Burning your yard/weeds

[HoLeChit]

I could use some pointers. I’m getting close to having the interior renovation finished on our house, the old house is sold. Which means that My next project is to get our yard in good shape by the start of growing season.

this last fall when we got the house back from the renters the yard was completely overgrown, with trumpet vines and 50 years of gardening projects covering the fence, walls, and sidewalk. I’ve removed the bulk of it, to include 6 trees. I have 3 more trees to remove, and would like my end result to be a solid base of grass. Low maintenance is the key. In my mind that means I really need to kill everything before reseeding and planting what we want in the yard.

may idea is to burn everything, especially the borders and pictured areas of the yard, to prevent the garbage from coming back. Good idea? Brush clearing spray didn’t do anything. My thought is how do I prevent burning down my/my neighbors fence or catching the neighborhood on fire in the process? Do I just use a propane weed burner and a bucket of water, and burn a square foot at a time? Then perhaps till the ground and burn again before fertilizing and seeding? Do I stand to benefit from burning my front yard?

 

[Oklahomabassin]

First off, do you live in a town/city?

Do they have ordinances about burning?

Don't light anything with just a bucket of water available. You need at least a garden hose that reaches as far as you plan on burning and a little further.

If you have a 2nd hose with someone to man it, that is better.

You need a burn plan before starting as well. A little wind will help with direction the fire will burn. A fire burning with the wind will move faster and can be tougher to control.

A fire burning backwards/against the wind will burn slower and more complete. It will be easier to control.

On a small yard, you can pre wet a good edge where you want to start the burn and then light along that edge and let it back burn across the yard. A weed blower can be used to help steer or speed up a burn.

A good lawn sprayer applicator (person) will be night and day difference over a bad applicator.

 

[Okie4570]

Roots are under the ground, unaffected by the fire, it won't help your situation. You most likely wouldn't get a hot enough fire to destroy any seeds that might be laying dormant either. Not worth the risk of burning down a fence or home imo.

 

[HoLeChit]

First off, do you live in a town/city?

Do they have ordinances about burning?

Don't light anything with just a bucket of water available. You need at least a garden hose that reaches as far as you plan on burning and a little further.

If you have a 2nd hose with someone to man it, that is better.

You need a burn plan before starting as well. A little wind will help with direction the fire will burn. A fire burning with the wind will move faster and can be tougher to control.

A fire burning backwards/against the wind will burn slower and more complete. It will be easier to control.

On a small yard, you can pre wet a good edge where you want to start the burn and then light along that edge and let it back burn across the yard. A weed blower can be used to help steer or speed up a burn.

A good lawn sprayer applicator (person) will be night and day difference over a bad applicator.

I live in Edmond, and just left a voicemail with the fire department to get more info. The website doesn’t specify anything on burning your yard.

I live on a standard city lot, definitely have enough hose to cover the yard. Thanks for the pointers!

 

[HoLeChit]

Roots are under the ground, unaffected by the fire, it won't help your situation. You most likely wouldn't get a hot enough fire to destroy any seeds that might be laying dormant either. Not worth the risk of burning down a fence or home imo.

That’s a great point. Any suggestions on how I can take care of my problem? Pet safe is a requirement. If you look at the second picture that strip is covered in some sort of nasty ground cover vines and trumpet vines. Ideas on getting rid of it all so I can just plant grass around the crepe myrtles?

 

[Okie4570]

Any vegetation that you want to kill with chemical, will require the leaves to absorb the chemical. You can put down pre emergent for crabgrass, etc. The best way to control weeds is feed and water your bermuda so that it's so healthy that "weeds" can't compete.

 

[NationalMatch]

You'll have to get a city issued burn permit and follow the law. Given the parameters, dunno if you can do it.
https://www.edmondok.gov/DocumentCenter/View/2530/Burn-Permit-Safety-Guidelines?bidId=

 

[cowadle]

just get some tordon. chop off all the limbs and branches dig a small trench around the tree schrubs and pour your solution around the tree and cover up. spike the center of the stump also.

 

[AKmoose]

If you want just bermuda wait until it gets above 80 degrees and get some MSMA from Atwoods. It'll kill everything but the bermuda.

 

[rickm]

There is no quick cheap solution to what you have it will either take time and a lot of hard work to reach what you want or alot of cash and some professionals to get it done quickly.