Finally Finished the Back Landscaping In Hopes Of Keeping The Cats Out

I started working on the back play area a few weeks back. I put cardboard boxes down double and triple thick, and then weed barrier, and then put bark down. I did two smaller sections and then had to collect more cardboard and buy more weed barrier to finish the larger area under the trampoline and swing set.

I purchased a pallet of bark last year in hopes of getting it done but had all those fence posts to finish. I just didn't have time with all the pruning in the fall either, so it had to wait. I shared on my last post that I was able to find weed fabric for $20 for a 300 foot roll. I was SO happy with that as it would have been super expensive to cover that entire area. 

I figured I wouldn't have enough bark to fill in the entire area after I used several on the smaller sections I did. It happened that Home Depot had the exact bark I used on sale this week for $2 a bag. I was sad I missed the memorial day sale at 4 bags for $10 so imagine how happy I was that it was now 5 bags for $10.

I called my ministering brother from church and asked if he would be willing to let me borrow his truck to pick up more bark / mulch. In our church, every family gets assigned a male to watch over their home, not just singles, but every home. The women also get a sister assigned to check on them etc. He was MORE than willing as he drove us down to the store and we loaded up 30 bags of mulch. 

He helped us roll out the barrier and I wanted it double thick as I always have grass coming through and, didn't want the cats to like being back there, so I put it down going one direction over all the cardboard and then rolled it out going the other direction as well. We then started dumping bags of much out on top of the fabric, and it was clear we weren't going to have enough bark, so at 9:55 we loaded another 25 bags of bark into his truck. He unloaded it and I told him to go home as he usually goes to bed early.

We finished filling in the entire area with bark at just after 11 p.m. I was so happy to get that done. I wanted to pour cinnamon and cayenne pepper all over the bark as well to keep the cats out as they are used to using it as a litter box. I am going to buy the high sonic pitch animal repellent machines and put them up as well. I have a friend that has used them to keep the neighbors cats out of her garden and she says they work very well. 

We also had a bumper crop of cherries this year. I have a five variety cherry tree and every branch was loaded with cherries and they didn't have worms, not a one that I could find, so we had my sister come and pick two buckets and we picked three large pans full and I told my neighbor to come and pick the rest. There were so many on the tree. 

The grass died as when I was helping my dad, one of the sprinklers got stuck on and my neighbor shut the water off without telling me so my grass wasn't watered for nearly two weeks. I will post about that later. 

I just wanted to share about my yard project and show you the finial project. It sure looks good and I hope it lasts! 

Have a blessed and enjoyable day!