I'm tackling a very neglected part of my garden, focusing on a border that's about 18 feet long and 12-18 inches wide, shaped strangely. I've started clearing it, and it's currently filled with grape hyacinth, bluebells, forget-me-nots, along with a ton of pesky weeds like dandelions, thistles, ivy, and bindweed. I've stripped it down but it still looks messy. I'm tempted to dig about six inches down to replace the soil since hand weeding isn't cutting it. I'm fine with losing some bulbs I've uncovered and want to get out as many weed roots as possible. I'd love to know if I should use compost, topsoil, or maybe a mix with manure? Any suggestions?
2 Answers
I'd say go for topsoil! Just make sure you dig a little deeper, especially for those bindweed roots that tend to go deep. Trust me, they can be relentless if you leave any behind.
Topsoil is a solid choice, but don’t underestimate bindweed—it takes more than just a surface clear out. A friend had to literally pull up everything to get rid of it all. Keep in mind, if you leave any root bits in the ground, they’ll sprout back! You might want to check out this link for more on dealing with bindweed: [Gardeners World advice](https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/solve-problems/field-bindweed/)
Thanks for the heads up! I think I might need to fully excavate it to really start fresh. Appreciate the link!