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Clearing an neglected garden
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In front of my house, across the track and in a field, is an area of fenced off used-to-be-a-garden. I reckon about 10m by 15m.
In the past (pre-me) this garden was very well tended and had a great variety of fruit and vegetables in it. Amongst all the overgrown weeds and rubbish there are two redcurrant bushes and some lovely rambling rose plants.
Until the herd of cows broke in to the other week it was very difficult to walk around it, however they munched through a load of juicy thistles and dandelions and assorted other stuff.
Now I want to have it cleared, turned over, refenced and brought back into use. It's south facing so could make not only a productive space but a lovely place for an open air sitooterie. Could be great for gatherings, raised beds and even (perhaps) a poly tunnel. My ideas are overlapping and rushing around.
I need some advice about the order of early processes. I wouldn't think that having a digger brought in and the earth turned over should be the first task as it won't get rid of the overgrowth, just give it new life. Of course, I am nowhere near expert on this.
So... do I have it all the weeds and so on cleared out and removed before having it all dug over? Or will having it dug over first be best to have the weeds act as fertiliser? It's a question of order so please help with this first part.
Thanks
In the past (pre-me) this garden was very well tended and had a great variety of fruit and vegetables in it. Amongst all the overgrown weeds and rubbish there are two redcurrant bushes and some lovely rambling rose plants.
Until the herd of cows broke in to the other week it was very difficult to walk around it, however they munched through a load of juicy thistles and dandelions and assorted other stuff.
Now I want to have it cleared, turned over, refenced and brought back into use. It's south facing so could make not only a productive space but a lovely place for an open air sitooterie. Could be great for gatherings, raised beds and even (perhaps) a poly tunnel. My ideas are overlapping and rushing around.
I need some advice about the order of early processes. I wouldn't think that having a digger brought in and the earth turned over should be the first task as it won't get rid of the overgrowth, just give it new life. Of course, I am nowhere near expert on this.
So... do I have it all the weeds and so on cleared out and removed before having it all dug over? Or will having it dug over first be best to have the weeds act as fertiliser? It's a question of order so please help with this first part.
Thanks
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Comments
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10x15m isn't much.
I'd spray it and 4 weeks later get someone with a brushcutter to hack it all down to ground level. Rake it all up and get rid, then rotovate.0 -
glasgowdan wrote: »10x15m isn't much.
I'd spray it and 4 weeks later get someone with a brushcutter to hack it all down to ground level. Rake it all up and get rid, then rotovate.
I would reverse that order. Going in first with the strimmer or brushcutter gives you the chance to see what plants you want to keep (you mention some roses and fruit bushes - no point in killing these just to replace them). Once it is clear, give it a week or two to start to regrow and spray the patches that you want to rotavate for veg plots and simply mow or strim the portions that will be grass.
Since you mention dandelions and thistles, it sounds like it is maybe not as far gone as we are imagining. It is a bit late in the year to be starting veg plots, so I think I would just get the current overgrowth under control and mow it for the few remaining weeks of summer. Then in autumn (once the midges are past!) start on the work for the veg plots. Laying some black plastic on the veg plots now will make the autumn work easier.0 -
Do you own this land?0
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Thanks for the suggestions so far.
My thoughts around the development are about raised beds (I'm getting on and my knees feel older than the rest of me), an edging of flower beds etc but don't expect much until next year.
There's nothing much worth keeping - the two red currant bushes are well past their useful date. There's brambles entwined throughout them and there's not been much fruit on them this year. And I can live without red currants.
The old rose will stay, it's right at the edge of the plot so just needs some attention and tamed.
Once I figure out a new image hosting site I'll post up pictures.
Spraying the whole area would be a task beyond me, as is the the whole project, but i have budgeted for strong blokes to do the work.
I like the idea of strimming / brushcutting back, spraying and the rotavating.
Thanks.0 -
This is one I took yesterday. I'll put up some more with better perspective later on.
[/url] best image hosting free[/IMG] 0 -
Get a pig. It will clear it of all the greenery and roots.For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple and wrong.0
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If you strim THEN spray there'll be a lot more regrowth of unwanted stuff next year, even allowing a few weeks between for things to grow back.
The bushes and rose will be easy to avoid whilst spraying.
I'd charge £50 or so to spray that size area, probably the same to strim it all down in an hour. So it's not too expensive a task.0 -
glasgowdan wrote: »If you strim THEN spray there'll be a lot more regrowth of unwanted stuff next year, even allowing a few weeks between for things to grow back.
The bushes and rose will be easy to avoid whilst spraying.
I'd charge £50 or so to spray that size area, probably the same to strim it all down in an hour. So it's not too expensive a task.
When are you available?
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