New to gardening, overgrown garden

[vapd]

Hello all!

I've just moved in with a friend who has let her garden go as she hates doing it. Her partner had started sorting it out a few years ago but they split up and all she has done is mow the grass infrequently.

Anyway, I'm new to gardening! The lawn: This was completely scraped off with a digger when an extension was built and then was raked and levelled and turfed. Now it is very bumpy and has lots of large weeds like thistles. Also a patch of clover (I believe) has spread and taken over a large patch of lawn. What is the best way to rid it of these weeds (I have heard bad things about roundup/glyphosate) and is the only way to solve the bumps to roll it? I seem to remember my grandfather doing this!

The veg patch: One raised bed was built and the materials for another were purchased but no filling ever got bought. The whole area has become a home for nettles, docks and grass as well as some other weeds. I turned over the bed today and tried to remove all of the roots but some were so deep I know that some will have broken off and will regrow. Is there anything I can do about this?

[roitelet]

Welcome to the vine Vapd. Where are you? If you add yor location to your profile it will help with the information given.

It sounds like a spot of double digging is required for the veg area and this will enable you to get most of the deep rooted weeds out. As for the lawn, regular mowing will help and then top dress with fine soil and gradually the bumps will lessen. Weeds, you need a special lawn weed killer which will kill of all the weeds but not the grass. Thistles might succome to having salt poured on to the centre of the rossette. I have done it with dandelions and it had worked.

[WendyC]

How exciting a new garden. Firstly I would cover the veg bed to smother the weeds and weaken. You can use landscape fabric, cardboard or newspaper. There are loads of threads on here discussing this.
As for the lawn now is a really good time to get working on it. If you are ok using chemicals there are plenty of weed and feed products for sale. I like to use a liquid one as I find it easiest on my small lawn.
If you have bumps, cut a cross centred on the bump (bread knife works well) peel back the turf, loosening with a spade or trowel. Then you can scrape off the extra soil until the turf will lay level. Give it a water and keep moist till it reroots. As for hollows you can fill these bit by bit with some top soil or top dressing. Cover the grass hollow with the top soil but make sure some grass is poking through otherwise you'll just smother the grass. Clover is a very difficult weed to get rid of now as most effective chemicals have been withdrawn. On the plus side it's green if we even get a drought.

[vapd]

Thanks to both of you. I have added my location to my profile!

[rustylady]

Big weeds like thistles you need to dig out. Or use a sharp knife to cut down through the root so you can remove the topgrowth (use sturdy gloves - thistles are very prickly).

[Glutton4...]

Hello, and welcome to the Madhouse!

You can often kill Thistles by beheading them. Three or four times usually does it.

[vapd]

Thanks for advice re thistles.

Anyway I'm more interested in the veg patch to be honest. But a nice lawn would be great! I think I did something stupid though. I knew it was daft, thats why I didn't mention it before but I was in a hurry. You see today I had a 900l bag of compost/top soil/rotted manure mix delivered. Where I could leave it was not suitable, it had to be shifted today and before the predicted rain at 3pm (started at 2pm). And so after I dug over the complete raised bed once and pulled as many roots out as possible, I filled it. Does this mean its going to be forever sprouting forth with weeds?

Re the lawn, does the brand of weedkiller matter? Or will any old one do? And I'm thinking about price here (see next para!) and considering getting it online.

I don't drive and neither does the owner of the property. Last week I went to a local independent shop to get some potting compost, I had bought various herb seeds and wanted to get them started inside. Two 8l bags of Levingtons cost me £9 but the company that sold me the 900l of mix mentioned above sold me 120l of Vital Earth seed and cutting compost for £12.98! Now I really want to support local companies and I buy all my veg from a local veg shop and all my meat from an indie butchers but the price difference on the compost is huge! So I'm thinking it will be on weed killer as well?

Sorry for the huge post!

[WendyC]

A bottle of weed and feed for 100m2 costs, from memory, £6 from Wilkos. Ideally two feeds over the Spring and early Summer, but even one will improve things.
Adding compost isn't going to make the weeds worse.

[Feral007]

If you're worried about the weeds you could put cardboard over the top of the compost and plant thru holes in it.
Have a look at the raised garden beds and no dig posts and you'll get huge amounts of advice. Also look at people's blogs for photos, as it makes much more sense when you see what they've done.

Lots of different advice, which is good because you end up choosing bits from here and bits from there and will have a style of garden/gardening that will suit you and your spot.

[Two_Sheds]

The lawn: is very bumpy and has lots of large weeds like thistles. Also a patch of clover (I believe) has spread and taken over a large patch of lawn.

The bumps can be flattened by cutting a cross in the top, removing some soil (to the raised bed), then pressing the grass back down.
The weeds will be controlled by regular mowing. I wouldn't bother trying to remove the weeds, just mow them. Clover is good stuff: it stays green, and the clippings, if left on the lawn, will feed it.

If you use weed & feed, you can't use the mowings for the raised bed (clippings are a good compost activator, mulch, & feed).

You need a compost bin.

I had a 900l bag of compost/top soil/rotted manure mix delivered. ... Does this mean its going to be forever sprouting forth with weeds?

You should be OK, because you've buried them really deep.
Myself, I would have lined the bed with a few wet newspapers first, but it's done now

Vital Earth seed and cutting compost for £12.98!

That's because VE is organic and peat free. It is more expensive than peat, but peat cutting destroys wildlife habitats. Organic Compost | Green Gardener | Peat Free Gardens | Vital Earth

You can make your own, free, peat free potting compost from leaves: Factsheet about making leafmould

[vapd]

Thanks for all the advice folks. Actually I thought the Vital Earth compost was great value when compared to the stuff I got from the local shop. There is a Wilko's in Canterbury where I shall get some weed and feed!

[vapd]

Two Sheds, I just re read your post and noticed you said I can't use mowings on the bed if I have used Weed and Feed. But is it alright to stick it in the compost bin? I'm thinking that anything bad in it will degrade over time. I have one 330l bin at the mo and am going to get another.

[rustylady]

There's a good site on lawn maintenance here UK Lawn Care & Maintenance for Novices by Lawnsmith

If you compost grass mowings they need to be thoroughly mixed with "browns" in a compost bin or they will form a slimy smelly mess.

How big is your lawn, as this will affect the amount of lawn mowings you produce. If it's not a big lawn, and it's mown regularly so it doesn't get too long, you can mow without the collection box and just leave the clippings on the lawn.

[Two_Sheds]

I can't use mowings on the bed if I have used Weed and Feed. But is it alright to stick it in the compost bin?

If they've got weedkiller on them, not really. But do read the label, it might be OK

[WendyC]

I compost lawn clippings that I have treated but the compost only goes on ornamental beds.