At the rental next door they spray the yard and field with herbicide to kill all the grass and weeds before they have a chance to get started. This is the second year this has been done. The prior year they were spraying in February between some rains so there could have been runoff into the Laguna easily. This year they must have done the same thing, though I didn't actually see the spraying.
It is known why they do this. It is to avoid being fined by the Santa Rosa Fire Department for failing to mow thoroughly and early enough come late spring. I had a fine of $75 applied last year; I stood accused of not mowing adequately. I had much flowering vetch and I wanted it to stay long enough, so the flowers feed the bees and butterflies, and the plants set mature seeds for the next year. I find the vetch does not die off naturally until late June so i prefer not to mow until then; the Fire department does not approve.
So is the answer really to just poison it all?