ᐅ Weedy Garden Before New Construction – What Should I Do?
Created on: 3 Aug 2021 19:25
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NewHouseAppear
Hello everyone,
We plan to demolish an old house and build a new one on the same site by the end of the year (around December).
Currently, the backyard (photo attached) is overgrown, which is due not only to it being summer but also because no one has maintained the garden for the past two years. Besides a lot of weeds, many wild plants and some smaller (!) trees are growing there (pear, apple, cherry, etc.). There are also some 30x30 cm (12x12 inch) stone slabs used as garden bed borders.
The garden covers an area of about 150 m² (roughly 12x12 m (39x39 ft) plus a few irregular spots).
Now we are wondering what to do with it. Ideally, we would like to save a few healthy, young trees by relocating them to the edges, then completely clear or till the rest and cover it with a weed membrane until the house construction is finished and we can finally start caring for the garden.
This week, we had a small landscaping company give us a cost estimate → about €4,600 (including 19% tax).
Now to two questions:
1) Is what we are planning a common approach, and does it actually work this way (clearing + weed membrane until the house is finished)?
2) What do you think of this cost estimate? Unfortunately, I have no experience to compare it with.
Thanks a lot and best regards
We plan to demolish an old house and build a new one on the same site by the end of the year (around December).
Currently, the backyard (photo attached) is overgrown, which is due not only to it being summer but also because no one has maintained the garden for the past two years. Besides a lot of weeds, many wild plants and some smaller (!) trees are growing there (pear, apple, cherry, etc.). There are also some 30x30 cm (12x12 inch) stone slabs used as garden bed borders.
The garden covers an area of about 150 m² (roughly 12x12 m (39x39 ft) plus a few irregular spots).
Now we are wondering what to do with it. Ideally, we would like to save a few healthy, young trees by relocating them to the edges, then completely clear or till the rest and cover it with a weed membrane until the house construction is finished and we can finally start caring for the garden.
This week, we had a small landscaping company give us a cost estimate → about €4,600 (including 19% tax).
Now to two questions:
1) Is what we are planning a common approach, and does it actually work this way (clearing + weed membrane until the house is finished)?
2) What do you think of this cost estimate? Unfortunately, I have no experience to compare it with.
Thanks a lot and best regards
M
motorradsilke4 Aug 2021 07:42I would design the small garden area myself. I wouldn’t do anything this year. Next spring, you can slowly start with the back part since the construction area doesn’t extend that far. First, make a plan of what you actually want. The fruit trees don’t look like they can be transplanted, at least not with reasonable effort (as far as can be seen in the picture). So I would leave in place what doesn’t get in the way. Then dig up the rest—there’s no need to do it all in one day, or you could rent a rototiller. Remove the roots during this. Then redesign the area, maybe with some flowers, shrubs, lawn, whatever you prefer. The parts too close to the construction site should be landscaped after the building work is completed.
O
Osnabruecker4 Aug 2021 10:25That would be a wonderful task for one or two nice days off.
A trailer for green waste, a shovel for replanting, a brush cutter, and a chilled box of beer (also for the neighbors).
Afterwards, you’ll know what you’ve done, and it will clearly feel like “your” property.
But none of this is a must. It’s just an interesting alternative to a two-day package holiday at a wellness spa.
A trailer for green waste, a shovel for replanting, a brush cutter, and a chilled box of beer (also for the neighbors).
Afterwards, you’ll know what you’ve done, and it will clearly feel like “your” property.
But none of this is a must. It’s just an interesting alternative to a two-day package holiday at a wellness spa.
N
NewHouseAppear4 Aug 2021 13:37Thank you all for the responses!
We’ll leave it be for now to grow and will take care of it in the spring.
During winter, quite a lot of the flowers die off anyway.
We’ll leave it be for now to grow and will take care of it in the spring.
During winter, quite a lot of the flowers die off anyway.
B
Bertram1004 Aug 2021 17:03To hell with the motorized brush cutter. A manual scythe is more effective and gentler. Except for your own calorie needs. But that’s not a problem.