What to put over septic bed - not grass!

last year

I want to get rid of the grass in my front yard, which is primarily over my septic leach field - so I'm limited in what I can put there. I was going to plant a native wildflower (and bunch grass) meadow there, but I'm concerned about mosquitoes......I'm already mostly in the forest, surrounded on 3 sides, and I know that mosquitoes like to hang out in cool places among long grass (lawn or hay, doesn't matter). I have a ton of mosquitoes now, and I fear it will only get worse if I exchange a lawn for a meadow. (I'm trying to figure out how to put up bat boxes without spending thousands.)

What other kinds of options can I cover my septic field with that require minimal maintenance? Rocks and patios are out because of the weight and the effect on evaporation. Maybe if I put in a native groundcover (like bearberry or wintergreen) - at least there'll be very little maintenance.

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Comments (6)

mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
last year
You mow or you weed. You have to control the trees somehow, because if you don't, your septic field will be covered with trees, and unusable. Almost everyone decides to mow, since it is a lot easier and faster, and can be very easily hired out. If you decide to weed, it is an ongoing chore since the trees are easier pulled if they are caught when very small. Most eastern NA forest trees regrow very readily if cut off when more than about a foot tall because they have you confused with a hungry deer.
kitasei2
last year
Ah but one option is mowing weekly and the other is yearly!
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mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
last year
Nope, one is mowing monthly, and the other is getting bigger equipment.
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kitasei2
last year
For smaller areas a trimmer works Gas lowered with blade is best but even a battery powered strimmer can do a lot. Thrnnthere’s a acythe. Gallica I am coming to aporeciate that you have been traumatized by tree regrneration on your property. It is a valid perspective but not universal.
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Fori
last year
Planting natives will actually reduce mosquitos. Maybe not noticeably compared to lawn, but it won't make it worse.
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FrozeBudd_z3/4
last year
last modified: last year
This summer was horrendous for mean vicious mosquitoes, one day I had brushed my hands through a small plant and about 30 of the buggers flushed out!

Years ago, I had a dense planting of 'Summer Pastels' yarrow over the old rural style sewer mound, the colors many of them were stunning and a good deal of beautiful bicolors as well. Though, after about five years it started thinning and dying out, the plants needing dividing and rejuvenation, there was like 120 plants, so a lot of work to tend! I later gave it up to grass, though had always missed that big glorious yarrow display! Admittedly, yarrow grows thickly and would be loved by mosquitoes, so I do not recommend a dense planting of it. Over my current septic field I just have grass and needs regular mowing to keep the native poplar suckers at bay, otherwise as mentioned might end up giving me some grief, mind you I've grubbed out plenty lots of poplar stumps and the roots on these don't tend to go terribly deep, a good thing in my case! Oh, I again planted some 'Summer Pastels' a few years ago, totally nothing of the same quality of colors as previous, same with 'Summer Berries', I kept one single plant from the 30 set out and it's quite a glorious pink, the rest were blah duds!
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