Well, I think it actualy makes sense to allow some weeds to grow, as they are both green and grass like. For us, the thing we can't control is clover. It drives me nuts as the flowers attract the bees from the beekeeper a block away, but the proffesional landscaper from Merrifield told us that some people plant clover on purpose instead of grass (so if that makes you feel better).

Have you tried corn gluten? When my husband did it annually it helped with the weeds - all but the clover - which is why we have so much. But maybe it would help with your white weeds next year. I think what gets us is that you have to apply really early spring, and we always forget until it it too late.

As far as does the neighbor have a right to complain - is it a weed that spreads very easily? Our neighbor lets these big huge weeds (as in 3 feet tall) grow, and they spread like wildfire. I just had to tear out several bushes because her weeds took them over. But, I figure that goes with urban living (small yards). But its hard for me to picture a weed that grows in the grass to be a big spreader (unless it has some shoots underground like a vine thing).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you mow your lawn fairly short and keep it mowed, the grass will force out the weeds. Takes about a season. Then spread corn gluten to stop the emergent weeds if you want.

I planted Dutch white clover. It improves the soil and feeds the bees. It is also lush and green and fairly short....your children will learn to watch for bees if they want to be barefoot. We did....

You do realize bees wont honor you man made property line. If you were purposely creating a situation to attract bees and a child or adult who was allergic was stung, you could have a lawsuit, even from beyond the property line.

How could that be true? Can I sue the park if I get bit by a bee? We go to Brookside gardens often and they have plants that attract bees/butterflies. I don't really see them being sued if someone got stung.

If you are PURPOSELY growing what is argued as a over the top unreasonable amount of clover flowers to attract bees, than it would be a problem.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you mow your lawn fairly short and keep it mowed, the grass will force out the weeds. Takes about a season. Then spread corn gluten to stop the emergent weeds if you want.

I planted Dutch white clover. It improves the soil and feeds the bees. It is also lush and green and fairly short....your children will learn to watch for bees if they want to be barefoot. We did....

You do realize bees wont honor you man made property line. If you were purposely creating a situation to attract bees and a child or adult who was allergic was stung, you could have a lawsuit, even from beyond the property line.

How could that be true? Can I sue the park if I get bit by a bee? We go to Brookside gardens often and they have plants that attract bees/butterflies. I don't really see them being sued if someone got stung.

Anonymous wrote:
Some of my neighbors have started front yard vegetable gardens, and they are awesome!

OP here - we have these in our neighborhood also! I mention it to reiterate that we're not in a 'wealthy, McMansion type neighborhood'. We do have people with fairly large vegetable gardens, people with weeds, people with yard signs, random yard flags/statues. I'm fine with all of it, even my neighbor's pesticide/herbicide treated lawn. That's why we live here - all the houses don't look the same! (nothing wrong with it if that's your thing; it's just not ours)

Thanks for the input from all the PPs - even the weed-hating ones who think I'm a horrible neighbor.

*I not if

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you mow your lawn fairly short and keep it mowed, the grass will force out the weeds. Takes about a season. Then spread corn gluten to stop the emergent weeds if you want.

I planted Dutch white clover. It improves the soil and feeds the bees. It is also lush and green and fairly short....your children will learn to watch for bees if they want to be barefoot. We did....

You do realize bees wont honor you man made property line. If you were purposely creating a situation to attract bees and a child or adult who was allergic was stung, you could have a lawsuit, even from beyond the property line.

I weep for the future of our country if our citizens think this is how the legal system works. This has to be the stupidest statement if have ever read on DCUM.

Anonymous wrote:Just ducked in to say thank heavens we live in a community with an active HOA. No yucky cars parked on the street. No weedy, unkept lawns. No bizarre house colors. Yes, it can seem kind of cookie cutter sometimes. But that's what we wanted. If your neighbor was so concerned about the neighborhood lawns, he should have bought in a community with a strict HOA. We can't allow our grass to grow over four (I think) inches. We can't have weeds. We can't plant any trees or shrubs without approval. We can't build kids play sets without approval from the architectural committee. We can't paint our house without getting approval on the color. Our trash cans have to be completely out of site. And they must be removed from the curb within 12 hours. We have tons of rules and regulations. And I love it! We did get a note last year requesting that we power wash our driveway. But that's the only time we've ever been contacted.

I understand that others would hate that lifestyle. But we were willing to pay more to live in a neighborhood where people actually cared about the appearance of their homes and lawns.

Wow, that sounds horrible. Very glad I don't live somewhere with an HOA. Sounds like insanity. You can't even plant a tree without their approval? Can't have a single weed? What do they do? Do you get fined?

You do realize bees wont honor you man made property line. If you were purposely creating a situation to attract bees and a child or adult who was allergic was stung, you could have a lawsuit, even from beyond the property line.

Good luck with that lawsuit..lol

+1.

I'm deathly allergic to bees, yet I find the idea of suing someone for having a bee friendly yard hilarious.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you mow your lawn fairly short and keep it mowed, the grass will force out the weeds. Takes about a season. Then spread corn gluten to stop the emergent weeds if you want.

I planted Dutch white clover. It improves the soil and feeds the bees. It is also lush and green and fairly short....your children will learn to watch for bees if they want to be barefoot. We did....

You do realize bees wont honor you man made property line. If you were purposely creating a situation to attract bees and a child or adult who was allergic was stung, you could have a lawsuit, even from beyond the property line.

Oh bullshit. You have no fing idea what you are talking about. Clearly you are NOT a lawyer.

MAYBE if she had a bee hive on her property she might have to worry about this. But getting sued for having clover in your yard? Seriously?

Lady go sue a dry cleaner for your million dollar pants while you are at it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you mow your lawn fairly short and keep it mowed, the grass will force out the weeds. Takes about a season. Then spread corn gluten to stop the emergent weeds if you want.

I planted Dutch white clover. It improves the soil and feeds the bees. It is also lush and green and fairly short....your children will learn to watch for bees if they want to be barefoot. We did....

Everything I've read has said that mowing your lawn short encourages weeds because their seeds need the warmth of the sun to germinate, which they get when the grass is short.

DH read this somewhere, too. If you mow too short, this weakens the grass and gives the bad stuff a chance to take over. Which is why our lawn never seems short enough to me, even right after he's mowed it.

OP, their issues, their problems. Not yours. That neighbor is asking for it.

Only on DCUM would weeds turn into class warfare.

Anonymous wrote:If you mow your lawn fairly short and keep it mowed, the grass will force out the weeds. Takes about a season. Then spread corn gluten to stop the emergent weeds if you want.

I planted Dutch white clover. It improves the soil and feeds the bees. It is also lush and green and fairly short....your children will learn to watch for bees if they want to be barefoot. We did....

Everything I've read has said that mowing your lawn short encourages weeds because their seeds need the warmth of the sun to germinate, which they get when the grass is short.

Anonymous wrote:rip out your lawn, put in rocks. and gnomes. lots and lots of gnomes. perhaps also whimsical angel children.

take that neighbor!

Don't forget political signs. My favorite in my neighborhood is "Peace, Love, and Marriage for All Our Neighbors," but there are lots of anti-death penalty signs as well. (Tons of anti-war signs when we first moved in around 2004.) Soon there will be a lot of Obama signs. (Including in my yard.) Four years ago, one neighbor put up a McCain/Palin sign, and I wanted to go give them a thumbs up for having the courage to declare their convictions in an obviously unsympathetic environment. I love good citizenship.

A lot of Virgin Mary statues in my neighborhood as well. A nice complement to the gnomes.

Some of my neighbors have started front yard vegetable gardens, and they are awesome!

Lawn are the most labor intensive landscape feature one can put on their property. If you like it, keep the way it is. Weeds come from all over not just your yard.