Re: question

Hi, Bobbie, thanks for your reply....guess I forgot to mention one thing,
though.....this is not going to actually be a garden, since we have quite a bit
of garden in the back yard, and my upstairs neighbors did not want to do
grass....so, we were looking for a way to make it look neat, but not require
too much.  Does that change the suggestion at all?

marilyn

Bobbie Brooks wrote:

> Well, Marilyn,
> I hate to say it, but....
>
> IF YOU DON'T PUT 'IT' DOWN THERE (under the surface), 'IT' DON'T COME UP
> HERE!!!(above)
>
> ;-)
>
> Sorry, but that is one of the beginning lines I say to all clients who start
> off with, 'I want it to look beautiful, but I don't want to spend much
> money, and I don't want to spend any time with it'...
>
> Bottom line?  Start with fixing the soil, things will then grow better, take
> less time to care, and makes the whole gardening process more enjoyable!
>
> Mulch costs money. So does black plastic and the labor for each. Mulch needs
> to be redone every year. And roundup from 35-50 dollars plus a sprayer. (no
> that little bottle of spray stuff will not do an area like you are talking
> about!)
>
> I suggest getting a loan and doing it up right. Just like a house
> improvement loan. See it now and enjoy it. Doesn't have to cost a fortune,
> doesn't have to be done by you, but maybe a mixture of you and some help.
>
> Start with:
> GET RID OF WHAT IS THERE. Bobcat/backhoe is fastest way. $500 a day for
> backhoe and worker. May just be a half day. Truck to cart it away, $30 a hr.
> May just be a half day.
>
> Bring in compost/humous/topsoil mix. 1 yd covers an area 10x10, 3 inches.
> For grass 3-6 inches. For perennials 6-12. For shrubs, dig holes and fill up
> to 2 ft deep/3ft wide, or a strip. Compost here costs $30 a yd. Topsoil
> about the same. I only use compost.  You figure your cost for dumping and
> maybe you can wheelbarrow and spread it.
>
> >From there, the whole world of plants is available.
>
> Newspaper under mulch is free.
>
> Newspaper over weeds works,when under compost, or mulch.
>
> Roundup works.
>
> For the real project, I sould suggest round up to kill any runner perennial
> roots before beginning, but have done the jobs without this, when a backhoe
> scrapes.
>
> Also remember that soil consistancy is a major factor. Compacted soil,
> compost that is run over with a machine, etc, changes its consistency and
> sometimes ruins it for root growth.
>
> Hope this helps.
>
> Bobbie
> Bobbie Brooks,  MA    zone 6.5
> Gardens In An Old Fashioned Way
> http://daylily.net/gardens/bobbiebrooks.htm
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Marilyn" <marimuse@EARTHLINK.NET>
> To: <shadegardens@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU>
> Sent: Thursday, August 23, 2001 12:21 PM
> Subject: [SG] question
>
> > Hi, all, am hoping that someone can help me out with this.....I have an
> area
> > in front of my house that needs some drastic work.  It is covered mostly
> > with gravel and some dirt mixed in, with mulch that was piled on
> top.....and
> > TONS of weeks....almost looks like a lawn!  We want to do something to
> > neaten it up, without having to spend a fortune to have the gravel removed
> > and soil brought in.  Someone suggested using Roundup to kill the weeds,
> > then covering with black plastic, and covering that with mulch....and
> > planting some shrubs by the porch and house.
> >
> > However, someone else said that she would never use black plastic, that it
> > keeps the weeds from coming straight up, but does not prevernt them from
> > growing.....and she suggested just piling a severl-inch layer of mulch
> each
> > year.
> >
> > I would love to hear suggestions from people here.....thanks!
> >
> > marilyn
> >
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