A ground cover strip is provided for use with a modular home skirting system to provide ground cover for protecting the skirting system during grounds maintenance and for suppressing vegetation. The ground cover strip includes flexible straight and corner pieces laid end-to-end on the ground surface around a perimeter of the modular home. The ground cover strip has a bottom, an outer edge, an inner edge, and a top between the outer and inner edges. The top has an open channel formed therein which faces upwardly and receives a base of a ground channel member. The top also has an outer portion that slopes downwardly from the open channel to the outer edge. Anchoring spikes are driven through the base of the ground channel member and the ground cover strip and into the ground to anchor the ground cover strip and the ground channel member to the ground.

A ground cover strip is provided for use with a modular home skirting system to provide ground cover for protecting the skirting system during grounds maintenance and for suppressing vegetation. The ground cover strip includes flexible straight and corner pieces laid end-to-end on the ground surface around a perimeter of the modular home. The ground cover strip has a bottom, an outer edge, an inner edge, and a top between the outer and inner edges. The top has an open channel formed therein which faces upwardly and receives a base of a ground channel member. The top also has an outer portion that slopes downwardly from the open channel to the outer edge. Anchoring spikes are driven through the base of the ground channel member and the ground cover strip and into the ground to anchor the ground cover strip and the ground channel member to the ground.

A visual barrier windscreen includes a first series of monofilament threads formed in pillar stitches extending in a warp direction and a second series of monofilament threads formed in zigzag stitches extending in a first weft direction relative to the pillar stitches and binding adjacent pillar stitches. A third series of monofilament threads may be formed in zig-zag stitches extending in a second weft direction, opposite to the first weft direction, and also binding adjacent pillar stitches. A pattern of hexagonal wind-passage holes may be formed by cooperation of the pillar stitches and zig-zag stitches. At least a 75-80% visual block may be attained with the cooperation of the pillar stitches and zig-zag stitches.

A modular weed barrier mat comprised of a double layer of tire tread sections cut from used tires arranged so that the lengths of the upper sections are perpendicular to those of the lower sections. A pair of upper sections are positioned in spaced apart relationship so as to form a gap, with a central slit array cut into two immediately adjacent lower sections accessible within the gap. A slit cut through a width of one lower section directly below one of the upper sections on either side of the central slit array allows a post to be moved into the slit and then positioned in the central slit array. Corrosion resistant fasteners are removed and replaced as needed to allow the mat to be installed or removed as desired. One embodiment features lower and upper lap portions on opposite sides of the mat for modular installation.

A visual barrier windscreen comprising a first series of monofilament threads, a second series of monofilament threads, and a third series of monofilament threads. The first series of threads may be formed in pillar stitches, the second series of threads may be formed in zig-zag stitches, and the third series of threads may be formed in zig-zag stitches. A pattern of wind-passage holes may be formed by a cooperation of the first series, the second series, and the third series of threads. At least a 75% visual block may be attained with the cooperation of the first series, the second series and the third series of threads. The cooperation of the first series, the second series, and the third series of threads may achieve an air flow permeability that may be greater than 755 cfm/ft.sup.2.

A spacer apparatus and method to prevent dry rot damage to a fence is provided. The fence includes posts disposed in the ground, a horizontal support plank coupled to each pair of adjacent posts, pickets disposed on the horizontal support plank, and a pair of horizontal rails disposed on the horizontal support plank. The spacer apparatus includes a plate and a pair of end tabs coupled to the plate, each end tab coupled to a side edge of the plate and having a first width that is less than a second width of the plate along the side edge. The plate is disposed on the horizontal support plank to permit the end tabs to conform to the horizontal support plank for stability, thereby enabling the plate to support the pickets and horizontal rails above the horizontal support plank. The end tabs are then removed from the plate.

The device is comprised of two panels in the shape of Ls that are interwoven with each other when they are placed on the sides of a fence. The device is secured to the ground through a series of holes for that purpose. Additionally, an expander has been placed on the section of the device, both vertical and horizontal, to address the issue of uneven terrain.

A mower path assistance system to encircle an obstacle projecting from a ground surface, including a barrier mat formed with a barrier mat aperture enclosed by the barrier mat and having a barrier mat aperture diameter, a perimeter edge, and a barrier mat installation slit extending from the perimeter edge to the barrier mat aperture, wherein the barrier mat is deformable around the barrier mat installation slit to create a pathway having a pathway width through which the obstacle may pass from the perimeter to the barrier mat aperture. The barrier mat has a plurality of edges with axes that intersect at obtuse angles.

Disclosed is a substantially rectangular plinth member for installation at the base of a fence to at least partially close a space between the fence and a ground surface underneath the fence. The plinth member is elongate and comprises a first major surface and an opposite second major surface. The plinth member has a major axis and a minor axis extending perpendicular thereto, the major and minor axes defining a notional centre plane of the plinth member. The plinth member has first and second end margins at its respective opposite ends along the major axis and third and fourth end margins at its respective opposite ends along the minor axis. A plurality of substantially parallel stiffening formations are defined by portions of the plinth member that are displaced from the notional centre plane, extend between the first and second end margins, and are spaced apart between the third and fourth end margins. The stiffening formations are configured such that the plinth member has a greater pressure load bearing capacity when loaded on the first major surface than it has when loaded on the second major surface.

A trimmer line shield for preventing the line of a grass trimmer from striking and becoming entangled in the bottom portion of a chain link fence is formed of an elongated stiff plastic extrusion having a longitudinally extending vertical main body of generally T-shaped transverse cross section, a tapered bottom end, a pair of longitudinally extending stop flanges disposed a distance above the tapered bottom end extending laterally outward beyond each side of the main body, and a longitudinally extending flat top portion that extends a distance laterally outward beyond each side of the main body for engaging the bottom of the fence. The shield is driven into the ground to extend between vertical fence posts and the fence is installed between the posts with its bottom end engaging the flat top portion a distance above the ground surface which also inhibits growth of vegetation into the open spaces between the wire members.