My yard is a mess
by
Dorothy
+8
My front yard is full of weeds growing and looks ugly compared to my neighbors. I have clay like soil and I want to do something that will not cost a lot. What can I do to my yard and how to change this as I am a novice gardener. From the street my yard looks like something from a old western, I need help?
10 answers
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you mentioned your front yard my you did not say lawn or garden.
Janet Pizaro
on Aug 27, 2015
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Dorothy do you have vocational schools in Canada where you can go and for a nominal fee hire students for ideas and grunt work. Or what about a local gardeners club. Ask if they will hold a meeting at your place and for cookies and lemonade get some great advice. If these ideas do not appeal why not embrace the western theme with split rail fence and galvanized buckets and tubs for container gardens
Trixie63
on Aug 27, 2015
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Talk to one of your neighbors to find out what they did. They should have pretty much the same soil. Do you have a Cooperative Extension office in Canada? If so, contact them. You need to do a soil test, then follow the instructions for amending the soil in order to grow what it is you want: grass, flowers, etc. It also matters what kind of weeds you are talking about! This is the time to aerate the soil (rent a machine), add top soil and grass seed if you want lawn. If you want to put in a garden, mark off that area and till that soil (again, rent the machine). Amend the soil with compost and manure (again - a soil test) and turn it all under. You will need someone fairly strong to help but this is not impossible! Can you post a photo of where you are starting? You may also want to use the winter to research "how to start a new lawn" etc, so you know the exact steps to take, but fall is the best time to start grass seed!
Gretchen
on Aug 28, 2015
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If possible, could you post a couple pictures so we know what you are dealing with? They always help folks make suggestions on how to approach the situation.. thanks, R
Rus1058682
on Aug 28, 2015
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build raised beds, do the "lasnagna method" for filling them so that you will end up with wonderful dirt, and garden in them next year. Be aware that this is not a quick and easy fix as it will be a lot of work, but how rewarding! You will also be able to do some late fall and early spring gardening in them as well if you add row covers.
Sylvia
on Aug 28, 2015
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Hi, I recently heard that spraying vinegar will kill weeds. :)
Bet
on Aug 28, 2015
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If you know anyone who farms, see if you can get composted manure to add to your soil. Unlike what you would think, sand won't help it, but compost will. Then look for any plants in your yard that you like, especially if they are over grown. You can dig these up and separate them for more plants. Be careful as you do plant in respect to what size the mature plant (tree, shrub) will be. Now is a good time to dream up some plans.
Loretta Clark
on Aug 28, 2015
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I hear you! Have the same. Grass grows OK. Have dug out and replaced the clay soil in the beds more than once - by the 2nd year, the clay has come back. Gave up. Any flowers that grow have to be tough! Beesbaum likes a heavy soil and thrives. Hollyhocks, peonies, ferns, iris, do OK . Have a really nice front yard in spite of this garbage soil.
Marion Nesbitt
on Aug 29, 2015
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Decide how much maintenance you want to keep up with .. Draw a rough sketch of your yard.. Decorate the path to your door with rocks and edging .. Put out some pot plants ( that are tough, hardy.. ) leave them in the pots so you can move them around for a couple of different looks.. Once you have the main pathway as you would like it.. You have found your style.. And branch out drone there... There's really no end to fountains, planters, statuettes.. Bushes.. Grasses .. Rocks.. A customer of mine had a arch bridge built that you crossed in the way to the door... And a pebble creek running under it.. With larger rocks and plants to... Outline the winding fake river.. Best wishes
Willie Simpson
on Aug 29, 2015
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A lot of the organic people won't like this, but when I bought my house, it had been maintained by a lawn care company, that sprayed liquid crab grass and weed killer on the lawn in the spring, sprayed liquid fertilizer four times in the summer and fall. I didn't like using all these chemicals, so I stopped the maintenance company, and over a period of 7 years, my lawn is crap. I finally called the maintenance company up and started their service again.
LeeAnn Gerleman
on Feb 20, 2016
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