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Established weeds vs novice gardner in big garden
indieandtiny
Posts: 2
Hello!
I'm completely new here so apologies if I've posted this in the wrong place.
I have just taken care of my parent's garden. The garden is approx 80m x 25m and has been neglected for the past 8 years. There is no grass, just weeds and a bit of moss on the far side. The weeds I have identified are bindweed and dockweed but there are many others. In January I covered the lawn with black material which allows water through but blocks the light. This has been in place for eight months. I intended to remove it and dig the lawn over to try and sow grass seed. This is where I am stuck: I started digging a small corner and found the ground so thick with dead weed roots that the only way to get them out is by hand, but as the weed roots have broken into small fragments, it took me about 2 hours to clear 1sq m. My questions are as follows:
- Do I need to remove the dead roots/root fragments or can they be left in the soil?
- I was also considering hiring a rotavator due to the extent of the garden but I read somewhere that the soil should not be tilled/dug over?
I have delibreately not used weedkiller as I think (?) that this is bad for the soil and larger environment. I only want to grow grass but am anxious that the weeds have been unchecked for so many years that perhaps the garden is beyond aid! I don't know anything about gardening (really, nothing) and, it's just me - one person to do the lot. I don't have money to hire a gardener so any advice you can offer would be so much appreciated!
Thanks in advance for your time,
Harriet
I'm completely new here so apologies if I've posted this in the wrong place.
I have just taken care of my parent's garden. The garden is approx 80m x 25m and has been neglected for the past 8 years. There is no grass, just weeds and a bit of moss on the far side. The weeds I have identified are bindweed and dockweed but there are many others. In January I covered the lawn with black material which allows water through but blocks the light. This has been in place for eight months. I intended to remove it and dig the lawn over to try and sow grass seed. This is where I am stuck: I started digging a small corner and found the ground so thick with dead weed roots that the only way to get them out is by hand, but as the weed roots have broken into small fragments, it took me about 2 hours to clear 1sq m. My questions are as follows:
- Do I need to remove the dead roots/root fragments or can they be left in the soil?
- I was also considering hiring a rotavator due to the extent of the garden but I read somewhere that the soil should not be tilled/dug over?
I have delibreately not used weedkiller as I think (?) that this is bad for the soil and larger environment. I only want to grow grass but am anxious that the weeds have been unchecked for so many years that perhaps the garden is beyond aid! I don't know anything about gardening (really, nothing) and, it's just me - one person to do the lot. I don't have money to hire a gardener so any advice you can offer would be so much appreciated!
Thanks in advance for your time,
Harriet
0
Posts
You could take the plastic off and sees what grows between now and seed sowing time in September.
You could rotavate but if some roots are still viable you risk spreading it, bindweed will grow from the smallest piece.
It's a huge area to dig by hand though, but you do need to loosen up the soil a bit and level it out if necessary.
Next year when you start to mow that will take care of most weeds except dandelions and clover and you could use a weed and feed treatment.
Have you considered perhaps only doing the area near the house and maybe a wild flower meadow area further back.
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