Help.......Where to begin?

Hello.......

I've finally taken on the challenge of trying to sort out my garden which has laid dormant whilst i worked on my house however, now that i've started i've got a real problem.

Basically, the whole thing looked like something out of a horror film. After removing the burnt out car seats, batteries and thames water barrier (yep) from underneath the growth i decided that the only way to do this properly was to dig it all up and start to filter through the rubbish ie: weeds. However, i'm struggling to do this simple task as a) i'm still hitting half bricks/bottles underneath the soil and b) there are roots which are completely snagging up my fork whenever i go to try and turn the soil over (bindweed??). I've also just broken my first fork by trying to do just this and i'm at my wits end!!

Does anyone have any ideas on how i get round this?

Initially i thought of seeing if i could buy something which would kill everything in the garden but was concerned about the after effect as i'm thinking of planting vgetables/flowers afterwards.

It's not a massive garden by any means and i'm far from shy of getting stuck in to some hard work but, at the moment, it seems like an impossible task so if there's any help going.....i'm all ears.
Thanks in advance!

 

Hi, and welcome. There are weedkillerscalled 'systemic' which will kill top growth and roots but leave the soil useable. However you will still have the problem of digging over. Bindweed in my experience is very vigorous but does not have strong roots, if your fork is breaking perhaps it's nettles whose roots can get woody and tangled.
If you're still digging up hard rubbish as well a cultivator wouln't be suitable- sounds to me like it's just going to be keep at it and buy a good quality spade and fork, not with plastic handles.
Any photos of your Thames barrier or has it gone?

 

Hi Jim12345 and welcome to GC

I don't envy you the task but it's not impossible.

First thing is don't panic, there's no way you are going to get through it all in a couple of weekends so do a bit at a time and only tackle a stint you can manage.

For breaking new gound you'll find a pick axe and a long straight (5ft.) pinch bar are your best friends. Basically it's hard graft but the idea is to use the pick axe and bar to lever any bricks or rubbish out of the ground before you attempt weeding with the fork. Also you will find a good quality black steel fork will be much stronger than a stainless steel one (which are useless!) Finally, wear steel toecap boots - spiking a bar into your foot can do a lot of damge and wellies are no protection!

Your main weeds are likely ground elder, bindweed and couch grass. Get as much root out as you can and it will weaken them and, although they will keep returning you will be able to get the new sprouting bits out with your fork without too much problem. If it's still really bad then a weedkiller like Roundup will be OK. None of us really like using chemicals but sometimes you have to be pragmatic.

While you are digging through the for the first time it's a good idea to incorporate a load of compost/leafmould/humus into your soil especially if it's clay as this will help the general condition of the soil and encourage the worms to get going and do a lot of the hard work for you.

For your own benefit, take photgraphs as the work progresses, that way can you can compare the before and after and see the results of your work. Post piccies on here too - we all love to see a garden take shape!

 

I have taken on an overgrown weed jungle that the council call an allottment (haha). Roundup is the best thing since sliced bread but it takes a good week to look like it is having effect. But it does kill all the weeds eventually and then it is easier to fork through. You can plant straight after using roundup. Do not put it on anything you want to keep.
It isn't cheap either!

 

It might be worth clearing it all. Then leaving it dormant for a bit. That way anything that grows will be a weed and you can pounce on it instantly. If you hoe it every day - very easy when the ground has been broken up, you will discourage the persistant weeds.

 

Thank you all for your help and advice so far!
Much appreciated!