Novice gardener doesnt know where to begin

[Rachbfrustrated]

Hello there,
My name is Rachael and weeds have taken my garden hostage.
My garden is 24ft wide by 50 ft long and is tiered , the massive problem I have right now is these weeds I think they are dock although I am not positive but every attempt I have made to deal with it has failed, which resulted in me giving up and trying to ignore it.......problem now being the weeds cover most of the garden and I have no idea where to begin in clearing it.
Yes I should never have let it get this far I know the fault lays with me but now I really want to re claim the garden so my little girl can play outside once again.

Sorry if this is the wrong place to post

Rachael :lol
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[Rachbfrustrated]

Thankyou for your reply , there is no lawn underneath I dug it over as when I moved in you could actually peel the grass from the soil in sheets my intention was to re lay once I had the ground level......as for weed killer this may be my only remaining option what is not very clear on the picture is that each giant weed has thousand upon thousands of seeds...Would putting heavy plastic over the ground for a week or so help at all ??
Or will it act like a little greenhouse
I have railway sleepers to make some flower beds ...but I am going to have to try and make some steps somehow the previous tenant had made some from sleeps which rotted so I took them out.
I forgot to mention I do have dogs and my neighbours have avairys will spraying cause any harm to his birds ???

Sorry if the questions seem silly

[cynthia_h]

If you can find horticultural-strength (5%, 10%, or perhaps even stronger) vinegar, that works as an excellent herbicide. (Kitchen-strength vinegar is 3% in the U.S.; not sure of its UK strength.)

Just put the vinegar into a spray bottle and have at it. Careful, though: it stings the eyes and any cuts on the hands as well! Make sure that everything you spray with the vinegar is something you want to get rid of.

Best wishes.

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

[rainbowgardener]

Re: .Would putting heavy plastic over the ground for a week or so help at all ??

You could solarize it, but a week doesn't get it. To do that you would start by getting a scythe and cutting the weeds all down and raking them off (start a compost pile!).

Water the area well, then lay down a layer of heavy clear plastic, or even better two layers. Cover all the edges with a deep layer of dirt so that they are thoroughly weighted down and pressed to the ground. Then wait 6 weeks in the heat of summer. It won't work if the area is too shady or too breezy, but otherwise 6 wks of full sun in the heat/ long days of summer, should kill off the weed seeds.

So you have to be prepared not to be using the area at all until almost fall if you want to do it that way. And that much plastic would likely be expensive.

[Rachbfrustrated]

Ok, so I cut the weeds down yesterday so now what to do next do I let them dry out where they are or rake into a pile ??
Does anyone have any good web links to step building ?
I don't have a rotovator and cannot really afford to hire so will have to dig the ground over by hand and try take out as many roots as I can find.
Then I need to build the raised beds , make a few steps lay a lawn of sorts and gravel the top section after the concrete patio ...its so daunting I already feel like running away lol but ive started so now I have to finish

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Any other hints and ideas and tips are much appreciated

Rachael.

[Rachbfrustrated]

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[Rachbfrustrated]

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[rainbowgardener]

Instead of steps you could make a ramp down the middle. Easier to build and make it wide enough for your mower.

[rainbowgardener]

PS you have made big progress already!

[Rachbfrustrated]

Not sure what else I could put at the top instead of gravel the concrete patio has already sunk ( rented house) and I'm waiting on the landlord to come fix it , I thought about a slope as there is already one developing but I have slipped down the dirt slope more than a few times so I thought steps might be safer ....depending on what works out more cost effective I may gravel the section where I was going to lawn !!

Took 5hrs with a pruner and shear's to cut them all down my hands are pretty sore today I can tell you