Hey everyone, I've taken on a huge project to revive my backyard that's been left unattended for around 20 years. It's a 30x100 space that's completely overrun with weeds, though a few perennials like poppies, peonies, and lilies are barely visible. The plan is to tackle it section by section: digging out the weeds and disposing of them at the city waste yard while keeping the perennials I want to save. Then I'll amend and till the soil as I go. I understand that weeds are likely to come back, maybe not as aggressively as before, but I'd love to hear your thoughts on this approach!
4 Answers
I faced a similar situation. I hand-weeded in sections and mowed the rest to prevent seed growth. It took time, but I found that layering cardboard with mulch helped suppress most of the weeds. It’s a slow process, but once you start, things will improve over time!
Instead of throwing those weeds away, why not compost them? It feels wasteful to dump them in a landfill. Plus, you can use the compost to enrich your soil later. Just a thought!
Have you considered using cardboard mulching? It's a great method to suppress weeds while you're working on your garden. Just remember, it can take a bit of time to cover a large area by yourself, and you might worry about weeds returning eventually. But if you do it right, the results can be worth it!
Thanks for the tip! I did some research but I'm worried about how much work it’ll be for such a big area and whether it’s as effective as digging everything out.
Grab some bagged wood mulch! As you clear each section, cover it right away. If you disturb the soil by digging too much, you'll just bring up old weed seeds. So, covering it as you go is super important!
I hadn't thought about that! I was just concerned they'd germinate again, but maybe composting could work if I do it right.