Help making a pile of dirt

[oneshot]

I want to make a pile of dirt, without putting dirt on my lawn for days.

I was thinking a large brown towel with the edges cut/frayed, laying on some crumbled up newspaper?

Any ideas?

[Rahnefan]

Take a small green tarp, and paint it with flecks of a different shade here and there so that it matches your grass. Anchor the corners with U-shaped pegs so that they don't blow around in the wind. Put a pile of dirt on the tarp. When done, just shovel the dirt off of the tarp and pick up the tarp. No dirt on your lawn.

[scareme]

I do something about the same as Rahnefan. But I use mulch. It looks the same in the dark. Then after Halloween I just pick up the tarp, take it over to the flower beds, and mulch them for the winter.

[ScreamingScarecrow]

Yes Mulch or Peat moss works well and what's more, they are a bit lighter than actual dirt, saving you some sweat when you clean up!

[Rahnefan]

Heh...actually that was just an idea...me, I'd just put a pile of dirt on the lawn. My hypothesis is that if I let the lawn go a bit, it will make for a more convincing haunt. Yeah, that's the ticket.

Oh and by lawn I mean "place of red clay where many types of weeds grow and pine cones gather."

[fritz42_male]

I use mulch - looks good, lightweight and I just chuck it on the flower beds when I'm done and pick the rest up with my mower.

Also why not kill 2 birds with one stone and buy top dressing for the lawn and rake it out afterwards - your lawn will love you for it!

[Spartan005]

sorry if I'm being annoying but... can someone please elaborate on this concept? How exactly do you make a pile of dirt?








.... jk

[Haunted Bayou]

Spartan, I think oneshot wants a fresh grave but without leaving an actual mound of dirt on the lawn.

I put a garbage bag down and then dump a bag of peat moss on it. Makes a great fresh grave but if it is out for a month you'll have a dead patch in your yard. After it is over, I just rake the peat down into the grass.

I might have used 2 bags on this one. I don't remember.



Some people use a towel that has some dirt adhered to it some kind of way.
You could try the newspaper and see if it works.

[RoxyBlue]

We also use mulch on a sheet of plastic to make graves, then put the mulch on the flower beds after Halloween. We don't set them up days ahead of time because covering the grass will kill it. If, however, you have patches of weeds like Rahnefan, feel no guilt in covering them with anything you choose

[debbie5]

Peat moss is kinda a PITA: it isn't very water-soluable, so you get a soupy mess if it rains(water doesn't soak in as much as it just runs off). And it blows around in the wind a LOT. Mulch is better, but heavier. I tried peat one year on graves and then tried to use it as a mulch, which didn't work. I ended up having to till it into the garden. Not fun. Use black or brown mulch. Keep in mind most dyed mulches will stain your hands & clothing, so wear disposeable gloves.