When planting a tree like a Silver Maple (weed that will get hard) it's important to consider its true cost. Assume that a high quality, 4"-6" DBH tree will cost $1,000 to install. Over the course of its life span you can count on spending 10 times that amount in maintenance costs, including its eventual removal.
The obvious costs of routine care - fertilizer, pest treatments, pruning, leaf cleanup, mulching etc - are easy to identify. The hidden costs are more difficult. Consider the cost of maintaining weak turfgrass that has to compete with a tree for water and nutrients. The cost of shade on playing surfaces that require more inputs because the lack of sunlight leads to weaker turf.
And then consider these aggravating photos below. Not only do these weeds that got hard (WTGH) cause an endless supply of turfgrass issues, they compound the problem by shedding their seeds all over putting greens each spring. This requires us to schedule extra labor to clear the putting surfaces so they can be cut and/or rolled. And it requires us to blow and rake the seeds from bunkers so they can be raked and prepared for play.
Little value can be attached to planting weeds that will eventually get hard.
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| Seeds on a weed that got hard |
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| Seeds removed from a bunker |
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| Extra labor to remove seeds from putting greens |
Thank you for sharing this article about turfgrass maintenance with us Steve. I came across your blog while I was online looking at tips about leaf cleanup because I have moved to a area that has a lot of trees. I found your article very interesting and inisghtful. Thank you again for sharing!
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