I feel for you Merv. Can't help with the weeds but your property sounds quite similar to mine although much larger. The rains sure haven't helped. I gave up, waiting for March to arrive now. You'll find a soil test is pretty important. I've only done the DIY kit sold at Lowes but it gives me a general idea where I'm at. Aerating should be considered. This stuff we have in North Ga is tough for roots to gain any traction to deeper depths. After I areated 2400 sf last month I seeded and used some good quality topsoil which I hope finds it's way into the holes. From my understanding good topsoil promotes micro organism populations that eventually will loosen that hard clay. I plan to repeat the procedure next spring. I guess that's not the answer you wanted considering the cost involved. In any event, best wishes. Ellijay resident

Oops...woodland setting :) Shenandoah is not a great choice if this is full shaded woods. You may have some issue in the summer with Hakonechloa in Charlotte. If you go with that, be sure to give it extra water and deep shade, especially when the summer humidity hits, it may melt on you a bit. Better grass for the northeast and pacific northwest. It does get nice burgundy coloring in the fall, but needs cool temps for the color to emerge. It's more green during warm summer months. On the Panicum Shenandoah, it genuinely looks like Imperata Red Baron for nearly the entire summer...until it pushes seedheads. Upright and burgundy, under 20" in foliage height. Ok in part shade, but will not like full shade as much. I can't think of any other burgundy grass for a southeast woodland setting. It's a shame that Red Baron has been thrown in with the species as an invasive, when it really is not, but que sera sera.

I mentioned allergies (I know you hadn't) because that is by and far the NUMBER ONE complaint of people who either have lived here for a number of years or who have just moved here. If they did a survey of antihistimine and steroid usage for the treatment of allergies in the USA, I am certain FL would rank #1 easily. And it seems to go on forever, every year, as things bloom, blossom and blow around in waves. When one thing finishes (pine pollen) another starts (oak pollen) and then the rains start (mold, etc) and other trees start throwing pollen out. Its not jincapacitating AFFLICTION for many folks here. My daughter and I are both affected, my husband is not. Let me see if I can put this in some sort of "realtime" perspective for you. Some of you may be able to relate to this, some probably won't. I am a distance runner for laffs grins and exercise. I have been for years, I started when we lived in California in the 1980's. My husband is a marathoner, he's originally from Dallas which is way hotter than Florida in summer. California had almost perfect outdoor exercise weather, warm not hot, dry dry dry. Until now my top distance has been the half marathon (13.1 miles). I am training for my first marathon, at the age of 48, which will be the Outer Banks in NC in early November. I am running 35-45 miles a week, outdoors (no treadmill training). On August 3rd I went out for a 16 mile training run. It was in the mid-70's when I started my run at 7:30 AM. My pre-run weight was 127 pounds. I was foolish and only took 8 oz of water with me to start because I was in a rush to beat the heat. I also forgot my Powergel. I had to stop at the grocery store at mile 13 and refill my water bottle. This was at about 9:15 AM At mile 13 1/2 I developed the early signs of heat prostration (visual disturbances, paresthesias (needles and pins, crawly sensation) in my arms and legs, buzzing fingers and hands, nausea, shortness of breath, sweat cessation followed by uncontrollable sweating). I didn't have my phone (stupid me). I was 2 1/2 miles from home and I started to walk. At about 3/4-1/2 mile from my house I couldn't walk anymore. I knew I was going to pass out. So I sat down by the side of the road and hoped someone would happen by to aid me. I was in luck and a member of the Florida Cycle Club who had been out on a 50 mile ride came by and saw I was in distress. He had an extra Sport Gel and a phone. He tried to call my husband but we couldn't get him so he called his wife. She came in an SUV with 24 oz of water and took me home. After cooling down in a cool tub and rehydration with over 64 oz of fluids, a banana, and a bagel, my weight was still only 122 lbs. Still a full FIVE POUNDS down from my pre-run weight. Which means I was probably somewhere around 115-116 lbs at the height of my distress from sweat loss, and had not had a molecule of salt left in my body. I felt terrible all that day and half the next. You may say, "Wow what a story!" but my point is...you don't have to be out running 16 miles in FL to have the same thing happen to you at any time in summer. People who work outdoors are ALWAYS in danger of heat prostration or heat stroke here...the phone guys, cable installers, roofers and other construction workers, lawn crews....the freaking Florida Gator football team at practise...those people have to work out in the heat and its dangerous. THAT'S how serious the heat issue can be here. We do have heat pumps, since our house is a little over 4000 sq ft we have 2, one for each end of the house. My electric bill for cooling is only under $200 a month in early Spring...February and March. From April through November-December it can be anywhere from $250-550 a month. Like I said, this is not the climate for someone who is looking to relocate for ANY kind of health issue unless you are planning to sit inside most of the time. I wish you luck though...if I had been lucky enough to actually get to Costa Rica, I would have NEVER in a million years come back to the US.

A two part question…. I have the variety “Hakonechloa macra Aureola”, but in part sun (morning to 3 pm). I like the color very much where it is; a pale whitish gold, with the slight green striping . It’s starting to move into another perennial and pop up in the midst of it, so I thought I’d tease some pieces out and try it elsewhere. How does it do in full shade? Does it go all solid green to try and maximize chlorophyll and lose its variegation? I thought I’d try it in the foreground of a bed under a pine, but that area receives no direct sun at all, and is pretty dense shade. I grow ferns and hostas there. Second question: I have never had a location where the cascading quality could be used to good effect. My property is also totally flat. How do you other flatlanders use it? Thanks for your suggestions.