Saturday, July 25, 2009

Aggressive Grass

That is what we are going to be growing in the garden from now on. When I arrived back home after my trip to New York, I found the garden had been basically neglected but because I had put in rows the weeds that had taken over couldn't be mown either. It was a hot mess. Well, I have since re-tilled a few times and the area is now basically plant free. I tilled this morning and raked the area somewhat smooth and then rolled the whole are using a lawn roller that I rented from the Home Depot. It was really smooth and really compacted so after raking and rolling I raked again to scarify the area before spreading some Bermuda grass seed. The packaging describes this grass as an "aggressive grass" that is extremely heat resistant. I am sort of afraid. And for good reason. While tilling this morning, I reached down to pull a tall weed out of the ground next to the fence where the tiller wouldn't go. This weed is some sort of broad leafed grass that grows to be at least three feet tall and in some areas it is as tall as six feet. I think that I have seen grass like this all over the country - it is quite common. Well, this piece wasn't that tall, but it was well rooted. I grabbed and pulled and it didn't uproot at all. Instead part of the stem broke and the other part peeled sharply off the broken piece causing a deep cut across pinky and ring fingers on my right hand. I am sort of worried about the pinky finger. It was cut really deep but the cut was so sharp that it barely bled at all. I went in and wrapped it tightly in a band aid to keep it closed but my hand was shaking as if I was very cold when I went back out to work. Hours later, I changed band aids and it still gushed with blood when I took the old one off. I have been more careful about how I have changed band aids since then.
If the new grass is more aggressive than all that, I am really afraid.

4 comments:

  1. Great story! Aggressive grass definitely sounds scary after that. Thanks for making me laugh.

    By the way, I don't want my appreciation of the story to overwhelm any compassion - so, let me also say, I'm sorry you cut your fingers and I hope they stopped bleeding.

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  2. I mentioned that I am afraid to walk in the yard... will the grass be like the grass in "Monster House" or like Devil's Snare from "Harry Potter"? Perhaps it will be like the stuff Prince Philip must hack through in "Sleeping Beauty"?

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  3. I have grass in the yard that grows like chain letters. I pull up one piece and roots 3 feet away in several directions start to tug back. Scary stuff!

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