You can get free mulch at the San Angeo Recycle center when they have it. We picked up 3 trash cans full today. Good stuff which is already starting to compost.

We are doing away with our lawn to cut down on the amount of mowing my DH has to do. We will put down cardboard then top with compost from our pile that has not finished yet, add used coffee grounds (Starbucks is great in SA), alfatha meal, cornmeal and top all this with mulch. By spring I can plant in it.

Need to ck out Scherz Nursery's fall sale; I came home with some goodies today, including a Burr Oak.

Peggy

Solarization will kill off the top growth, but it will also kill off the soil bacteria you need to convert organic matter into nutrients that feed the plants you want to grow. A far better method of cleaning up starts with a good, reliable soil test along with taking a good, in depth look at what you have with these simple tests;
1) Structure. From that soil sample put enough of the rest to make a 4 inch level in a clear 1 quart jar, with a tight fitting lid. Fill that jar with water and replace the lid, tightly. Shake the jar vigorously and then let it stand for 24 hours. Your soil will settle out according to soil particle size and weight. A good loam will have about 1-3/4 inch (about 45%) of sand on the bottom. about 1 inch (about 25%) of silt next, about 1 inch (25%) of clay above that, and about 1/4 inch (about 5%) of organic matter on the top.

2) Drainage. Dig a hole 1 foot square and 1 foot deep and fill that with water. After that water drains away refill the hole with more water and time how long it takes that to drain away. Anything less than 2 hours and your soil drains too quickly and needs more organic matter to slow that drainage down. Anything over 6 hours and the soil drains too slowly and needs lots of organic matter to speed it up.

3) Tilth. Take a handful of your slightly damp soil and squeeze it tightly. When the pressure is released the soil should hold together in that clump, but when poked with a finger that clump should fall apart.

4) Smell. What does your soil smell like? A pleasant, rich earthy odor? Putrid, offensive, repugnant odor? The more organic matter in your soil the more active the soil bacteria will be and the nicer you soil will smell.

5) Life. How many earthworms per shovel full were there? 5 or more indicates a pretty healthy soil. Fewer than 5, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, indicates a soil that is not healthy.

Once you know more about the soil you have you will be able to determine what to do to make that soil into something healthy so anything you plant there will grow strong and healthy.

Hi Peggy, I guess we're neighbors!

We've tried to get the free city mulch 3 times and failed due to weather, line-ups and them closing soon, it will be hard to convince the hubby to head back out there but I'll make him his favorite dinner :) Is the recycle center the same as the dump?

I haven't been to Scherz yet but hopefully soon.

kimmsr, thank you for the information, I know it's fast draining but I'm not sure about the rest. I'll give it a try.

I guess my main question was, how do I get rid of a lot of weeds & dead whatever grass easily & economically.

Yes, we are sort of neighbors. I have lived in SA in the past but prefer smaller towns ; )

Recycle center is off of Jackson street. They take glass, plastics, batteries, appliances, etc. If the city brought them compost or mulch then it is available to the public for free.

DH was over to SA a couple of weeks ago and they didn't have any when he dropped off our recyleables (which our community does not offer) so he had to head to HD to buy mulch for a project we were finishing up.

Good luck with your project,
Peggy

Once you know what your soil is, and correct any problems found then the "weeds" will become less of a problem, "weeds" are indicators of soil related problems. Planting buffalo grass, simply because of the height will help control many "weeds".