Hello everyone,
We moved into a house in the middle of last year and took over a garden that had essentially been kept with low mowing of weeds and wild plants over the past few years. It’s a mix of various weed species, wild plants, grasses, lots of moss, some fungi, only a few patches of lawn, and a handful of trees and shrubs.
Because of the large number of roots and seeds in the soil, weeds will sprout again this year. Additionally, the dense moss growth suggests nutrient problems to me.
What steps should I take to turn this mess into a nicely designed garden with flower beds and lawn areas, where only the desired plants grow and not what is currently there?
Can I still till everything up with a motorized tiller/cultivator, pull out all the weeds I find, then add some sand and fresh soil along with plenty of fertilizer? If yes: how often would I need to do this until most of it is removed? Probably at least two growing seasons, right?
Or would it be more practical to remove the top 10-20 cm (4-8 inches) of soil once, or have it removed, and completely replace the topsoil because the soil is so "contaminated" with weeds and nutrient-poor?
I want to plant rhododendrons along one edge, and due to the conditions here (the soil is rather clayey, but rhododendrons need lighter and much more acidic soil), I would probably have to completely replace the top layers of soil in that area.
Do I have to or should I also do this in areas where "only" lawn is planned, or would tilling and adding soil be sufficient to achieve an acceptable result?
Attached are pictures showing the current condition.
Thank you very much for your feedback! You can tell I’m still a gardening novice but already have many plans 😉
We moved into a house in the middle of last year and took over a garden that had essentially been kept with low mowing of weeds and wild plants over the past few years. It’s a mix of various weed species, wild plants, grasses, lots of moss, some fungi, only a few patches of lawn, and a handful of trees and shrubs.
Because of the large number of roots and seeds in the soil, weeds will sprout again this year. Additionally, the dense moss growth suggests nutrient problems to me.
What steps should I take to turn this mess into a nicely designed garden with flower beds and lawn areas, where only the desired plants grow and not what is currently there?
Can I still till everything up with a motorized tiller/cultivator, pull out all the weeds I find, then add some sand and fresh soil along with plenty of fertilizer? If yes: how often would I need to do this until most of it is removed? Probably at least two growing seasons, right?
Or would it be more practical to remove the top 10-20 cm (4-8 inches) of soil once, or have it removed, and completely replace the topsoil because the soil is so "contaminated" with weeds and nutrient-poor?
I want to plant rhododendrons along one edge, and due to the conditions here (the soil is rather clayey, but rhododendrons need lighter and much more acidic soil), I would probably have to completely replace the top layers of soil in that area.
Do I have to or should I also do this in areas where "only" lawn is planned, or would tilling and adding soil be sufficient to achieve an acceptable result?
Attached are pictures showing the current condition.
Thank you very much for your feedback! You can tell I’m still a gardening novice but already have many plans 😉
ateliersiegel21 Mar 2023 09:35Trautes Heim schrieb:
to have a nicely designed garden with flower beds and a lawn area where what is supposed to grow actually grows, and not just whatever is already there? The tendency of garden owners to remove the natural vegetation—meaning what is already there—often results in the "natural inhabitants"—such as insects, earthworms, mites, and all the other organisms that bring the garden to life—no longer feeling comfortable.
From my perspective, this approach—very simplified—is one of the causes of climate change.