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Soiled soil?

Hi everyone, I'm so completely new to this! new to gardening and new to posting on forums so please be gentle image

I moved into my very first home in November and the garden had to wait as there was, and still is a lot to do in the house. As the nicer weather is here and we have a little funding in our pot I'm keen to get stuck in! The lady next door has a hedge going down the right of the lawn and this area is muddy, there is no grass for about the width of 1m all the way down beside the hedge and I'm not sure if its lack of sunshine or another reason. The previous owner had a large dog which apparently spent most of its time locked outside and was rarely walked (cruel I know) I'm thinking maybe the dog has worn the grass away? that's not too problematic however as we have discussed a gravel path leading to the top of the garden where the muddy area is. The problem I have is I'm concerned what is under the neglected lawn?! There was a suspicious doggy smell out there for a long time and we also seem to have 3 flaming stray cats that think they own our garden! (the lady next door feeds them) I'm worried there are going to be lots of nasty surprises under the grass, so I guess my question to any of you who made it through my lengthy complaint is what can I do to safely clean my lawn?? Is that even possible? the grass really needs cut but do I want to be walking on a soiled area? would any animal excrement have disintegrated and to where? I'm concerned about how to clean my garden and make it suitable for planting and using daily in the summer.

Thank you for your time!

Laura

Posts

  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,995

    Carnivore poop can have some really nasty things in there, so you're right to be concerned. But saying that, wearing gloves and taking in good hygiene procedures, you should be fine trying to sort out your garden.  I would get in there and see what you actually find.  The dog muck should have disappeared with the winter weather.. but the cats will be a concern.  You might see what you can do to keep them out of your garden.  

    If you can, consider putting down new soil/compost/well rotted manure on top any of the boarders or beds, just to freshen it up.. So you'll feel less concerned about planting out as the summer progresses.  

    Utah, USA.
  • PalaisglidePalaisglide Posts: 3,414

    Welcome Laura, you will find the people on here friendly and forthcoming with advice. Cats sorry but this is an ongoing question to which there seems to be no permanent answer, my way was to get a Westie, he saw them off. The lawn, if you cannot see any mess then it was probably cleaned up. The weather is dry so walking on the lawn will not harm it. A sprinkler hose used a couple of times a week will wash anything lingering down. Cut the grass not too low several times and use a feed and weed fertilise, if the weather is dry wash it in with a hose, wait six weeks and do it again.

    The muddy patch may need investigation, normally a hedge will suck up moisture and leave it dry so something not right. Sit in you garden and watch the sun, where does it rise, which way does it move, where does it set. Are there any shaded bits from the house trees or that hedge. You need to know for future planting.

    A quick way to get colour is using pots or containers, a couple of bags of compost, some bedding plants, fill a pot and place in your eye line from the house or sitting area.

    Neighbours? Not much you can do about them apart from make friends and discuss mutual problems. Half the complaints on the board are about neighbours. Good luck do not be afraid to ask.

    Frank.

  • Thank you both for the quick and helpful replies. The lawn is very uneven and patchy so we have considered hiring a rotavator and turning the whole soil over once the grass has been cut short enough, then to turf it with new fresh grass I was concerned this wouldn't be enough to sort out the cleaning of the soil but maybe I'm being a bit over cautious? The sun rises up at the back of the house and moves overhead to set at the front so we get the sun at the back of the garden in mid afternoon to evening and to the front of the back garden in the mornings. Because of the shaded part by the hedge I wont be planting there, I'll plant on the opposite side which has sun for most of the day. We'd like a patio at the back to catch the evening sun. Our neighbour has a large tree which overhangs a lot and shades the back of the garden for the morning. She wont let anybody cut it apparently but I've heard that if a tree overhangs into your property you can cut it back as long as you give back what you cut down.. I'm not sure if there's any truth in that?

    As for colour, I'd like a white flowering garden and have bought seeds for alyssum, gypsophila and foxglove. I've also purchased bulbs for Peacock orchid, tuberosa, lily of the valley, peony, begonias and gladioli. I have a week off at the start of may and hope to get started then but it really is so new to me and I'm feeling quite anxious as well as excited! 

  • Hi there everyone sorry to hear about your garden all is not lost the above post cover it but as for the cats my grandad showed me this when I was a kid get 10 garlic bulbs chop them up and place in a black bucket add 150g of table salt mix well and place outside where they spend there time in your garden  they won't go near it this is proven to mess with cats senses and they don't like that  I no it smells but it dampers down after a day or so hope  it helps 

  • treehugger80treehugger80 Posts: 1,923

    don't use jeyes fluid unless you want to kill every living thing in your garden, its total overkill (pardon the pun)

    watch your garden thru the seasons and see what is already there, some things you'll want to keep, some move to another place and some compost (I would recommend setting up a compost bin soon - if there isn't one already) get things started in big pots and then you'll know where you can place them, if they're grown in pots you can transplant them in at any time - just remember lots of water!!

    anything hanging into your garden is on your property and you are well within your rights to cut it back, but new neighbours are best asking permission and any cuttings must be offered back to the trees owner - but take into account that a hacked back tree can look very odd!

  • Hi, I of course will ask her permission but have been warned by my other neighbourghs about past fights over this tree! It's lovely but so intrusive. I have nothing in my garden except from manky old grass and mossy mud! So I'm not concerned about harming anything if I use any chemicals. I said earlier I think we're going to rotavate the whole garden and start from fresh. Too much dog and cat muck that I'm comfortable with. I'm looking at one of the stray cats now just relaxing in the long grass after its breakfast next door! They ignore me if I try and chase them. I'm looking like a crazy lady clapping hands and stomping feet while the cats just watch me..
  • I see your problem had it myself ask the lady offer to get a tree surgeon in to trim it and I said to my next door this helps the tree do better buy trimming and feeding it blah blah he agreed you can also see the council but there not much use where I live as for the garden mine was the same a few years ago so I got a turf  specialist in he kill the dead then ran a mini plough over it  top soiled it and grass seeded it with Canadian grass andMcJob cured I put garlic out in little pots now and again and I don't have any cats and there's five live next door to me it's horrible but I'd do what you are happy with 

  • Hi Paul, I will try the garlic. I'll get some today and see how it goes image thank you for all the advice, I've got lots of tips to keep me going now.
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