There’s been some discussion in Kings Forest about the crumbling street pavement edges and irregular borders of our lawns along our streets. Over the years, some of us have allowed the grass to grow out to the newer, higher pavement, while others have not. To date, we have not decided as a community to do one or the other. So if we're striving for a consistent look, the Board and Revitalization Committee suggest we might all decide to grow the grass out to the higher pavement.
Can this be done successfully? Yes. Some of us have managed to grow the grass out to the new pavement by layering sand or soil over the older pavement to a depth of 2-3 inches, then sodding/sprigging or simply allowing the existing grass to spread. If you need to fill more than a few inches, or want to ensure the fill stays in place, layer geomesh over the first inch, covering it with the remaining fill until you achieve the desired depth.
The most important success factor we’ve found is ample water, especially during peak summer months when the underlying pavement can heat up and stress the grass over it. Be sure your sprinkler heads are adjusted to cover this area.
Some property perimeters pose additional challenges either because of extensive crumbling or the frequency with which cars park along the edges (especially near the high school).
If your edges are crumbling, try to remove as much of the broken up pavement as you can before layering sand or soil on the top. (If you have a crew maintaining your yard, ask them to do this.)
If you’ve tried to grow your grass out to the edge and find you have problem areas because of parked cars, we suggest you consider permeable grass or turf pavers that can be installed at high traffic areas along the perimeter of your property. This will help prevent the grass from being crushed under the car wheels and soil being displaced.
For ideas, check out this website at http://www.paversearch.com/permeable-pavers-benefits.htm. Installation instructions are at http://www.paversearch.com/grass-pavers-install-2.htm.
