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Post by floydie on Jun 18, 2011 23:43:39 GMT
I know you all keep telling me I'm doing a good job and its coming on well but I'm really getting down about it all ATM. Problem is i keep thinking back to our old house were i tried to garden i dug borders and had a few nice plants but the grass eventually took over and left me with just a few plants growing in with the grass . The way the weeds and grass are growing here makes me think I'm going to end up in the same kind of situation. In some areas (on the bank) i cannot get to weed for my growing plants otherwise i will be trampling on them, in the fenced bed Ive put bark chippings down to try and suppress them but they are growing into it and getting tangled up with them and i don't really see a way of getting them out without taking all the chippings out first (defeats the object). I was kind of hoping that the plants would start to grow into each other and blanket them out also but nothing seams to want to grow very well (most likely down to the rubbish soil I'm trying to garden on). I'm abit overwhelmed by it all ATM and although i came into this raring to go and thinking i could beat it I'm starting to doubt it. I really think you are all great at what you do with your outdoor space, you all have wonderful gardens ;D. I'm just finding it hard to see here looking as good in the long run. (I know I'm whining but Ive hit a low)
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Post by grindle on Jun 19, 2011 4:35:45 GMT
we all feel like that at some point Floydie, keep the faith, just a bit at a time. If the garden hasn't been touched for a long time before you arrived there, the weeds will have had the upper hand, mine is still not weed free by a long way. You have a full time job with the children and animals as well as keeping on top of the garden, don't forget most of us are retired and spend most of our time in the garden (well I did until Dylan arrived ) A few sunny days will make everything seem better. Just try concentrating on one area at a time and you'll soon get on top of it
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Post by merlin on Jun 19, 2011 6:23:07 GMT
In life there's lots of things that get you down, you've only got to listen to the news. My advice to you is to keep going as it takes years to get the hang of it but well worth the effort with many benefits. However, when you have other commitments like family you have to 'cut your cloth' when it comes to gardening. This is not as difficult as you think with planning. It's so easy to visit a GC and get carried away buying plants that you don't have room for let alone time for. Gardening is a long term thing that takes up most of your time if you want a show garden, which suits old fogies like me who haven't much else to do. My garden is just fine but it's taken me 30years to achieve it!! Most of us on here have experience.....years of it which is useful. The problem is that we may all offer different advice on a practical level. Hoping that others will agree, I would make segments of interest that you have time for and lawn the rest. No one gets to the top without shedding tears Floydie, stick with it girl
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Post by Louise on Jun 19, 2011 6:34:36 GMT
Yes, one area at a time is a sensible suggestion because that way you can at least know that ...... a) you can do it and b) it is achievable on that soil. the grass eventually took over and left me with just a few plants growing in with the grass . Re the grass in with the plants ..... when you created that bed or border did you plant on the same 'level' as the grass or did you dig the bed/border to be down a level or two - say make it 2-3" deeper/lower than the grasses level ? If the latter, by digging and removing those 2-3" a lot of the grass would have been removed and you'd not have this problem. If the former, you've just got more of the same trouble ahead - i would try to re-do the area (maybe not all at once) and sort it out now. cannot get to weed for my growing plants otherwise i will be trampling on them, in the fenced bed Ive put bark chippings down to try and suppress them but they are growing into it and getting tangled up with them and i don't really see a way of getting them out without taking all the chippings out first You might have to get the plants out and remove the weeds from their roots manually and putting bark amongst them if you've got perennials there might not be suitable because i lot like very free drainage, if there are shrubs there that's fine. I'm sorry that you're going through these emotions because they can really get you down, i like gardening to be an instant gratification and these moments are definately downers Ask any question Floydie and we'll give you help
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Post by Geranium on Jun 19, 2011 8:21:55 GMT
I do agree, floydie - I'm retired, and I have as much time as I want to be in the garden. When I had a family and a career, I had other priorities. I always think of large tasks like 'eating the elephant'. You couldn't eat an elephant in one gulp but you can if you eat a small piece every so often. ;D So - look at your garden like that. Which part is the most important to you? Tackle that first, then move on to another small area, and so on. I agree with Louise - you might have to dig out plants and pot them up while you deal with the grass in that area. We all have 'down' days. Share them with us - you're not whinging...just telling us how you feel!
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Post by blossom on Jun 19, 2011 8:39:09 GMT
I was just going to quote the same adage as Geranium "How do you eat an elephant? one spoonful at a time". I often feel as you do, my garden was a wilderness when I began 8 years ago.Sometimes I still think the weeds will defeat me. Weed suppressing membrane can be very useful especially under bark. As the others have said, start with a small part which is important to you and work out from there.A little success will spur you on to the next step.Good luck
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Post by floydie on Jun 19, 2011 10:37:00 GMT
Thanks . OH dug the borders at the old house, he dug the grass out so the beds were lower the grass still crept in and took over so i soon gave up on it. I was working full time nights then (before we had the kids and only had our 2 older dogs). Ive got alot more time now with my older 2 children being at school and me only working very part time (less than an hour a week). I think my problem is i want it now (as always ) and its not going to happen now! I always set myself up for a fall and as OH says "I'm too obsessive about things ).
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Post by Louise on Jun 19, 2011 10:39:19 GMT
I'm just as obsessive !!!
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Post by Cherry on Jun 19, 2011 10:52:44 GMT
Bit by bit Floydie. Near the kitchen window and round the barbeque area first.
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Post by floydie on Jun 19, 2011 11:14:39 GMT
What i see out of the kitchen window is the big hydrangea bush i think Ive done all i can there theres just no room really to plant much more (although abit more ground cover would be good). We don't have a Barbecue yet our old one went rusty .
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Post by floydie on Jun 19, 2011 11:33:21 GMT
You might have to get the plants out and remove the weeds from their roots manually and putting bark amongst them if you've got perennials there might not be suitable because i lot like very free drainage, if there are shrubs there that's fine. I have lots of perennials . Only a few shrubs .
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Post by esther on Jun 19, 2011 12:46:31 GMT
Floydie - I have a diploma in Obsessiveness ;D Please don'tget dowm about your garden - you have made so much progress in a short time I agree with all the advice given. When our sons were small our garden was a square of grass for them to play on ,a veg patch and a greenhouse- which Barry made for me. If you would like any unrooted cuttings of Euonymous- I have a green/white one and a green/yellow one - which are good ground cover you would be welcome to some
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Post by floydie on Jun 19, 2011 13:51:45 GMT
Thank you very muchly Esther That's very kind . Instead of moaning about it I got out there for half an hour and dug out some of the weeds in the fenced bed Ive got to go out so had to leave the rest. The thing is now all my bark chippings is mixed in with the soil .
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Post by Lou78W on Jun 19, 2011 15:25:02 GMT
Lots of very good advice there for you Floydie....we've all been there so know how it feels You sound.......sooooo much better in your last post.......remember "Rome wasn't built in a day". Good Luck pet ;D
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Post by floydie on Jun 19, 2011 21:59:44 GMT
Esther what kind of euonymus if you dont mind me asking?? I think youve just also helped me ID 2 of the shrubs that came from OHs late grans .
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