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Novice Gardener

• Message 1. 

  Posted by AnnelieseA (U14941012) on Tuesday, 26th July 2011

  I recently bought an old cottage and the garden has suffered, weeds everywhere, self setting trees, clover and moss ridden grass, hawthorne bushes. I have no idea where to start but cannot afford to pay for a professional to come in and sort it out. Does anyone have any suggestions what to tackle first?
  Many thanks, Anneliese.

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by anothergardener (U14387447) on Tuesday, 26th July 2011

  Mow the grass regularly and otherwise ignore it for the time being.
  
  If possible, don't allow weeds to set seed - at the very least, cut the flowering heads off.
  
  Best advice for tree saplings, they'll probably be ash or sycamore, is to tackle the smallest ones first, which will be easy to dig out, and work your way up to the big ones.
  
  Divide the garden up into manageable sections and tackle a small area at a time. Invest in some heavy duty landscape fabric and if you can clear an area of woody plants, lay the landscape fabric and it will deal with the weeds.
  
  Lay some food and drink on and invite your friends and family round for a day to help, tell them to bring saws, loppers, secateurs. A mattock is an excellent tool for digging out bushes and trees.
  
  See it as a long term project and an enjoyable way of keeping fit in the fresh air, a positive attitude goes a long way.
  
  Have fun.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

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• Message 3

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by As_Iff (U13951957) on Wednesday, 27th July 2011

  Your cottage garden sounds like heaven to me.

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• Message 4

  , in reply to message 3.

  Posted by Trillium (U2170869) on Wednesday, 27th July 2011

  Great advice above.
  
  I would only add - focus on the area nearest the house that you can see from windows you regularly look out on. Just the first six foot or so for now.
  
  Your untended garden, messy though it may look, is a fantastic haven for wildlife and if you only tidy up the bits closest to the house and make somewhere to sit out, you'll have your own personal wildlife sanctuary on your doorstep.

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• Message 5

  , in reply to message 4.

  Posted by Papa Nopsis (U14479902) on Monday, 1st August 2011

  Indeed start on the grass. See how good you can get it. Tining, aerating, top dressing, scarifying, weedkilling grassfertilizing, all sorts of things you can do to improve it.
  
  See what the cheapest mowers is that will do the job well!
  
  Then think about some edges perhaps!
  
  Then in a year or two get some beds thoroughly weeded and replanted... perhaps, perhaps!

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