Most updated picture: 3/25/24

Project started August 2023 and completed December 8, 2023:

August 2023: My entire patch of St. Augustine grass died within a month. The neighbors’ friendly lawn guy told me the grass got diseased. I think it got the Take-All Root Rot symptoms. There’s nothing left but nutsedge weed. https://sodsolutions.com/lawn-issues/identifying-common-lawn-diseases/#Take-all-Root-Rot

Two neighbors in my neighborhood have no grass in their landscape which I am very inspired by. I dug out the nutsedge and dead grass along with the top 12 inches of compact construction dirt and debris full of broken glasses, broken tiles and bricks, and soda pop cans. With all these junk beneath the ground surface, no wonder nothing grows well.

I replaced the compacted dirt with rich organic matter that has broken down over six months to a year mixed with fine pine mulch and added worm castings as well.

I dump the construction dirt and debris at
Recycled Concrete & Materials, Inc. in Oviedo, Florida. It’s a place where we can dump dirt and construction material for free. Luckily it’s only two miles from my house. I made about 15 round trips to dump dirt for this area of 8×8-foot and at least 12-inch deep.

I first plant flowers for the kids but I relocated elsewhere and now have planted marigolds, young rosemary plants, tong ho (Crown Daisy), AA Choy Swordleaf Lettuce, and celtuces. This area will be reserved for Roselle, Hibiscus Radiatus, and Bo Ju Hua Chrysanthemums in the spring.