A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion Landscape trials and triumphs Butterfly and Bird Gardens HELP!

Hello,

I want to turn my patio area into my private paradise. I understand that it could take 95,000 years to get it the way I want. The area is all grass with only a couple of spots where I have flowers. I would like to turn the entire area into a garden where there will be a couple of paths, a picnic area, a bird bath and possibly a fountain. My concern is getting rid of the grass. I would like advice on the easiest way to get rid of the grass. I was thinking that they entire area would have to be tilled up first but I know I will have to add a lot of dirt any ways. So I was thinking that maybe I could kill the grass off by covering it with burlap coffee bags, then having the dirt dumped in on top it. Once the dirt is in place I would mulch the area HEAVILY then plant my flowers. Does anyone have any first hand advice on this? All help would be greatly appreciated!

You want to do lasgna bed preparation.

You'll need chicken poo (it is hot enough to kill off the grasss, weeds and the seed of the weeds.

Then you will want lots of cardboard or newspaper. This is placed over the entire area overlapping so that no sun reaches the grass. If you are using newpaper it needs to be several sheets deep.

On top of that you want to alternate layers of dried leaves and grass. About 50 to 75% leaves to 50 to 25% grass clippings. This will make the soil that you want in the new place.

Keep the area moist like a wrung out sponge until the cardboard disintergrates. At that point you can till and plant. It is easier than pulling up the sod and laying down dirt also the quality of the soil you get this way is top notch. The only amendments you will need to add is if you are planting high acid or alkaline loving plants.

Good luck with your paradise. I'm on the 10 year plan at my place. And it's comming right along.

I did it. this used to be all grass. My husband said it was the prettiest grass area in the entire yard and didn't see why I dug it up. Anyway I did. I tillered it up several times, then when things grew back pulled it up. I put down black plastic for a while and mulch and more mulch. I didn't bring in new dirt. I planted a lot of seeds hoping to keep weeds from growing. I still have some weeds but not so much.

Oh yea. I put down newspaper after I took up the black plastic. I put down newspaper and watered it in. You can cut the paper and plant while it's down.

Your getting very smart on the weed attack.
I have bush balsam come up everywhere and let it grow till I renew the beds.
Friend wanted to know why I did that.
I said that is my weed control.LOL

b

right. If you can get plants to come up really thick they will choke out the weeds.

Thanks TK, Best and Dodge! I have never heard of a lasagna bed before. That sounds like the route I want to take except I don't know where I would get enough chicken poo. LoL I was thinking I would have to build up the area anyways. If I'm understanding you correctly I am killing off the grass by blocking the sunlight and then truing the entire area into a compost site only wetting it down regularly?

I arent following the wetting down regularly to compose.
You turn it regularly and add lime I think?

b

surely, that doesn't mean you have to wait 10 years to plant?

Naw, Cricket--I think she means she has so much she wants to do, she figures it will take her 10 years to do it. --

She just moved into this nice place of hers in the last year or so, and has a lot she wants to do outside.

plans are good. No matter what type of plan. My step dad grew up with alcohol parents, poor, only a high school education, made a 5 year savings plan - now he's 59 and wealthy. He re does his 5 year plan every year and keeps making the money. So in 5 years TK will have a lot of stuff behind her. Time will pass whether we make progress or not.

hERES BUTTERFLYS ................IN MARCH...........

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TAKEN LAST SUMMER ....OF COURSE..LOL