Browse Forums Landscape & Garden Design 1 Jan 20, 2011 12:41 pm Hi All, I have a few garden beds that have been badly neglected and I am starting to get them ready to re-plant. I just wanted to make sure that what I am doing is correct. The garden beds were all created about 6 years ago and planted with various plants, some of which are still ok. At the time they were mulched with tree loppers mulch, but they haven't been re-mulched for some time. The beds were overgrown with weeds, most of which we have pulled out now. This is what I am planning on doing, I just want some advice as to whether I am on the right track. 1. Remove most of the weeds and any dead or dying plants 2. Cut garden edges in with a shovel to re-define the beds (there are no garden edges currently) 3. Use roundup to kill any remaining weeds and grasses 4. Water the beds before applying mulch 5. Maybe put a layer of straw/stable mulch down as an initial mulch. (I'm not sure about this step, but I have a big pile of stable mulch that I can use) 6. Add a layer of tree loppers mulch 7. Water with molasses and a seaweed product. (I'm not sure about this step, is it ok to water the mulch layer before any plants go in?) 8. Plant the new plants, but this probably won't be for a few months. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Re: Renewing Neglected Garden Beds 2Jan 20, 2011 3:09 pm Sounds good. Don't bother with the seasol until you plant and since you already have straw thats all you need atm until you plant. You can then add tree loppers mulch. Re: Renewing Neglected Garden Beds 4Jan 21, 2011 11:18 am From what I can garner from Fu, would it be a good idea to water with molasses to give the soil a boost? I get that the seasol feeds the plants, but the molasses is for the microbes etc in the soil right? I'm looking for clarification because the planned beds in ours (especially the fernery which is naked awaiting fencing) will be getting mulched this weekend and I wanted to give the soil the best part possible Re: Renewing Neglected Garden Beds 5Jan 21, 2011 12:01 pm Thanks for the replies everyone, its good to get some reassurance. KerryF Post subject: Re: Renewing Neglected Garden Beds Reply with quote From what I can garner from Fu, would it be a good idea to water with molasses to give the soil a boost? I get that the seasol feeds the plants, but the molasses is for the microbes etc in the soil right? Thanks Kerry, this is the bit I'm not too sure about. I've read Fu's posts about molasses and the microbes thats why I want to water the garden with it, but I'm not sure if the soil should be watered with it before the mulch goes down, or whether it will do the same job watering after the mulch goes on. Re: Renewing Neglected Garden Beds 6Jan 21, 2011 12:31 pm It would make sense to me to use the molasses when watering AFTER the mulch goes down. That way, we'd be encouraging the same microbes etc in both the mulch and the soil, seeing as the water will go through the mulch to get there. There's no harm in doing it twice either!! Re: Renewing Neglected Garden Beds 7Jan 21, 2011 12:56 pm If you are leaving it for a bit then dont even bother, just mulch it up thick and leave it. Dont worry the bugs will be there. Think of the mulch as a long term slow release soil builder. Molasses is more a tonic for plants and a bonus for the soil. Re: Renewing Neglected Garden Beds 8Jan 21, 2011 1:33 pm Mine will only be mulched for a couple of months at most before the plants go in - would that be long enough for it to break down? Not that my soil there needs improving, more just stopping the weeds a bit and preventing it drying out too much. Re: Renewing Neglected Garden Beds 9Jan 21, 2011 11:31 pm Soil amendments! Zeolite, spongolite, perlite. If it has rained a heap, you will thank me for having used them as they radically slow nutrient leaching form your soil. Perlite and spongolite will aerate the clays too. They are an excellent investment and will be there for ever nearly Sand also. Cert organic composts. Yep, lots of straw Yep tree loppers mulch Nice and thick 100mm plus even. Expect a few weeds to go nuts because with working the soil there will be seeds you can't see that get scratched and that lets water in as you water your new garden. They come up, but leave them for a bit and then pluck them and lay them on the top to rot back into the soil Everything that comes form your garden, should go back into the garden I bet if in a few months you peel back the mulch you'll see worms like you thought was not possible Often the soil will be dry at the surface but subsoil moisture can be found 20cm plus under. With thin mulch layers it is either not there at all or on the very surface. Not good. Thick mulch. It is mulch that will make a garden "low maintenance" not pebbles and McPlants. Mulches! That is how it all works Who do you see out in a forest with a bag of fertiliser? No one That is because that isn't how a good soil or landscape or ecosystem works. Just mulch and domestically, we ask so much more so up the volumes A forest is sustained by what drops on the ground and the microbes do all the breaking of it down and turning that into really really available nutrients for the plants Your garden will go nuts Fig Landscapes has produced an e-book and native plant index, available for purchase from their website. It's a great resource, full of inspiration and tips. Another… 1 12800 Our Bondi Greenwall was impressive from day one with advanced lush plants to provide a wow factor to this recently renovated living area. The boundary was less than 1… 0 19260 |