I love my neighbors. Really, I do, but this has gotten out of control. Remember when I told him to feel free to put the grass clippings into the compost pile. I was grateful for the compost ingredients and didn't want them ending up in the landfill. A couple of days ago, I began turning and sifting my compost pile. I was about half way through this process when neighbor man mowed his lawn again. I found this mess this afternoon. Nice, he covered up my bucket, my compost screen, and a couple of tools.
When I told him he could use the compost pile anytime, I also told him to quit bagging the clippings once he got the lawn short enough that piles of grass clippings would not be laying on top of the grass killing it. Pretty much the instructions are to mow higher and more frequently. I patiently explained that the grass clippings fall down onto the soil, decompose, and create humus. This builds up the soil and feeds the grass. By bagging leaves and grass, we rob the nutrients from the landscape. Leave them if you can and let them decompose. Did he listen, does he have clue? Nope, he has bagged the grass ever since this.
Here is his lawn. Pretty sparse and mostly scrubby.
Here is my lawn. Never fertilized, never watered, and mowed to a little higher level. Oh, and I need to mention, about 1/4 the size of Neighbor Mowing Mans lawn. See the lawn behind ours. The other neighbor has a lawn service who scalps his lawn every two weeks whether it needs it or not. Another lawn no-no we will save for another day.
