Austin Gardening - turfallo

Author

turfallo

forsaletoo@sbcglobal.net

2007-02-23, 9:26 pm

I am moving to Georgetown Texas. I am not sure I want to maintain St.
Augustine grass again. I heard about turfallo (tech turf?). It can
be planted as plugs and spreads in just 4 months. It requires minimal
water. Has anyone see this or is it any good?

Jangchub

2007-02-24, 9:25 am

On 23 Feb 2007 18:54:35 -0800, forsaletoo@sbcglobal.net wrote:

>I am moving to Georgetown Texas. I am not sure I want to maintain St.
>Augustine grass again. I heard about turfallo (tech turf?). It can
>be planted as plugs and spreads in just 4 months. It requires minimal
>water. Has anyone see this or is it any good?

I do not have experience with it, but if you are moving to a
sub-division I highly recommend checking the deed restrictions because
they exist, you sign a page in your closing papers which says you will
adhere and if not can be fined, or taken to court.

My intention is not defeatist, just realistic. It may say in the
restrictions that front lawns must be St. Augustine. For this reason,
I bought a house which does not come with a homeowners association,
but I am still beholden to the deed restrictions which come with all
homes, in one way or another.

Omelet

2007-02-24, 1:25 pm

In article <m4j0u2dq4nbmdmht3kgjbms5lv3da925ou@4ax.com>,
Jangchub <sakadawa@kopan.com> wrote:

> On 23 Feb 2007 18:54:35 -0800, forsaletoo@sbcglobal.net wrote:
>
>
> I do not have experience with it, but if you are moving to a
> sub-division I highly recommend checking the deed restrictions because
> they exist, you sign a page in your closing papers which says you will
> adhere and if not can be fined, or taken to court.
>
> My intention is not defeatist, just realistic. It may say in the
> restrictions that front lawns must be St. Augustine. For this reason,
> I bought a house which does not come with a homeowners association,
> but I am still beholden to the deed restrictions which come with all
> homes, in one way or another.

I would _never_ EVER purchase a property with a home owners XXX-ociation!

Might as well own a condo. :-(
--
Peace, Om

Remove _ to validate e-mails.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a XXXXX" -- Jack Nicholson

Jangchub

2007-02-25, 9:25 am

On Sat, 24 Feb 2007 09:45:18 -0600, Omelet <omp_omelet@gmail.com>
wrote:

>
>I would _never_ EVER purchase a property with a home owners XXX-ociation!
>
>Might as well own a condo. :-(

Me either, but regardles of a HOA, there are still deed restrictions
which are basically written by the developer, or are the standard
restrictions which fall within the legal protections.

For example:

If you live in a sub-division, HOA or not, you cannot let your weeds
get higher than six inches, or however tall the law says in your city.
You cannot let a dog or cat roam everywhere it wants to go. There are
indeed fines associated with that due to the laws of your city.

Justin Wilson

2007-02-25, 1:25 pm

Jangchub

2007-02-25, 5:25 pm

On Sun, 25 Feb 2007 17:23:49 GMT, "Justin Wilson" <lTw@msn.com> wrote:

>One reason these exist, is because in other states, the municipalities
>regulate the same things, but TX has been so lax in managing some of these
>things, homeowners have taken it upon themselves (for better or worse) to
>manage these issues. Developers only do it because they think that's what
>sells.
>

Deed Restrictions are in place before the developer establishes them.
These restrictions are covered by the law. Tall weeds, cats, dogs
roaming, etc. I have no HOA, but I can still be fined by the city if
I break codes which are covered under the law.

Someday I hope to buy ten acres and put a house in the middle of it
with mules, donkey's, nubian goats and horses. Maybe one castrated
steer, who otherwise would have become a steak at Outback. I can make
cheese from my sweet nubians and ride the mules. Horses and donkeys
to keep one another company. If I could have giraffe I would!

I have no idea why Austin and the surrounding cities insist on growing
it up so overpopulated the roads can sustain the traffic. I like it
as a small town. I'm from New York. I could easily go back there if
I want big city.

Sorry for the tangent.

Cliff

2007-02-25, 5:25 pm

"Justin Wilson" <lTw@msn.com> wrote in message
news:FCjEh.59772$5j1.10988@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
>
> "Jangchub" <sakadawa@kopan.com> wrote in message
> news:7k93u25v58v0v6skr87boubo94amj305f8@4ax.com...
>
>
> One reason these exist, is because in other states, the municipalities
> regulate the same things, but TX has been so lax in managing some of these
> things, homeowners have taken it upon themselves (for better or worse) to
> manage these issues. Developers only do it because they think that's what
> sells.

What I hear you saying is you wish the state of TX would tell you what kind
of grass to plant, how high the fence, what kind of trees, etc. and because
they don't, that HOA's should have the right to dictate what you do with
your property.

Jangchub

2007-02-25, 8:26 pm

On Sun, 25 Feb 2007 16:02:54 -0600, "Cliff" <cwbsatx@swbell.net>
wrote:

[color=darkred]
>What I hear you saying is you wish the state of TX would tell you what kind
>of grass to plant, how high the fence, what kind of trees, etc. and because
>they don't, that HOA's should have the right to dictate what you do with
>your property.

I may not have gotten my point across. No, I think TX is backwards
and the developers feel forced to put these deed restrictions in the
paperwork when you buy a home. It doesn't matter what I want or not,
if someone calls and reports a messy yard, you can be fined bigtime.

This is why I do not live where a HOA exists, but I am still
constrained by the deed restrictions because it was in the paperwork
when I bought the house.

In a way it protects property values in developments, but for areas
where your home is on more than an acre this idiotic restriction sense
should go away.

When you move to a house which has a HOA, you have to follow their
dictate because they can put a lean on your house for myriad reasons,
legally.

Noncompliant

2007-02-26, 9:25 am

"Jangchub" <sakadawa@kopan.com> wrote in message
news:7k93u25v58v0v6skr87boubo94amj305f8@4ax.com...
> On Sat, 24 Feb 2007 09:45:18 -0600, Omelet <omp_omelet@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>
>
> Me either, but regardles of a HOA, there are still deed restrictions
> which are basically written by the developer, or are the standard
> restrictions which fall within the legal protections.
>
> For example:
>
> If you live in a sub-division, HOA or not, you cannot let your weeds
> get higher than six inches, or however tall the law says in your city.
> You cannot let a dog or cat roam everywhere it wants to go. There are
> indeed fines associated with that due to the laws of your city.
>
>

Not sure about Travis County or those north of that. Hays county has
ordinances in place for restraining your animals including cats and dogs.
They do enforce it, even in rural areas. My dogs dug their way under the
fenced in yard more than once. Neighbors notified the sheriff. After 2
complaints, he notifies the suspected owners by letter to restrain the
animals, the consequences are a hefty fine and animal control taking
possession of the animals.

There are informal HOAs. Just verbal agreements between neighbors. Usually
covers not raising pigs/hogs, sometimes chickens for instance.

Like everything else nowadays, there's laws, ordinances, and so forth used
to patch what was overlooked. Usually some "fruitcake" doing something way
out of the ordinary and some reactionairies whining about it. Taking
advantage just for powersake, the lawmakers go overboard. Then, everyone
pays. Careful what you wish for, it might come true.

--
Noncompliant

Jangchub

2007-02-26, 1:25 pm

On Mon, 26 Feb 2007 13:32:46 GMT, "Noncompliant"
<spamyourself@blackworm.net> wrote:

>Not sure about Travis County or those north of that. Hays county has
>ordinances in place for restraining your animals including cats and dogs.
>They do enforce it, even in rural areas. My dogs dug their way under the
>fenced in yard more than once. Neighbors notified the sheriff. After 2
>complaints, he notifies the suspected owners by letter to restrain the
>animals, the consequences are a hefty fine and animal control taking
>possession of the animals.
>
>There are informal HOAs. Just verbal agreements between neighbors. Usually
>covers not raising pigs/hogs, sometimes chickens for instance.
>
>Like everything else nowadays, there's laws, ordinances, and so forth used
>to patch what was overlooked. Usually some "fruitcake" doing something way
>out of the ordinary and some reactionairies whining about it. Taking
>advantage just for powersake, the lawmakers go overboard. Then, everyone
>pays. Careful what you wish for, it might come true.

I don't wish for it, it exists and that's a fact. My gardens
absolutely push the limit of being a bit messy for people, but I'm
covered under the WWF and Texas Backyard Wildlife Habitat program,
which I strongly adhere to. I have 75% native plants, all that's
required is 50%.

Anyway, my original point was that, if someone wants to try buffalo
plugs, make sure some neighbor doesn't complain that you don't have
perfect St. Augustine.

oldhickory

2007-02-28, 5:25 pm

most of the time, deed restrictions are to prevent properties from being
neglected by non-caring tenants or absentee owners. The rules have to be
strict enough, and enforced/enforceable in order to keep your neighbors from
letting their properties go to hell and tanking the property values. Try
selling a house next to someone who paves their front yard and parks heavy
equipment on it or lets it grow 3 feet high between mowings.

Yes, sometimes they go too far, but personally, I've been there and I'd
rather have that, than a house I couldn't sell and had to let go into
foreclosure. I've lived in two neighborhoods that did not have deed
restrictions that were enforced. One was a very small "enclave" where
people cared and kept their homes up. The other was not and we took a
BEATING on the house because of it. The house was in great shape, remodeled
inside and out, huge greenbelt lot and the trashy neighbors made it nearly
unsalable. Happened to other neighbors, too.

It's a double edged sword and adjust your expectations appropriately.

--
ie
ride fast, take chances.

"Jangchub" <sakadawa@kopan.com> wrote in message
news:0c46u290379q1tqajutu74qg8864o0tguv@4ax.com...
> On Mon, 26 Feb 2007 13:32:46 GMT, "Noncompliant"
> <spamyourself@blackworm.net> wrote:
>
>
>
> I don't wish for it, it exists and that's a fact. My gardens
> absolutely push the limit of being a bit messy for people, but I'm
> covered under the WWF and Texas Backyard Wildlife Habitat program,
> which I strongly adhere to. I have 75% native plants, all that's
> required is 50%.
>
> Anyway, my original point was that, if someone wants to try buffalo
> plugs, make sure some neighbor doesn't complain that you don't have
> perfect St. Augustine.

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