As I rip out his namesake grass, I just had to look up some
info on St Augustine: He was bishop of Hippo Regius (present-day Annaba, Algeria)
located in the Roman province of Africa. He lived around 350 AD- over 1600 years ago. He is the patron saint of brewers,
printers, theologians, the alleviation of sore eyes, and a number of cities and
dioceses....
Still no idea why the grass is called St Augustine though..
Here's the spot in front I have removed (mid-removal)..
So many possible reasons for the various white dead spots..
- Some of it was grubs. Being able to feed them to the chickens as treats completely transformed the experience of digging them up from disgusting to a bona fide treasure hunt.
- Some of it was silty sandy clay-ey soil. Was the soil dry because the grass was dead or vice-versa??
- Some of it might be cinch bugs, and ground pearls..
My solution was to remove a wide swatch. I plan to add compost, cover the area with weed block fabric, plant some xeriscape lovelies and add mulch.. Digging out 250 square feet of sod? Exhausting. Planting this weekend- should be fun!
The Mexican wire grass is flourishing- I've been pulling off seedheads so it will spread!
Must re-home this volunteer Pride of Barbados, squeezed up against the sidewalk..
Relocated coneflowers- with the grass gone they can reseed and spread to their heart's content!
The chickens have merged "flocks". That is, Ruby's flock of 1 has merged uneventfully with the teens. Tonight they even put themselves to bed in the bigger coop. Watching "chicken TV" has become a major pasttime around our house..
Treasure grubs- one reason Houdini has come to love me..
I thought Silverwing (on the left) was the top hen, but Houdini kept all the grubs to herself..
I thought about leaving the earthworms where I found them, but the chickens slurp them up so happily..
Even Silverwing is less skittish around me now
Ruby's eye is all better, and she roams around doing her thing..
Houdini begging for another treat.
Lush plants everywhere, but this caterpillar picks an isolated clover in the rocky section to munch on..
Cheerful
Bees swarm my borage.
The chicken's jungle hide-out. A few last poppies- I'm letting them finish going to seed before I clear them out.
Easter pinata toy. Not a toy soldier- toy skateboarder.
