Topic: The RAWK Gardening Thread. (All Questions Answered)

[John C]

Exactly, use the top soil to bring the level up and it will save a few quid if you where to get sand to raise it. Hardcore down then sand on top in a dry mix, rubber mallet and a spirit level and a broken back.

Have you seen the size of the area though? The red part is just a few flags, it doesn't need a lot of effort or expense. Just get it flat and fairly level.

[Sarge]

Have you seen the size of the area though? The red part is just a few flags, it doesn't need a lot of effort or expense. Just get it flat and fairly level.

True enough

[J-Mc-]

Have you seen the size of the area though? The red part is just a few flags, it doesn't need a lot of effort or expense. Just get it flat and fairly level.

Aye, think we worked out it’s going to be about 12-15 flags in total, it’s a days work at most if I can get my uncle round to help dig it out ect.

John, let me know when you’re free and i’ll meet you half way mate, will drop you some cash aswell obviously for the help 👍

How long would you say the wood is? I’m in a Ford Puma so not the biggest of cars

[redk84]

Hi gardening enthusiasts
Absolute rookie here.

Ok...so front lawn, there is a patch of grass and surrounded by soil/weeds really.
Want to put edging around the lawn
Dig out some of the surrounding soil
Lay some fabric down
Then put some gravel in it

Anything in the above that would make this last as long as possible without maintenance?
Not talking a huge patch of grass here, must be like 5m x 3m...and the surrounding soil is like 0.5m in width

Thanks for any help in advance 

[reddebs]

Hi gardening enthusiasts
Absolute rookie here.

Ok...so front lawn, there is a patch of grass and surrounded by soil/weeds really.
Want to put edging around the lawn
Dig out some of the surrounding soil
Lay some fabric down
Then put some gravel in it

Anything in the above that would make this last as long as possible without maintenance?
Not talking a huge patch of grass here, must be like 5m x 3m...and the surrounding soil is like 0.5m in width

Thanks for any help in advance 

I always feel that edging grass adds to the maintenance as you can't mow to the edge so have to strim first then mow or vice versa. 

As for the border make sure you dig out all the weeds, roots and old plants then treat with proper weed killer.  Not the crap you buy in a spray bottle as it won't kill anything despite what the ads say.

Do that before putting the membrane down and it should keep the weeds away forever unless the membrane splits.

If you really want low maintenance maybe think about artificial grass but it's adding to the cost.

[Sarge]

What debs said.

[redk84]

I always feel that edging grass adds to the maintenance as you can't mow to the edge so have to strim first then mow or vice versa. 

As for the border make sure you dig out all the weeds, roots and old plants then treat with proper weed killer.  Not the crap you buy in a spray bottle as it won't kill anything despite what the ads say.

Do that before putting the membrane down and it should keep the weeds away forever unless the membrane splits.

If you really want low maintenance maybe think about artificial grass but it's adding to the cost.

Thanks alot!
So proper weed killer - what would that be? Bleach?

[reddebs]

Thanks alot!
So proper weed killer - what would that be? Bleach?

I used this to clear all my driveway.   It killed everything, docks, thistles, dandelions, all the stuff that shop bought killer doesn't touch and its stayed clear for 2yrs now.

It's expensive and it says you need a professional type sprayer but I just used a watering can with a rose then threw it away so you don't kill everything you water with if after.

https://elixirgardensupplies.co.uk/product/weed-killer-gallup-home-garden-glyphosate-commercial-strength-treats-1666-sq-m/

[redk84]

I used this to clear all my driveway.   It killed everything, docks, thistles, dandelions, all the stuff that shop bought killer doesn't touch and its stayed clear for 2yrs now.

It's expensive and it says you need a professional type sprayer but I just used a watering can with a rose then threw it away so you don't kill everything you water with if after.

https://elixirgardensupplies.co.uk/product/weed-killer-gallup-home-garden-glyphosate-commercial-strength-treats-1666-sq-m/

Thanks

[Sarge]

So back at it tomorrow, things are starting to grow so i need to keep on top on things now for the Summer bloom.

[John C]

So back at it tomorrow, things are starting to grow so i need to keep on top on things now for the Summer bloom.

Nice one Sarge mate.

But to be fair, when Nick pm'd me to say "what the fuck has he been doing since March, are we sure he's a real gardener". I did wonder if he had a point 

[Sarge]

Nice one Sarge mate.

But to be fair, when Nick pm'd me to say "what the fuck has he been doing since March, are we sure he's a real gardener". I did wonder if he had a point 

Been doing a lot, not like its an everyday thing in my own garden, Nick should ask me instead of Pms

What is a real gardener?

[reddebs]

I've realised over the last few days there isn't much substance to the soil here.  It's very fine, almost like dust in some parts of the garden, very solid, like concrete in others but then others feels really rich.

Plenty of the existing plant life seems healthy so should I just chuck a load of manure and compost on the bits I'm clearing that need it in readiness for it being planted up in future?

Other than some more veg I'm growing, which will get fed as each plot is dug, we're not planning on putting anything else in as we want to wait and see what we've already got now.

[John C]

I was pulling you leg Sarge mate 

[Crosby Nick]

I was pulling you leg Sarge mate 

Haha, cheers John you grass. That was private for a reason.

[Sarge]

[Sarge]

For a matter of information i attended the Bontanical Gardens in Dublin from 1989-93, set up a gardening company and it stopped when i got offered a job i could not turn down in 1997, left that job in 2003 and started up my very own small but lucrative garden centre and it closed when the recession kicked in in 2008, i now work in waste management.

[Sarge]

I still love my garden btw

[Sarge]

Plants are well watered

[reddebs]

Plants are well watered

Just need some warmth now!

[Sarge]

Just need some warmth now!

Would be nice.

[rafathegaffa83]

Our front lawn is full of dandelions. There's hundreds of them. The back garden has loads too, but they are less of an eyesore. Is it a case of pulling them all out and then fertilizing the lawn? Or can something else be done?

[Slippers]

Plants are well watered

Some of them are well flattened too.

[Sarge]

Our front lawn is full of dandelions. There's hundreds of them. The back garden has loads too, but they are less of an eyesore. Is it a case of pulling them all out and then fertilizing the lawn? Or can something else be done?

https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-get-rid-of-dandelions/

[Sarge]

Some of them are well flattened too.

Pots everywhere.

[rafathegaffa83]

https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-get-rid-of-dandelions/

Thanks

[Sarge]

Thanks

Thats a good article and it is explained well, just be care what weed killer you get espacially with kids and animals.

[Buggy Eyes Alfredo]

I have an elderly neighbor who refuses to let me cut her lawn since mine is gas powered. Hours after I am finished and enjoying a pint, she will in her in her front patch with a pair of scissors.   

[Sarge]

I have an elderly neighbor who refuses to let me cut her lawn since mine is gas powered. Hours after I am finished and enjoying a pint, she will in her in her front patch with a pair of scissors.   

[reddebs]

Sown the French beans this morning.  I didn't bother doing them indoors first as we've so much already I was running out if window sill space.  Hopefully by the time they start appearing the winds/weather will be slightly more placid or they'll get blown into next doors.

The tomato plants are desperate to go out but again they got battered the other week when I was starting to harden them off so now they're back inside.

Got some sweet peas starting to sprout, again inside, but still haven't decided on where to put them when they're ready to go out if the winds don't die down.

Prepped another veg bed a few days ago ready for parsnips going in.  I'm probably a bit late but the weather turned before I could start it but should be ok if it stays cold for a few weeks.  It's sat with a few inches of manure on top ready to dig in once the rains buggered off then I can get them in.

I've got some begonias to go out but I'm going to wait another week or so before risking them as the hardy stuff we put in a few weeks ago is all looking a bit worse for wear apart from the aquilegia and one of the peonies.  I've had to bring the honeysuckle in its that's battered with wind burn.

[Sarge]

Jaysus you're the busy bee.

[reddebs]

Jaysus you're the busy bee.

😁 Cos I have a plan that if I get all the hard graft done now I can sit and watch Paul mowing grass twice a week while I relax as that's all that'll need doing.

I know it's a pipedream as work in a garden is never done 🙄

[Sarge]

😁 Cos I have a plan that if I get all the hard graft done now I can sit and watch Paul mowing grass twice a week while I relax as that's all that'll need doing.

I know it's a pipedream as work in a garden is never done 🙄

Sounds like a great plan

[reddebs]

Sounds like a great plan

Need some advice on some decking I want doing. 

We have a concrete walkway along the back of the house and as the garden drops away part of it has a drop of a couple of feet but what it drops down to is a mess of blue plastic with limestone gravel over it.

We think new drains run underneath it so we can't do anything concreted in as at some stage it's possible someone might need access to them so I'm thinking of something that can be lifted off if necessary.

I'm thinking of bolting metal cups along the concrete with met posts into the ground then building the deck to slot into the cups and posts.  It'll need to be done in sections or it'll be too heavy to lift obviously.

My question is is it a builders/joiners job or a landscapers?

[Sarge]

Any chippy or landscaper worth there salt should do that no bother.

[reddebs]

Any chippy or landscaper worth there salt should do that no bother.

Cheers bud 👍

[Sarge]

Cheers bud 👍

Oh i see what you did there

[Sarge]

Yeah looks dead that.


In other news i wont be having to water my plants for awhile

[reddebs]

Has anybody been doing the "no mow May" campaign?

When we moved here I wanted to create a wildlife section for bees and other pollinators but after reading up on all the different packs of wildflower seeds, bee bombs etc and seeing all the complaints about nothing, or very little growing after all the hard work prepping the area I had a change of mind.

I had already just scattered some seed with no prep onto that part of the lawn then read someone suggesting to look at the wildlife trusts ideas and this is what they said to do.

My garden looks amazing now.  All sorts of different grasses, flowers and plants have appeared and now I get to watch goldfinches, chaffinches, siskins, linnets, sparrows and other seed eaters tucking into fresh food and bees buzzing everywhere.

Ground ivy, wild strawberries, common vetch, ribwort, daisies, buttercups, mayflower, red sorrell, herb Robert, chickweed and birds foot trefoil to name just a few.

The idea is to let them grow and flower as natural grassland is one of the habitats we are losing quicker than any other due to people wanting pristine gardens. 

The wildlife trust suggest not mowing an area until August when everything will have seeded but leave the cut grass where it is to dry out and allow the seeds to disperse before putting it in the compost.

If you can't do that then don't mow throughout May which is generally breeding season for most wildlife.

[Sarge]

Cracking day for sitting on my arse in the garden.