Rocks/Paving Slabs/Bricks etc underground

Ah yes, I've also got neighbours from both sides who are cat fanatics and some of them are prone to er... 'leaving a deposit' behind in what they I dare say consider a massive litter tray. What's the best, proven method to keep them away? Will I need to purchase the ACME super soaker 3000? Or as a friend suggested 'lions urine'..

 

Have a look here

http://www.gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/threads/safe-ways-to-keep-cats-out-of-your-garden.40052/

 

If you started clearing in May then you may have already seen more weeds appearing. Weed seeds can lay dormant for some years, so the only control you will have for any that appear in the lawn in the future is as I said above, digging out or a lawn weed killer.

I've not used Deep Root so can't make a comparison for you, sorry. I've always bought Round Up in a spray bottle, but other members would suggest buying the sort to be diluted as it works out cheaper, I believe it has to be sprayed on too.

 

Hi. Just getting back to your original post, I've also come across lots of that netting stuff and apparently the previous owner used to have shingle all over the garden and the netting stops weeds from getting through. I'm also having a nightmare with stones, I'm looking into building or buying a large soil sieve.

 

Ah yes, damn good things those sieves. I have one myself, has come extremely in handy to sift out the rubble and save the soil.

 

I would be looking into repairing those fences first before doing anything else. You don't really want to have dug over all the soil, planted etc and then the panels come down in the first gales we have.

 

An idea I have entertained many times over the last couple of years, unfortunately my finances are in severe dire straits and couldn't stretch to repairing the fence. So at the moment they're being bolstered by large logs just in case. Not the best way to do things but when you're strapped for cash it seems the best thing to do. So feeling there's no time like the present I shall press on with my plans and hope for the best. It doesn't help that my neighbour's garden resembles the Amazon rain forest (he has a fear of gardens that I once shared!) and his helpful "foliage" creeps under the fence and probably damages it slowly. Ho hum!

 

Do you not have freecycle where you are? You could get rid of the rubble and possibly even pick up some free fencing from there.

 

I've got the rubble under control (wheelie bin over a number of weeks) I've heard of freecyle through my brother-in-law (lives in Matfield, Kent) who praises it immensely. Not sure if I've got one in my urban sprawl but I shall certainly check it out. If I am successful the next plan would be learning how to put it up, DIY's never been my strong point!

 

To me those fence panels don't really need replacing. It's the footings that do. If you're willing to put the effort then it shouldn't really cost much. Just the cost of a couple of bags of cement and having the posts leveled.

Digging out the footings for the fence panels by the tree could be interesting. It would be much easier doing it now instead of removing plants later in gardens life and disturbing quite a few of them in the process.

Just my two pence on it.

 

Totally appreciate the advice. As it happens this whole garden project started 2 years ago when my insurance company told me I'd have to chop down the 6 nearest conifer trees (that's what the insurance company called them) as they were causing cracks in the foundations of the house. A good friend of mine decided the best way to save cash was to chop them up myself aided by him and some other helpful pals of mine. After 3 months of careful cutting and sawing twice a week the job got done. This was the catalyst that got my bottom in gear and got me seriously into gardening. The following year and a half I did nothing but gradually clear away a hell of a lot of branches, logs etc by burning them, sawing them up and so on. It's only this year things have started to clear quite nicely. The reason I've mentioned this is because the same pal who spurred me into action would also be the ideal overseer when I attempt to replace the footings.
On another note... since I've began this little venture I've had a fair few budding gardeners at work who when they've found out what I'm up to have slid out of the shadows and offered a sackful of advice. In fact only today one of them loaned me a soil tester thingy (can't remember the official name!) and did a couple of tests earlier. Apparently the sunlight intensity was normal, the soil was dry+ and the PH was a neutral 7.0. Does any of this bode well at all?

 

Hello gang, thought I'd resurrect this thread with a fresh question I'm sure you good people will know the answer to. Recently I dug up an area which has the remains of old bushes etc where the roots seemingly go deep underground. I'm keen to rid myself of these to continue my project of overhauling the garden. What's the best way to do it? Would a no-n0nsense weed killer do it or will it require a lot more digging to upend the roots?

 

So you're still working hard in the garden then LA!

I don't think there is a weed killer that will work on roots alone, even a glyphosate based one like Round-up. For these to work it needs to be sprayed on foliage which is then taken down to the roots, sorry! With most shrubs once the plant is detached from the roots - the roots should die off but obviously that will take time. Is it possible for you dig out what you can get to and work round the others?

 

I think that could be done but considering how awful the weather's been lately I don't seem to get as much time outside before the rain starts falling! Still, it should be a nice, dry day tomorrow so it's back to the old manual labour and dig, dig, dig!