Also, before anyone asks, my flower beds are packed and these tombstones are custom made and huge, I can't put them in the flower beds there's not enough room.
How to keep decorations from killing new grass
Hey guys, I have 5 large tombstones that I put in the front yard every year. Prior to now, I wasn't very worried as the grass was mostly weeds. This year I did major landscaping and got new flower beds and sod. I don't want to kill the grass.
I usually leave my decor up all month in October (4 weeks). I'm thinking of creating 2-3 inch PVC pipe stoppers. Where I can cut some PVC pipe down to 2-3 inches, spray black and slide those over the rebar before putting my tombstones down so they don't squash the grass and let the grass grow long enough to camoflauge it.
I'm getting zoysia which is very shade tolerant. Would I still need to remove the tombstones to give the grass some sun time? I got to be honest, I'm not really interested in taking them down every day, but could maybe do it 2-3 times a week to give the grass a break.
It's also fall and the grass will start to be going dormant. In the past, I had no PVC stoppers, and yes, I would have brown spots when I took them up, but then the whole yard would go dormant and you couldn't tell. Then by next spring everything would green up fine.
How concerned should I be?
I usually leave my decor up all month in October (4 weeks). I'm thinking of creating 2-3 inch PVC pipe stoppers. Where I can cut some PVC pipe down to 2-3 inches, spray black and slide those over the rebar before putting my tombstones down so they don't squash the grass and let the grass grow long enough to camoflauge it.
I'm getting zoysia which is very shade tolerant. Would I still need to remove the tombstones to give the grass some sun time? I got to be honest, I'm not really interested in taking them down every day, but could maybe do it 2-3 times a week to give the grass a break.
It's also fall and the grass will start to be going dormant. In the past, I had no PVC stoppers, and yes, I would have brown spots when I took them up, but then the whole yard would go dormant and you couldn't tell. Then by next spring everything would green up fine.
How concerned should I be?
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Grass bounces back after a few months. I leave my cornhole game up all summer and by the end it is very yellow but is fine by the spring. If you are overly concerned then move them around every week to give them some light and air circulation.
We have Tiftuf grass and have very heavy large tombstones. We made them 3 years ago and our grass always bounces back in a few weeks. I hope that eases your mind a little.
I love my zoysia!
In jersey, last lawn to turn green in spring, no problem, stays green longest without watering during drought.
I start with my tombstones in september and in october, i make a fresh grave with a weed blocking cloth, push in staples and a bag of top soil. When removed november 1 grass is a little yellow, but bounces back every year.
I also cut the grass Labor Day weekend and buy Halloween the grave yard looks just right as it doesn't get cut again until november 1.
Jerseyscare
In jersey, last lawn to turn green in spring, no problem, stays green longest without watering during drought.
I start with my tombstones in september and in october, i make a fresh grave with a weed blocking cloth, push in staples and a bag of top soil. When removed november 1 grass is a little yellow, but bounces back every year.
I also cut the grass Labor Day weekend and buy Halloween the grave yard looks just right as it doesn't get cut again until november 1.
Jerseyscare
I just move my tombstones like 2 feet forward or backward every 4-5 days. I'm not sure how big of a footprint yours are but mine are made from 2 inch foam so they are fairly narrow. I use the same rebar method you describe so it's not a big deal to pull the rebar, and bang it in somewhere else. You just need to give that stressed grass some sunlight again.
I have some with a larger footprint (upside down styro cooler as a base) that I put in a natural area.
I have some with a larger footprint (upside down styro cooler as a base) that I put in a natural area.
My tombstones the PVC pipe sticks out the bottom of them one and a half inches so that they do not sit flat on the grass and are up for the hold month. When I take them down to put away the grass may have a light yellow under some but is back green in two days. Keeping them elevated some will hep from killing the grass.
Last year I was in exactly this position. I had grass hydroseeded in the spring and didn't want to kill it with my display. I wound up placing my tombstones right at the edge of the mulched flower beds. I had some standing skeletons and some kneeling ones in the grass and I moved them just a smidge after 2 weeks. The hard part for setting up is the overall 'who goes where' so although initial set up took longer (the yard changed a lot) it was pretty quick to move things 6-12" to the side.Also, before anyone asks, my flower beds are packed and these tombstones are custom made and huge, I can't put them in the flower beds there's not enough room.
We also set up the first weekend in October and take down first Sat in November. I think 4 weeks on baby grass is asking a lot of it. This year I am not so worried but last year ...
Good luck!
I've had this issue especially with putting inflatables down. Before we moved it was never an issue as the grass would turn yellow then back to green in a few months. Now at our new house it completely killed the grass off. We did get record snowfall in December so that could of contributed to the problem. I've never had the issue with any other décor, Just mainly inflatables.
Dude…you’re complaining about protecting your grass on a forum for Halloween props. You need to set some priorities! Get those props out there and your grass will be fine by springtime.
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