Overhauling a badly neglected garden

[Rogue11]

I recently volunteered to fully take over gardening at my clients house because the 'mow-blow-and go' gardeners they had were damaging the small herb and vegetable garden I had started to build with their blowers.

The garden is in pretty bad shape so I started making myself a list of what I need to do and want to do, but I could use some advice.

1) Buy equipment
Got a lawn mower and edger from Greenworks and a number of smaller tools like pruning shears, Hoe, Rake mulching fork etc this week (it's fun to go shopping with someone else's credit card )

2) check and fix sprinklers
Did that this week too

3) Fertilize lawn
Any suggestion for a good lawn fertilizer that also takes care of weeds? I was looking at Scott's Turf Builder with weed control. Or is it better to go with something organic and take care of the weeds myself?
How often does a lawn need to be fertilized anyway? Is it better to fertilize during cool weather, or does it even matter?

4)Fertilize scrubs, trees and palms
I noticed different fertilizers for trees and palms. Don't they both need high nitrogen for green leaves? Why can't I use a tree fertilizer for palm trees too? Any suggestions on a good, preferable organic brand? These are not fruit trees. I have been fertilizing the citrus trees with Citrus Tone

5) Fix dead patches in lawn.
Around the edges of the lawn is a about 2 inch wide strip covered with moss. Might be do to over watering last summer, but I am not sure. I want to remove that moss, put some compost down and grass seeds. Also there are some spots where I took out crab grass or where the neighbor's dogs used to urinate.
Is it possible to fill the areas like that or will I need to use sod?

6) prune dead branches and remove any dead vegetation


7) compost and mulch soil
I am pretty sure the soil in the landscape area where the scrubs and trees (and some flowers) are planted as little nutrients left. I want to add compost to it but there are a lot of shallow roots so working it into the ground would be impossible. Can I just cover the ground with a layer of compost instead? (I suppose I could work it in inch or two without disturbing the roots)
On top of that I was planning to put mulch for water conservation. Again I came across a lot of different mulches and am not sure what would be best to use. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Last but not least replace those dead or dying plants that I had removed with something that will attract more beneficial insects.
Taking suggestions there too.

Thanks.

[cynthia_h]

If you're trying to develop an herb and veggie garden for your client, the subsurface life (microbes, earthworms, a host of "critters") will be essential in getting those plants to grow.

That said, the vast majority of "weed/feed" products are toxic to subsurface life. The [url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1782]Lawn Forum sticky[/url] on organic lawn care has several links to other sources of information, and the Book Forum discussions on [url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=43]Teaming with Microbes[/url] can give you so much info on subsurface life it'll make your head swim--it did mine.

I'm putting these tidbits of info here just so you won't be left hanging, but I do hope that others with hands-on experience in lawn care will also post! (As they did in the Lawn Forum sticky.)

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

[Rogue11]

Actually the herb and vegetable garden is already set up. I started the herbs last year and some peppers and tomatoes and added more raised beds this year. Been taking care of that and the citrus trees while the rest of the garden (lawn, flowers, scrubs and non fruit trees) had been getting about 20 minute attention per week from a gardening team.