Trimming an Overgrown Garden
It has been years since you stepped foot into the backyard, and your garden is overgrown, to say the least. Your roof, the old oak tree, and even the telephone poll that borders your property are now ensnared in the wilds of your forgotten yard. Although your next inclination may be to hire a bulldozer and tear it all out, first keep in mind that trimming an overgrown garden does not need to be an all at once endeavor. Nor does it need to be a total overhaul. Below are several steps on how to approach this seemingly impossible job, and how you can reclaim your yard, one inch at a time. Who knows, you may even enjoy yourself.
Step 1: Line up some friends and family to help you out with this endeavor. Not only will it make the work go quicker, but being able to have some laughs, will make the over all experience more of a joy than a chore.
Step 2: Designate an area of your yard for the placement of all non-organic items, which need to be removed from the chaos. Some of these items (e.g. old tires, cinderblocks, scrap wood, etc.) can be reused in new and creative ways.
Step 3: Rent a mulcher. This item will turn all the organic waste from your pruning into a nice mulch or compost. Set the mulcher up in an area that is away from the active pruning and weeding, so that you can create a pile of mulch that can be used during replanting and landscaping.
Step 4: Begin in one area of the yard and focus solely on pulling all climbing and vine like plants off of the hedges, fences, trees, etc. If you can track it to the root, and you do not want to keep the plant, dig the root out at well.
Step 5: Begin trimming back hedges and trees. The hedges can be cut back rather aggressively in an effort to promote new growth. As for the trees, look at trimming back dead branches and other branches, which are low and in the way.
Step 6: Dig up all weeds and tear out any unwanted plants. If you come across plants, which you want to keep, but perhaps want to move to another place in the yard, a good fertilizer (high in nitrogen) will be useful in aiding that process. Once you have returned the ground to a “blank soil canvas”, you can use your mulch to cover areas where you want to keep weeds down. It will prevent the seeds from getting sunlight and germinating
Step 7: Repeat process in sections until the yard is complete.
Take your time, and allow yourself to enjoy the process of recreating your yard. Dig your garden, like you dig your life.
