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Anyone into gardening here?
- Thread starter shanekingsley
- Start date
Yes the oregano is in a pot. Ill try to make sure the soil dries out a bit. The oregano I have growing in the ground is growing nicely
Good idea to keep the lawn cut high. The taller grass leads to deeper roots which are also more drought tolerant. And not only will it better shade the lawn and reduce weed seeds from germinating, but it will also shade the soil so it doesn't dry out as fast. All around win/win. The only time to cut the home lawn short is when trying to get rid of weeds that are less tolerant of low mowing than the grass is. If necessary, most lawn grasses can be cut as low as 1.5" with no damage to the plant, while the ideal mowing height would be around 4".
A few years ago, I used a sod cutter and stripped my whole front and back lawns. Because I didn't want to dump the old sod, I just flipped it upside down, lay some cardboard over it and then soil and mulch on top. It made a good base layer for a garden with zero waste.
Matthew - if you are interested, there are seed-starting soilless mixes you can get that have great drainage in them (like a higher sand or vermiculite content and less peat). They are better for growing plants from seed because they tend hold less moisture, thereby reducing the stem rot that can occur right at the soil level from normal potting soil mixes.
Joe - I looked at your lawn pics again and i think there are tiny yellow flowers there as well. If so, that might be black medic growing as well. Easy to hand pull when soil is moist.
A few years ago, I used a sod cutter and stripped my whole front and back lawns. Because I didn't want to dump the old sod, I just flipped it upside down, lay some cardboard over it and then soil and mulch on top. It made a good base layer for a garden with zero waste.
Matthew - if you are interested, there are seed-starting soilless mixes you can get that have great drainage in them (like a higher sand or vermiculite content and less peat). They are better for growing plants from seed because they tend hold less moisture, thereby reducing the stem rot that can occur right at the soil level from normal potting soil mixes.
Joe - I looked at your lawn pics again and i think there are tiny yellow flowers there as well. If so, that might be black medic growing as well. Easy to hand pull when soil is moist.
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biggest problem with my lawn is some sort of thistle and spiky weed, both have a tap root and one has fiberous roots in addition. Had a weed puller that would pull out the tap roots but it wasn't in the best shape when i got it and i appear to have worn it out. Been taking a spade to them as well, have an acre so watering the lawn isn't an option and without the weeds there would be no green in the yard at all.
the veggie garden gets watered regularly, and the spots between the plants are overrun with grass, yet the bald spots in my lawn are over run with the spiky weeds... :/ been using a hoe to try to get the grass in the garden.
the veggie garden gets watered regularly, and the spots between the plants are overrun with grass, yet the bald spots in my lawn are over run with the spiky weeds... :/ been using a hoe to try to get the grass in the garden.
Not if you are covering it with something else to smother the layer you are flipping. If the weeds have strong rhizomes or taproots like dandelions and burdock, then maybe (though still unlikely), but for most common lawn weeds, they will be completely smothered out. And like mentioned, if you spend a few minutes every day, you will get it under control.
Depends, some grassy weeds have deep roots, Sod cutter wont do kill it.
Joe, i would use round up mix and kill the whole section there. At the end of August, you can reseed the whole area. Then in November apply preemergent weed control (Use Dimension). Next Spring, another application of preemergent and you're good for next summer. Remember, reseed heavy this fall so you dont reseed again next spring, so you can apply preemergent early.
If you've never seed grass b4, ask. I can explain the steps clearer.
I'm not an extremist nor an alarmist, but in neighbourhoods where pets and young children play or you are growing vegetables, these products should really be avoided, unless you are trying to rid yourself of noxious weeds like poison ivy or hogweed etc... on a small home lawn - not so much.
These products have been banned for use on home lawns since 2008 for a reason. If you have a commercial exemption you can use specific products, but certain thresholds and parameters must be met before application. https://www.ontario.ca/page/pesticides-home-lawns-and-gardens
Round-up isn't the worst thing, and has a relatively short residual life in the soil, but it's becoming increasingly banned in countries and is currently under review by Health Canada. It's supposed to only affect plant tissues, but there are schools of research that say otherwise. I'm not sure yet, but I'd wait for more research before promoting it. Dimension on the other hand is a no-brainer. Look up the MSDS for it - it has chemicals in it that clearly affect the health of mammals and caution should be used. Both bio-accumulation and the fact that it can be tracked indoors where it will break down much slower than outdoors, make this a product best used in commercial applications only.
A much better pre-emergent would be to use something like corn gluten, which is a by-product of the corn milling process. It has the added benefit of having about 8-10% nitrogen, so you can use it as a weed control before the weed seeds germinate, and then use it as a natural fertilizer when your grass is growing. As a weed control, it basically works by inhibiting a seeds ability to successfully germinate and grow into plant. It doesn't work as fast or with as high success rates as herbicides, but that's the point... because natural solutions generally don't.
Interesting though - 10 years ago I would have said use these products... but the more I learn, the more natural I become.
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Yeah
I was going to look into those products for those reasons.
I always appreciate all types of advice @cool, but with young kids, I've tried to curb the use of pesticides. Probably one of the main reasons why I have weeds now. I was mostly a reactive gardener rather than proactive.
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I was going to look into those products for those reasons.
I always appreciate all types of advice @cool, but with young kids, I've tried to curb the use of pesticides. Probably one of the main reasons why I have weeds now. I was mostly a reactive gardener rather than proactive.
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GateKeeper
Well-known member
Got rid of all my weed issues
is been like this now for a week, sod was laid today...
is been like this now for a week, sod was laid today...
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GateKeeper
Well-known member
tilled the whole backyard, added 3 inches of topsoil and fresh sod
instant gratification
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Thanks for letting me know about Dimension. I haven't used it for 4 yrs as i kept my lawn healthy.
The round up mix is actually being used by farmers. There are lots of studies but no conclusion yet. Also there is no way you can digest it as its for your lawn. South America agricultural industry use it. They tested and it did not contaminate the crops, as the chemical does not work on the seeds as you might know.
I hate gluten corn, it barely works, not worth my time at all. I will look into different pre emergent products when i need to use it. For now I'm keeping my lawn healthy.
Its all about the soil, really.
The round up mix is actually being used by farmers. There are lots of studies but no conclusion yet. Also there is no way you can digest it as its for your lawn. South America agricultural industry use it. They tested and it did not contaminate the crops, as the chemical does not work on the seeds as you might know.
I hate gluten corn, it barely works, not worth my time at all. I will look into different pre emergent products when i need to use it. For now I'm keeping my lawn healthy.
Its all about the soil, really.
Keep us updated. I thought you're creating a barrier between the new sod and your old soil. Your new sod might have trouble growing through. Grass root need to go 4 inches minimum to be healthy.
The old grass being composted underneath the new soil will create heat and stop any thing to grow through. This is why youneed to use sod cuter to remove old sod completely, letting new soil and old soil contact well for microorganism to live.
I'm very curious to see how this turns out
No worries, we can always recondition the soil. It just take longer than using round up. When your soil is more suitable for grass, weed will stop. If you want the natural way, start using rake and keep raking up the weed, expose their roots for sun to burn. When fall comes, we attack full force, rebuild the soil and seed, lots of seeds. Grass is more resilient, believe it or not. If the condition is right, grass will overgrow weed. In fall weeds are dying, they dont have a chance
That's the truth.
Our veggies are coming along nicely too now. Saw the first tomatoes forming. This year I'm trying all different varieties, so hopefully they turn out well. Lot's of other stuff too.
This is June 2014 the way it was when we moved in:
This is June 2016:
edit: These veggies are growing on top of overturned sod and cardboard laid on top.
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Joe, I don't know if all mulberries are edible, but any mulberry tree I've ever been around is great snacking. Nice place to stand under on a hot day and pick away in the shade.
I don't use raised beds, because I've been too busy to build them each spring. I don't mind the plants on the ground too much - I have very little weeding to do, and my back is pretty used to working physically. I have already done up the plans for the raised beds, because I do think they are a more efficient way to use space. But for me, raised beds are permanent, so if I'm going to build them, I better be happy with their placement. I think now after growing the veggies here for a few summers, I know my space well enough that maybe next year I will build them. 2 years ago I built the gardens, last year I did a flagstone walkway, seated area and did a lot of perennial replanting, this year I built the compost bin plus lots more planting and next year will be the raised beds and hopefully a waterfall/pond.
Time and money.
I don't use raised beds, because I've been too busy to build them each spring. I don't mind the plants on the ground too much - I have very little weeding to do, and my back is pretty used to working physically. I have already done up the plans for the raised beds, because I do think they are a more efficient way to use space. But for me, raised beds are permanent, so if I'm going to build them, I better be happy with their placement. I think now after growing the veggies here for a few summers, I know my space well enough that maybe next year I will build them. 2 years ago I built the gardens, last year I did a flagstone walkway, seated area and did a lot of perennial replanting, this year I built the compost bin plus lots more planting and next year will be the raised beds and hopefully a waterfall/pond.
Time and money.
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