Water and my problem: Need suggestions.

[Wonky3]

I live in Medford in a typical residential neighborhood. We have lawns. And I have five (count 'em, 5) oak trees that I really like. They are placed just right in relationship to my house so that they provide much need shade in the summer months. So, when the leaves fall in the autumn I have leaves knee deep (almost) that must be raked and hauled away. Raking leaves from a lawn is MUCH easier than fighting to get leaves from bushes, ground cover, flower beds, and the like. 

So now the Medford Water Department says my water rates are going up. Way up. Hey, I get that. Water is fast becoming a more valuable resource and sooner than later we will have to pony up to pay for it. (And too, there is a strange economy of sorts that takes place: When people use less water the revenue dips but it still takes about the same amount of people to maintain the system and they must be paid from fewer dollars coming in from water sales). 

I'm going to have to reduce the size of my rather large lawns (front and back). But I want to be able to rake leaves without having to tease them from bushes, etc., that I might plant in place of the lawn.

Anyone got any suggestions? 

From The MT:

Water rates in Medford could rise by nearly 60 percent over the next four years, the Medford Water Commission told the City Council on Thursday. “I don’t want to sugarcoat it,” said Commissioner Jason Anderson.

[Willie Krash]

Really, Phoenix enjoys  $34.50 a month minimum. $60-100 a month in the summer.
I asked the Medford Water Commisson five years ago to raise rates. They said why should we do that? I pointed out they have one of the lowest If not the b lowest water rate in the country. I suggested that they be at least 70% of average.
As to why? So you can build Duff ll.
And here we are.
I don'the even know why they have meters, much less bother to read them.
Gotta pay for that growth

[chuck white]

I live in Medford in a typical residential neighborhood. We have lawns. And I have five (count 'em, 5) oak trees that I really like. They are placed just right in relationship to my house so that they provide much need shade in the summer months. So, when the leaves fall in the autumn I have leaves knee deep (almost) that must be raked and hauled away. Raking leaves from a lawn is MUCH easier than fighting to get leaves from bushes, ground cover, flower beds, and the like. 

So now the Medford Water Department says my water rates are going up. Way up. Hey, I get that. Water is fast becoming a more valuable resource and sooner than later we will have to pony up to pay for it. (And too, there is a strange economy of sorts that takes place: When people use less water the revenue dips but it still takes about the same amount of people to maintain the system and they must be paid from fewer dollars coming in from water sales). 

I'm going to have to reduce the size of my rather large lawns (front and back). But I want to be able to rake leaves without having to tease them from bushes, etc., that I might plant in place of the lawn.

Anyone got any suggestions? 

From The MT:

Water rates in Medford could rise by nearly 60 percent over the next four years, the Medford Water Commission told the City Council on Thursday. “I don’t want to sugarcoat it,” said Commissioner Jason Anderson.

Instead of grass for ground cover, why not oak leaf mulch. If thick enough it will smother any weeds.

[HolyMaryMotherOfGod]

Concrete, lots of concrete.

[Wonky3]

I live in Medford in a typical residential neighborhood. We have lawns. And I have five (count 'em, 5) oak trees that I really like. They are placed just right in relationship to my house so that they provide much need shade in the summer months. So, when the leaves fall in the autumn I have leaves knee deep (almost) that must be raked and hauled away. Raking leaves from a lawn is MUCH easier than fighting to get leaves from bushes, ground cover, flower beds, and the like. 

So now the Medford Water Department says my water rates are going up. Way up. Hey, I get that. Water is fast becoming a more valuable resource and sooner than later we will have to pony up to pay for it. (And too, there is a strange economy of sorts that takes place: When people use less water the revenue dips but it still takes about the same amount of people to maintain the system and they must be paid from fewer dollars coming in from water sales). 

I'm going to have to reduce the size of my rather large lawns (front and back). But I want to be able to rake leaves without having to tease them from bushes, etc., that I might plant in place of the lawn.

Anyone got any suggestions? 

From The MT:

Water rates in Medford could rise by nearly 60 percent over the next four years, the Medford Water Commission told the City Council on Thursday. “I don’t want to sugarcoat it,” said Commissioner Jason Anderson.

Instead of grass for ground cover, why not oak leaf mulch. If thick enough it will smother any weeds.

That's a thought. Think it might blow around int the wind a lot? And, would I have to "kill" the sod before laying the stuff down? 

[Wonky3]

Concrete, lots of concrete.

 I'd do it if I could afford it and if "She Who Must be Obeyed" would buy into it. (Never!) If I could do it I'd paint it green and a few coffee cans of plastic flowers. I'm all about aesthics and stuff.   

[Valuesize]

Colored tires. 

[Wonky3]

Colored tires. 

All right! SO glad I posted the question. 

[Scrapper]

Why rake?  Can't you use something that the leaves can just be blown away with a blower? Rocks, bricks, etc.  Hell... deck the whole yard.  

[Wonky3]

Why rake?  Can't you use something that the leaves can just be blown away with a blower? Rocks, bricks, etc.  Hell... deck the whole yard.  

I have 7,000 square feet of lawn. I'd have to have Clete's money to deck it. Reminds me that it might be CONDO time, but GOD I hate moving! 

[Valuesize]

Why rake?  Can't you use something that the leaves can just be blown away with a blower? Rocks, bricks, etc.  Hell... deck the whole yard.  

I have 7,000 square feet of lawn. I'd have to have Clete's money to deck it. Reminds me that it might be CONDO time, but GOD I hate moving! 

There are plenty of smaller homes with smaller, low maintenance yards. Moving does suck, but if you know you're downsizing in the future you can reduce the amount of "stuff" you own before moving. 

[tvguy]

I live in Medford in a typical residential neighborhood. We have lawns. And I have five (count 'em, 5) oak trees that I really like. They are placed just right in relationship to my house so that they provide much need shade in the summer months. So, when the leaves fall in the autumn I have leaves knee deep (almost) that must be raked and hauled away. Raking leaves from a lawn is MUCH easier than fighting to get leaves from bushes, ground cover, flower beds, and the like. 

So now the Medford Water Department says my water rates are going up. Way up. Hey, I get that. Water is fast becoming a more valuable resource and sooner than later we will have to pony up to pay for it. (And too, there is a strange economy of sorts that takes place: When people use less water the revenue dips but it still takes about the same amount of people to maintain the system and they must be paid from fewer dollars coming in from water sales). 

I'm going to have to reduce the size of my rather large lawns (front and back). But I want to be able to rake leaves without having to tease them from bushes, etc., that I might plant in place of the lawn.

Anyone got any suggestions? 

From The MT:

Water rates in Medford could rise by nearly 60 percent over the next four years, the Medford Water Commission told the City Council on Thursday. “I don’t want to sugarcoat it,” said Commissioner Jason Anderson.

 How much is your water bill now?

[Wonky3]

I live in Medford in a typical residential neighborhood. We have lawns. And I have five (count 'em, 5) oak trees that I really like. They are placed just right in relationship to my house so that they provide much need shade in the summer months. So, when the leaves fall in the autumn I have leaves knee deep (almost) that must be raked and hauled away. Raking leaves from a lawn is MUCH easier than fighting to get leaves from bushes, ground cover, flower beds, and the like. 

So now the Medford Water Department says my water rates are going up. Way up. Hey, I get that. Water is fast becoming a more valuable resource and sooner than later we will have to pony up to pay for it. (And too, there is a strange economy of sorts that takes place: When people use less water the revenue dips but it still takes about the same amount of people to maintain the system and they must be paid from fewer dollars coming in from water sales). 

I'm going to have to reduce the size of my rather large lawns (front and back). But I want to be able to rake leaves without having to tease them from bushes, etc., that I might plant in place of the lawn.

Anyone got any suggestions? 

From The MT:

Water rates in Medford could rise by nearly 60 percent over the next four years, the Medford Water Commission told the City Council on Thursday. “I don’t want to sugarcoat it,” said Commissioner Jason Anderson.

 How much is your water bill now?

$65 -$75 a month in Aug and Sept, and of course lots less during cooler months. It reminds me that "on average" water is not all that expensive. 
And, my situation is somewhat complicated because on the hill where I live we have a soil know as "decomposed subacious granite" and years ago when the lawn was planted they had to haul in top soil. Not enough, so the water tends to into the soil for about 4 inches then run laterally to the place of less resistance. 
Wow! That's boring.   
Point being, water is becoming a more scarce commodity and I don't want to use more than "my share". I suspect I'll reduce the size of the lawns by about half and do some "bard and rock" landscaping. 
As I said: Boring! But, thought maybe others might be pondering water issues also. 

My guess: We here in parts of the valley have plenty of water. California needs it. California has money. See where this is going? 

[Willie Krash]

Why rake?  Can't you use something that the leaves can just be blown away with a blower? Rocks, bricks, etc.  Hell... deck the whole yard.  

I have 7,000 square feet of lawn. I'd have to have Clete's money to deck it. Reminds me that it might be CONDO time, but GOD I hate moving! 

Nature abhors a monoculture. 

[Wonky3]

Why rake?  Can't you use something that the leaves can just be blown away with a blower? Rocks, bricks, etc.  Hell... deck the whole yard.  

I have 7,000 square feet of lawn. I'd have to have Clete's money to deck it. Reminds me that it might be CONDO time, but GOD I hate moving! 

Nature abhors a monoculture. 

Willie, ya gotta remember who you are talking to here. That sentence is WAY above my pay grade. 

[Tiamat]

The way I'm reading this, it's the leaves that are at the root of your issue. Because there are dozens of xeriscapes  you could use but you don't want to deal with cracks, cubbyholes, and other leaf caches that are hard to get to and extract leaves. With that as  your defining requirement, it makes it pretty difficult.  I don't think it need be, but the difference would be that a rake would be difficult. You'd have to use a (dreaded) leaf blower. Using leaves as the defining factor of design makes it challenging.  I don't have much to suggest. The seem to be two mutually opposed things.  

[Cuzz]

Your future is in AstroTurf. No weeds , no watering, no fertilizer and not quite as hot as blacktop. 

[tvguy]

The way I'm reading this, it's the leaves that are at the root of your issue. Because there are dozens of xeriscapes  you could use but you don't want to deal with cracks, cubbyholes, and other leaf caches that are hard to get to and extract leaves. With that as  your defining requirement, it makes it pretty difficult.  I don't think it need be, but the difference would be that a rake would be difficult. You'd have to use a (dreaded) leaf blower. Using leaves as the defining factor of design makes it challenging.  I don't have much to suggest. The seem to be two mutually opposed things.  

That is exactly what I was thinking.Seems to me a leaf blower would solve most if not of the problems he thinks he will have with "bushes" or whatever replaces the grass.


My yard mostly isn't seen from the street. Some areas I never rake I just mow/mulch the leaves. Except around my pond area. And even when I rake those leaves I feel guilty. Because the dead leaved are SUPPOSED to be there.

They enrich the soil and protect it from freezing. My hippie side hates to rake the leaves off of the poor night crawlers and destroy the natural good smelling process of decomposition.

[tvguy]

I live in Medford in a typical residential neighborhood. We have lawns. And I have five (count 'em, 5) oak trees that I really like. They are placed just right in relationship to my house so that they provide much need shade in the summer months. So, when the leaves fall in the autumn I have leaves knee deep (almost) that must be raked and hauled away. Raking leaves from a lawn is MUCH easier than fighting to get leaves from bushes, ground cover, flower beds, and the like. 

So now the Medford Water Department says my water rates are going up. Way up. Hey, I get that. Water is fast becoming a more valuable resource and sooner than later we will have to pony up to pay for it. (And too, there is a strange economy of sorts that takes place: When people use less water the revenue dips but it still takes about the same amount of people to maintain the system and they must be paid from fewer dollars coming in from water sales). 

I'm going to have to reduce the size of my rather large lawns (front and back). But I want to be able to rake leaves without having to tease them from bushes, etc., that I might plant in place of the lawn.

Anyone got any suggestions? 

From The MT:

Water rates in Medford could rise by nearly 60 percent over the next four years, the Medford Water Commission told the City Council on Thursday. “I don’t want to sugarcoat it,” said Commissioner Jason Anderson.

 How much is your water bill now?

$65 -$75 a month in Aug and Sept, and of course lots less during cooler months. It reminds me that "on average" water is not all that expensive. 
And, my situation is somewhat complicated because on the hill where I live we have a soil know as "decomposed subacious granite" and years ago when the lawn was planted they had to haul in top soil. Not enough, so the water tends to into the soil for about 4 inches then run laterally to the place of less resistance. 
Wow! That's boring.   
Point being, water is becoming a more scarce commodity and I don't want to use more than "my share". I suspect I'll reduce the size of the lawns by about half and do some "bard and rock" landscaping. 
As I said: Boring! But, thought maybe others might be pondering water issues also. 

My guess: We here in parts of the valley have plenty of water. California needs it. California has money. See where this is going? 

OK thanks. Everyone keeps talking about the percentage of rates going up but that doesn't mean anything if I don't know what the rates are.

I think it would look awesome with the top soil removed exposing the granite with a few boulders placed here and there.

[Wonky3]

Thanks, All, for the good suggestions. (Right now, I think I'm going with the painted old car tires) 

I have all winter to make a decision. I'll remove lawn sod for sure, and my guess is I'll replace it with bark and a few well placed rocks. Maybe a couple of dogwood trees. 

Thanks again!