Agree, it's going to be tricky but if you plant some ground-covering plants which need no maintenance such as vinca minor, those will cover the slope and prevent a lot of weed seeds from being able to get started in the future. Other plants which would probably work are alchemilla mollis, vinca major, ajuga, aubretia, ivy and no doubt plenty more. At least you get to choose what grows that way.
A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
What are your neighbours either side doing with their plots? Looks like the right are fencing and the left have started with some wooden steps.
I think if you don't have the time or inclination to garden at least a layer of weed suppressing membrane once you have tackled the weeds will help to keep it under control.
It may not look particularly nice but I think it will look tidy and be less work for you.
If you plan on staying long term you could find money to terrace it.
The whole lot is rather a slope isn't it?! Depending on what you want to do or spend, gradually doing shallow terraces with a little set of steps to access, either centrally or side to side zig zag fashion.
It can be done relatively cheaply with some logs, or if you use freecycle or similar some slabs and similar materials might be found to use. It may need something to stabilize it if you remove everything, as the roots will be holding it together somewhat.
How are you going to stop the bare soil of the bank from eroding away once all the plants are dead? The weed roots are doing this job for you at present, so if you kill them you'll need to replace them with some other plants or the soil will be washed away down into the rest of your garden.
Neighbour to the left has left it for 2 years, they intend to tackle it this summer! The steps were previous neighbour. Neighbour to the right have fenced but also left it for 2 years. i did think about installing 3 sets of the steps similar to the neighbour, set apart just enough that all parts can be accessed, so that is good advice. Thanks.
Agree, it's going to be tricky but if you plant some ground-covering plants which need no maintenance such as vinca minor, those will cover the slope and prevent a lot of weed seeds from being able to get started in the future. Other plants which would probably work are alchemilla mollis, vinca major, ajuga, aubretia, ivy and no doubt plenty more. At least you get to choose what grows that way.
Excellent advice. I will look into those plants. So do those seeds not require deep planting? Thanks.
I wouldn't fancy having to deal with it at all but I'd probably go with Bob's suggestion of ground cover.
I'd also probably tackle it in about 3 sections. Maybe concentrate on clearing the top third first - either hand weeding or weedkiller and just keep cutting back the weeds lower down to stop them setting seed.
When you're happy the top section is relatively weed free (you'll need to leave several weeks to check for regrowth) put in the sort of ground cover plants Bob has suggested. I'd also add geranium cantabrigiense "Biokovo" to the mix and possibly some grasses. You will need to water the plants regularly to get them going - but once established they'll need very little maintenance.
Ideally you'd mulch thickly between the baby plants to suppress further weed germination or growth - but I'm not sure what would stay in place on that slope. Using weed suppressant membrane would do the trick (you lay it and then cut holes and plant through it) - but it would make a dangerously slippery surface to access the plants for watering.
I think you'd be better planting quite densely to provide ground cover quickly. Maybe bulk buying of online plug plants is the way to go.
While you're waiting for regrowth of weeds to appear in the top section - make a start on the next bit. If you do use chemicals make sure there is no breeze to avoid spray drift onto your new plants. Hopefully, by this time next year you will have cleared & planted the whole area.
Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
It is always easy to offer this kind of advice but it's time and money and being able. I wonder who will manage it first Sorry I appreciate it is not that funny. I know I would not fancy it. Or perhaps decide on your levels and do one level/ section at a time.
Sorry not to be rude or nosey it depends on what you have to spend on materials too. If you can get it all done in one, that is fine. Good Luck .
I wouldn't fancy having to deal with it at all but I'd probably go with Bob's suggestion of ground cover.
I'd also probably tackle it in about 3 sections. Maybe concentrate on clearing the top third first - either hand weeding or weedkiller and just keep cutting back the weeds lower down to stop them setting seed.
When you're happy the top section is relatively weed free (you'll need to leave several weeks to check for regrowth) put in the sort of ground cover plants Bob has suggested. I'd also add geranium cantabrigiense "Biokovo" to the mix and possibly some grasses. You will need to water the plants regularly to get them going - but once established they'll need very little maintenance.
Ideally you'd mulch thickly between the baby plants to suppress further weed germination or growth - but I'm not sure what would stay in place on that slope. Using weed suppressant membrane would do the trick (you lay it and then cut holes and plant through it) - but it would make a dangerously slippery surface to access the plants for watering.
I think you'd be better planting quite densely to provide ground cover quickly. Maybe bulk buying of online plug plants is the way to go.
While you're waiting for regrowth of weeds to appear in the top section - make a start on the next bit. If you do use chemicals make sure there is no breeze to avoid spray drift onto your new plants. Hopefully, by this time next year you will have cleared & planted the whole area.
Superb. Thankyou for that. I’ll more than likely follow that step by step! Ha. Cheers.
It is always easy to offer this kind of advice but it's time and money and being able. I wonder who will manage it first Sorry I appreciate it is not that funny. I know I would not fancy it. Or perhaps decide on your levels and do one level/ section at a time.
Sorry not to be rude or nosey it depends on what you have to spend on materials too. If you can get it all done in one, that is fine. Good Luck .
No, not rude at all. Time is the problem. 2 kids, 2 and 5! I want to be enjoying the garden with them, not working up on the bank while they play! I’ll get it done. In between other jobs! Cheers.
Thankyou all for proper advice. Think I will look at fitting 3 sets of steps to make the area accessible, pull weeds again, and then plant surface plants as suggested.
Ground cover to out compete the weeds is certainly the way to go but I wouldn’t personally use herbaceous perennials because established weeds usually win that fight.
i would instead use tough shrubs like cotoneaster horizontallis and budleia. Your ground is rocky and they will colonise the cracks in the rock, out competing the weeds for food and water while beating them to the light as well.
Think of old buildings and their chimneys and the shrubs you see growing out of them. Rocky slopes are a similar situation.
it will take a while because these are hardly optimum conditions so the plants will grow slowly but with a bit of research into the right shrubs, your banking can provide flowers and fruit for the wildlife as well as a bit of autumn colour, while cutting out the weeds.
Posts
Neighbour to the right have fenced but also left it for 2 years.
i did think about installing 3 sets of the steps similar to the neighbour, set apart just enough that all parts can be accessed, so that is good advice.
Thanks.
Thanks.
I'd also probably tackle it in about 3 sections. Maybe concentrate on clearing the top third first - either hand weeding or weedkiller and just keep cutting back the weeds lower down to stop them setting seed.
When you're happy the top section is relatively weed free (you'll need to leave several weeks to check for regrowth) put in the sort of ground cover plants Bob has suggested. I'd also add geranium cantabrigiense "Biokovo" to the mix and possibly some grasses. You will need to water the plants regularly to get them going - but once established they'll need very little maintenance.
Ideally you'd mulch thickly between the baby plants to suppress further weed germination or growth - but I'm not sure what would stay in place on that slope. Using weed suppressant membrane would do the trick (you lay it and then cut holes and plant through it) - but it would make a dangerously slippery surface to access the plants for watering.
I think you'd be better planting quite densely to provide ground cover quickly. Maybe bulk buying of online plug plants is the way to go.
While you're waiting for regrowth of weeds to appear in the top section - make a start on the next bit. If you do use chemicals make sure there is no breeze to avoid spray drift onto your new plants. Hopefully, by this time next year you will have cleared & planted the whole area.
Or perhaps decide on your levels and do one level/ section at a time.
Sorry not to be rude or nosey it depends on what you have to spend on materials too. If you can get it all done in one, that is fine.
Good Luck .
Cheers again 👍🏻
Scott
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
i would instead use tough shrubs like cotoneaster horizontallis and budleia. Your ground is rocky and they will colonise the cracks in the rock, out competing the weeds for food and water while beating them to the light as well.
Think of old buildings and their chimneys and the shrubs you see growing out of them. Rocky slopes are a similar situation.
it will take a while because these are hardly optimum conditions so the plants will grow slowly but with a bit of research into the right shrubs, your banking can provide flowers and fruit for the wildlife as well as a bit of autumn colour, while cutting out the weeds.