes me roll my eyes. America actually has much less individual freedom than many places in the world (which may not be an entirely negative thing). Without laws and rules, civilization breaks down and we have anarchy. Even eminent domain is a good thing in some cases (without it, we couldn't have many public roads).

I do understand that sometimes people find HOAs more binding or annoying than they expected. The flip side of that coin are the many many people that move in to non-HOA properties only to find they live beside neighbors from (a hot place). These forums are filled with those stories! As a responsible person, one should investigate HOAs before buying property covered by them or agreeing to be part of one. I'm sure there are cases where HOA get progressively harder to deal with, but I'm also sure that there are many people who find neighbors that way without a HOA. Most of the time, I'm glad not to have a HOA, but when the neighbor down the street parks a beat-up abandoned car with four flat tires out in front of their house and leaves it for months or another neighbor allows their pet to come dig up half my yard over and over, I start to see the value of community rules.

Bboy,

That honey bee hive story is another ballgame. If the bee hive owner can't effectively pursue legal remedy, they should consider a bigger fence, a pit bull, or a shotgun. Letting that neighbor know she has the potential to be shot, seems like it might be an effective deterrent to future trespass.

Funny ... My neighbors don't seem to mind my dandelions! They've long ago stopped wondering why I'm gathering seeds and planting them in my flowerbeds. Found this beauty probably 10 years ago. Produces about 60% variegated plants from seed.

{{gwi:339000}}

Krycek1984, you didn't do anything wrong by bringing up the thread. The "infusion of critical commentary and politics" might have been a little strong (LOL), but if you feel passionate about something sometimes things just come out that way. Besides, you weren't around to participate in all the fun initially. It's just that there were some strong feelings expressed earlier and, bringing the thread back up, reenergizes those debates. I think musicalperson was really just thinking, "oh boy, here we go again". No one really thinks you are trying to cause trouble!

Being in an area where you had to buy a HOA property would be a pain. Even if you could find a place where the limitations met your needs, it would require a whole extra level of complexity for those not wanting the HOA protections. It does seem overly burdensome to be stuck having to buy a HOA property.
_____________________________

Mutantplantlover, I hope you got a patent on that sick looking plant. You never know when the demand will skyrocket and you'll be overrun with customers and potential competitors.

Not sure USPTO would issue a patent for a foliage variant of pest species.

Bboy, you thought I was serious???

Just to stir the pot lol.

"Not sure USPTO would issue a patent for a foliage variant of pest species."

If I came out with a purple leafed royal empress tree they'd give me a patent!

Or mimosa even and they're weeds around here anyway.

This is all about beauty in the eye of the beholder.

I suppose folks have the right to live in a cemetery like HOA dominated community where they have to ask for permission to get a newspaper delivered.

I know folks have the right to be generally free.

The trick is finding the comfortable middle ground.

If I had a state I'd say HOA communities couldn't have more than 100 homes and couldn't be more than XX% (10%,40%, 50?) of the homes in a census block / zip code. My concern is "what if every community in a city goes HOA crazy" then folks like me have to move to have our rights protected from the majority.

Unlike the dandelion, empress tree and silk tree are not cosmopolitan weeds.

If you're going to stir the pot with my joke, you need to remit a royalty payment. (-;

Saw a yard once that was filled with dandelions. Actually looked very pretty! I was so surprised.

Iforgotit, I and my neighbors let our kids run around barefoot. If you have to worry about going barefoot due to broken glass and needles, I would definitely move. Your HOA isn't doing much of a job and you are wasting your money on dues. :)

Well said, cyn427! I live 2 miles from downtown Cleveland and even we don't have glass and needles! A prostitute or two occasionally sure, but no needles and glass!

The prostitutes are coming two miles to be in your vicinity? Hm...

LOL no, there is some soliciting activity on the main road a block from us (Lorain Avenue), it comes directly from downtown. We heard it used to be a lot worse before the area gentrified and the city cracked down. Every once in a while they do a sting and corral them up.

Sooooo....is cracking down on prostitutes helping or hurting the property values? I thought the prostitutes were talking up the city?

"All the little chicks
with the crimson lips
Say Cleveland Rocks!
Cleveland Rocks!"

tj

LOL, that's too funny.

Without reading all the dramatic controversy here - I skimmed and saw posts about hypodermic needles, prostitutes...how we get from dandelions to that I don't care to know. But, I'll comment on the dandelions....or in my case, Creeping Charlie and neglected lawns.

While I'm not an advocate of applying chemicals to my lawns, I do agree that the simple act of weeding is appropriate. We have a house in our neighborhood with weeds the size of hostas - and yes, there is an ordinance against letting weeds take over your lawns, and for good reason.

When we purchased our home, there were weeds galore. We took an entire weekend weeding them out by hand. A lot of work, but the previous owners seriously neglected the property, unfortunately. But we currently use organic weed control and fertilizer - Cockadoodle Doo is one product and the other is Chickity Doo Doo, I'm happy with the results, but I'm also diligent about hand weeding when the products I use fail to do the job.

The neighbor behind me, not the same one I mentioned earlier, has a lawn ENTIRELY covered in creeping charlie. And now it's beginning to creep into my yard. That's seems like pure laziness / or complacency / or ignorance / or ???? to let it get that out of control. Meanwhile, they spend their time adding a retaining wall / planting bed to the front of their home this year. Apparently, curb appeal is more important than invasive weeds spreading to your neighbors lawns. Ugh.

If you can't maintain it, you shouldn't own it.

Humans are so interesting. I never understand what, or why, most people do things. Maybe it's because I'm introverted and have trouble understanding other people's motives, but I gave up a while ago. If someone doesn't want to care for a lawn, there are acceptable alternatives. A ground cover would be a good idea, maybe vinca, etc. Not creeping charlie, though! Talk about a weed!

My neighbor, who keeps a very neat yard, is surrounded by people like me who have a more laissez-faire attitude. One of our common neighbors seems to mow their backyard only a couple of times a year. Fortunately, the neat neighbor doesn't expect the rest of us to buffer his property from nature.

Haven't seem them past several days but before then the neighborhood quail family was spending a lot of time on our place. You see, with have weeds with seeds on them and shrub thickets that provide cover.

Another place I've seen them is a neighbor's front border, again because there are some weeds in it.

Unfortunately, same neighbor's unconfined cat has been stalking them. It seems a determined cat could fairly esily wipe out a whole family, in fairly short order. One time we had two males fighting over a female, right out our picture window - until another unconfined cat jumping out and grabbed her.

Somebody else's improperly managed pet coming onto our place and spoiling something we were enjoying. I'm not too wild about encountering cat poo in beds either, although this is usually when I am working on other properties.

Reaching over my fence and deforming my shrubs, letting your cats run wild (and onto our place) - things like these are what I consider affronts. Not keeping your place with Scorched Earth Policy barren sterile tidiness I don't see as such a big deal.

Community rules mandating a S.E.P. approach I do find offensive, as well, due to the harshness, visual boredom and disconnect from ecological concerns liable to be involved.

"should consider a bigger fence, a pit bull, or a shotgun."

Many hoa wont let you have a fence more than 4 feet high, and it has to be a rail fence. Also most hoa, ban many breeds of dogs now.... shepherds, chows, rotties, pits, dobies...i am sure there are more now on that list. Sales people dont seem to notify people of this.
Some friends lived in a sub-div...for 4 years, new rule, no work trucks in the driveways... had to get a magnet to cover his company name... tons of other rules there. I will never live somewhere like that.