My backyard needs help! I've lived here for 2 years and haven't been able to do anything! my cement is cracked, the parts of my privacy fence that is still there is falling apart, a part of my chain link fence is missing, and all kinds of other things are wrong with this yard! I am working with pretty much nothing. I'm looking for tips or possibly a contest I could enter! Please help! (I need to keep my fence because I have dogs. I want a place to hang with friends and also enjoy being outside.)This message has been edited. Last edited by: slynn1023,
If you are looking for tips we have to know a bit about what you want. How important is having a fence? Do you want grass or no grass? A place to sit outside or isn't that important? That sort of thing.
Posts: 5970 | Location: North MN & Northern AR | Registered: Oct 01, 2002
Are you going to do the work yourself? If you have dogs, the first priority would be the fence. Your privacy fence looks like it is just missing a few boards...Can't see your wire fencing that well. Put indoor/outdoor carpeting over your cement, get some patio furniture and enjoy. If you have animals, keeping the grass nice may be hard but ask your garden store, hardware store or an agronomist what you need to do to get a grassy lawn....maybe just scratching the surface, seed and water. Course, dogs running on the newly seeded area won't work. Pick up all the rocks, boards, debris and you will see a big differenc.This message has been edited. Last edited by: May,
I'm looking for tips or possibly a contest I could enter!
Your wanting a contest to enter was what made me think you wanted the tv folks to "redo" your back yard. You could keep an eye on Craigs list for your area to see if anyone is giving away fence materials...also free cycle. There are concrete caulks you can buy at places like Lowes...to fill the cracks. It will still show so if you don't want to see it either paint it with concrete paint or cover it with something.
Get some books to look at to see what you want to do with the area. Lots of ideas in outdoor living books.
"The soil is the source of life, creativity, culture and real independence." David Ben-Gurion
I understand that everything is very expensive, but I doubt very much you are going to find any help with expenses for your backyard on here. Hey, we all could use some financial help, doncha think? On Craigslist, there is a BARTER section. I would go on there (but be CAREFUL!!!) and see if you can trade a skill with someone, for landscaping help. I don't know, but there is a Reality TV SHOW now, Bartering. I swear. That's where I got the idea!!! Maybe you could offer free babysitting in exchange for landscaping help. It's worth a try. I don't know anywhere else where you would find free help.
Posts: 57 | Location: The Garden State ~ New Jersey ! | Registered: Jun 14, 2012
You can buy concrete patch compound to fill the crack in your cement. There are sites on the web that will help explain how. Here is one from Lowe's website.- http://www.lowes.com/cd_Make+S...e+Repairs_627329335_
There are other sites as well that probably have better pictures or web boards where you can ask questions.
You can brace the old wood support boards with the metal poles used to attach chain link fences. Buy some Quikrete Fast-Setting Concrete Mix. Dig a hole a hole and place the fence post in it. Place the quikrete fast-settin concrete in the hole after you place the metal post in it. Let it dry and then use bolts to attach the wood posts to the metal fence post. I know it sounds tacky but it will hold up the fence until you can replace it. http://quikrete.com/ProductLines /FastSettingConcreteMix.asp
I don't know what the white metal pieces that are in the bottom middle picture. I think I see pavers in the same picture. You can take those and place them as stepping stones. Place them a distance apart that matches your natural stepping distance.
As far as the privacy fence goes can you buy some replacement boards and nail them to the support boards after you secure it?
We tackled one thing at a time & had a new project almost every summer or fall. I would start with a nice lawn & make a plan. What plantings appeal to you? Look for sales of those shrubs/trees. Construction sites sometimes want the rocks removed if you take them away. Have a party & enlist the help of friends for projects. Start a compost bin before anything else & you can use the compost for planting/ new garden spaces & as a homemade mulch. There are cost cutting ideas & if you enjoy the outdoor time~~ You'll be having a blast doing it just like most of us here!
