Renovate! Don't replace!(Shrubs)
Cornus
20 years ago
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cynthia_gw
20 years agoCornus
20 years agoRelated Discussions
HELP ~ need to 'renovate' (or replace) existing raised flower bed
Comments (7)Thanks for both your replies!! To answer why a raised bed... Mainly because the depth of good topsoil in that area was very shallow with grey clay underneath. So in deference to digging or tilling it all up and amending (got a bad back so digging is no fun), it was easier to just build (and I used that word lightly...) the raised bed and fill it with good soil. It also seems to be a good idea because I never have to weed that area and always assumed it was because it was higher than the grass. And why not take it down..... Aside from liking the way it looks, the main reason is that the outer edge of it runs along the "property line' between my yard and my neighbor's. He pulls his car onto his side to wash it and he's an ass, so I wouldn't put it past him to run over or step on my flowers if there wasn't some sort of wall there. Plus, it keeps people from accidently stepping into the garden when walking up my walkway which I fear they might do if it were ground level. bonnie...See MoreRubyspice shrubs don't show any life???
Comments (4)Clethra is indeed very late to break dormancy. It might be 4 to 6 weeks for it to leaf out up here. I remember looking at it almost every Mother's day and thinking how dead it looked - but of course it was fine. Ted...See MoreShrubs rabbits don't like?!
Comments (7)Ah the suburban nemisis strikes again! Sorry to hear that. As the previous post suggested rabbits will eat anything if they are hungry enough and similarly what they choose to eat depends on the time of year. The worst problems I have with bunnies is in the winter. They will strip the bark of anything to get a source of water which is why they do it. Poor devils are basically really thirsty. There is really nothing safe. Nurseries sell bunny resistent plants but these are not normally shrubs... that said they do not eat holly or juniper. My solution to this problem is putting up a temporary fence around them which I take down when the weather gets warmer.... or.... Usually this problem is really bad when the snow is really high.... why they do not eat the snow is a mystery... seriously. Anyway this is usually from Jan onwards and the answer to the problem lies in Christmas. Buy a real tree and after you are done with it, cut it up and put the branches around some of the more sensitive plants. This is enough to distract them and hopefully they'll go and chew something in the neighbors yard....See MoreNeed advice, don't even know where to begin with my weed issue
Comments (4)Your weeds are out of control - welcome to the club. This happens to ALL of us at one point, sometimes many points. First, don't move anything you want to keep right now - we are coming to the hottest part of the year, which is not a good time for transplanting. Second, triage what you've got. If the front is most important, spend what time you've got there. Start weeding! Pull out the weed(s) and either compost them, if you have room for a bin, or put them in the garbage. It looks like you mulched the front, so after you weed, put more mulch down - you need at least a couple of inches to make a difference with the weeds. For the hosta bed, weed there, and put in an edge of some kind to keep the grass out; it should go down a couple of inches, as grass roots will spread. That applies to all the beds - metal edging, landscape timbers, something like that - where the beds meet grass. For the former shrub bed, if all that's there is weeds, then just mow it until you have time to deal with it, or think about it. Same goes for the part you plan to expand into next year. If you have the time, pitchfork it over, pull out the worst weeds, and cover it thickly with newspaper, and mulch on top of that - that smothering will work on most annual weeds, and you'll have easier digging when you're ready. I can't see the particular weeds closely enough to identify; if there is something that is giving you fits, post a closer picture of it here and you will get help. You have the bones of a nice garden shaping up there. Maintenance is a pain in the neck, but is part of gardening, I'm afraid. Good luck, and let us know how it goes....See MoreScottReil_GD
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