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Stevo985

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When you do get your lawn back give it lawn fertaliser to keep it healthy that way the lawn will be stronger than any weeds that try to take root in it.

This advice was given to me by a nursery man and it works a treat.

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Okay, so recently, to make our own garden look decent I decided to learn how to garden. Mostly it's trial and error, but I find it fun. 

 

 If you're planning on making it into a lawn, then it shouldn't be too hard in terms of skill, but it'll take some elbow grease. I wouldn't use strong weedkillers personally, but you can, you'll still have to clear the dead weeds though. If you rotavate a weedy area you'll more than likely chop up some of the weeds roots, and they can potentially multiply (according to my Alan Titchycock book) and it'll disturb your topsoil, which isn't always a good thing. Just chep 'em down and pull/dig all the bastards out by the roots, rake the soil and spread some grass seed. It'll grow if you water it.

 

You'll get some weeds come up in a new lawn where weeds have lived, we did my brothers last year and he had a few, but when you start mowing the big weeds will struggle and the grass will get stronger. When it comes up, mow it really high otherwise you'll stress it and kill it. Maybe put some fertiliser on it in september... up to you. 

 

 

 

I put some weed and feed on my lawn this year, killed loads of moss and weeds but left loads of nasty looking patches, so reseeded patches last month and it's already grown over. 

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^^^Thanks for the advice

 

Not afraid of elbow grease. I've cleared the area once before, 2 years ago when I first moved in. But all the weeds and that came back. So that was why I was thinking I needed something to keep the weeds away.

 

I think I definitely need to rotavate it because the ground isn't suitable to seed, it's really hard and uneven. Need to dig it up and level it a bit.

But I'll make sure to clear it of weeds first.

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Calm down Morpheus, not that kind of gardening.

 

 

Don't think there's a thread on here for gardening, so I'm starting one! Somewhere to throw ideas around, ask for advice, show off etc

 

I'm not a keen gardener, but I need to take some interest as I have a large garden with potential, but it is currently useless as I don't do anything with it bar mowing the grass.

 

 

So here's the advice I'm after. Half of my garden is grass, which is fine. I mow it. The other half (the bottom half)  is overgrown at the moment with weeds, briars, long grass etc.

 

What's the best plan of attack for this? My thoughts were to borrow a strimmer and get it all cut down, and then hire a rotavator and dig up the ground, then replant the grass (just basic grass seed)

Will that work or will the weeds come back with the grass? Could go for turf but it's more expensive and I'm in no hurry so can afford to wait for the seed to grow.

 

(I realise this is a really boring thread, but I need advice so worth a try! :) )

Hi Stevo i'm a gardener by trade so the general advice you've already been given is sound enough.

 

If you are going to extent your problematic area to the main lawn a couple of things to remember. When you strim the excess weeds away and then start to your clearance by spade or otherwise make sure your soil is level with the existing lawn. If you have to, add top soil to do this and not compost or peat as the area will sink. Firm in the top soil with your heel making sure you are still level with the existing lawn and then rake to loosen the top layer of top soil so that your grass seed has something to take root on.

 

This is the part where you have to show patience. You must wait a further week before sowing the seed. Within that week more stones will be disclosed in the treated area and you might have a slight drop in the level again so at the end of that week rake the excess stones of the treated patch and adjust your levels if needed. Then sow your seed. Use good quality treated seed and not parkland seed as it is full of weed seed and other greenery you wouldn't want. When you sow, gently rake it into the treated area and then sow again in the opposite direction. The best time to sow is just before a shower of rain but if no rain has fallen within a few days then use the hose but don't point the hose directly at the treated area or you will just hose the seed into one particular area and have a patchy hit (growth). Point the hose into the sky and let the water fall like rain drops, that way, you won't dislodge the seed.

 

Also be aware of aspect (where the sun is in relation to your lawn). If your lawn is mainly shaded then get grass seed for shaded areas as normal seed will go mosey without decent levels of sunshine.

 

Within 3-5 weeks depending on weather conditions, you should see the first green shoots of your newly patched lawn. Try to stay off it as much as possible and when grown to an unruly height then give it it's first cut but with the blade of your mower set high. You will also note that the new grass will be a different shade of green to your existing lawn but this will, in time become unnoticeable.

 

Hope this helps.

Edited by Morpheus
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Cheers pal.

 

The problem with making it level with the existing lawn is the garden slopes down as you go from lawn to jungle, so that might be hard to judge, but I'll do my best.

 

Long term I'm thinking of levelling both sides out to their respective heights and putting a wall in with a couple of steps down. Dunno how hard that will be! :)

 

I'm going to make a start this weekend assuming it stays dry so I'll take some pictures to show some progress and what I'm faced with.

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Yeah good idea if the slope is severe. If you are going to build a wall, as you will already know, a good deep foundation is needed and always, always use a spirit level if using brick. Alternatively, you could build a wall out of old treated railway sleepers. Very aesthetically pleasing to the eye if each one is dropped down to incorporate the slope and then also use cut railway sleepers as your steps.

 

If you are going to attempt this then a little path made out of ornamental slabs would be nice leading to the steps between your wall as it would entice the eye to look beyond to see what else lies behind the wall?

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It's not too severe, I'd say there's about 3 feet difference in height between the top of the garden and the bottom, but most of it occurs abotu halfway down, i.e. it's not gradual.

 

So in my head I was thinking I'd strip the turf back a few metres from the centre of the steep bit on both sides, dig the earth out from the bottom side and pile it into the top side until both are level and now at totally different heights.

 

Then relay the turf and build a wall to keep it that way and for aesthetics

Edited by Stevo985
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  • 2 weeks later...

I don't know WTF is happening to me.

I am growing chillis indoors and now planting shrubs and trees in the garden. Even got a solar water feature. Palm trees, weeping willow, ivy, even fruit trees.

 

And it's quite interesting.

 

Anyway, back to Empornium...

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Do you want it all lawn or to sort the overgrown half out in to somewhere you can grow plants or veg?

I want it all lawn. I wouldn't use a vegetable patch.

 

There's a huge concrete base thing right at the bottom of the garden under all the overgrown bit. I think there used to be a garage there.

Was thinking of building some decking over it, using it as a base.

 

But again I have absolutely no idea how to go about that so if anyone has any advice on decking as well I'd be eager to hear it

 

Buy some lengths of wood, screw them together in a kind of grid formation. Attach them to the ground some how. Screw your lengths of decking to it. Bingo!

 

DSCF3009.JPG

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Timber Decks can become death traps in winter and need lots of maintenance

I would suggest a raised granite or similar patio.

As for the other areas, artificial grass is growing in popularity and the spec is now or can be superb. Not cheap at the moment but prices are falling.

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Do you want it all lawn or to sort the overgrown half out in to somewhere you can grow plants or veg?

I want it all lawn. I wouldn't use a vegetable patch.

 

There's a huge concrete base thing right at the bottom of the garden under all the overgrown bit. I think there used to be a garage there.

Was thinking of building some decking over it, using it as a base.

 

But again I have absolutely no idea how to go about that so if anyone has any advice on decking as well I'd be eager to hear it

 

Buy some lengths of wood, screw them together in a kind of grid formation. Attach them to the ground some how. Screw your lengths of decking to it. Bingo!

 

DSCF3009.JPG

 

How hard can it be?

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Good man, Rob!

 

p.s. Stevo, where are the photos?

Just tried to upload some but failed (not enough phone signal at work :( )

 

I'll upload them tonight if I remember.

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Do you want it all lawn or to sort the overgrown half out in to somewhere you can grow plants or veg?

I want it all lawn. I wouldn't use a vegetable patch.

 

There's a huge concrete base thing right at the bottom of the garden under all the overgrown bit. I think there used to be a garage there.

Was thinking of building some decking over it, using it as a base.

 

But again I have absolutely no idea how to go about that so if anyone has any advice on decking as well I'd be eager to hear it

 

Buy some lengths of wood, screw them together in a kind of grid formation. Attach them to the ground some how. Screw your lengths of decking to it. Bingo!

 

DSCF3009.JPG

 

How hard can it be?

 

2 hours work, tops!
 
As CI said, they can be blooming dangerous. My inlaws have decking immediately outside their back door and when even slightly damp they can be incredibly slippery
 
(^^ yes I am aware there is a joke in there)
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Mine will be right down the bottom of the garden so it won't be like you'll be stepping out the back door straight onto it or anything.

 

And to be quite honest, I'll probably hardly use it. I just want the garden to look good.

 

Out of interest, how much does wood like that cost? Say I wanted half what's in that picture you posted? I have no idea what that sort of stuff costs.

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Thought I'd uploaded more than one pic, but this seems to be the only one that made it to my imageshack account

 

This is what I have at the moment. As I said, half lawn, which is fine (although a bit yellow and weedy). It's the back half that is the problem and what I'll be addressing over the summer, I hope

 

20130526135540.jpg

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It doesn't look that bad. :)

I'd have thought one of those petrol strimmers should fly through that in next to no time.

Edit: It'll be getting it tidy afterwards that'll probably take the time (and money).

 

Is it the angle of the picture or is the shed in the middle of the lawn?

Edited by snowychap
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Yeah I've sourced a petrol strimmer to borrow. Probably won't have a weekend free until the 22nd though so I'll try and do it then. Clearing the grass and nettles etc will be relatively easy. It's turning what's underneath into a nice lawn that will take the work.

 

It's the angle. The shed's up against a fence, it's just a very narrow garden. BUt I hate where the shed is anyway. Seems ridiculous to have it there. 

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