Resetting a 1/4 acre

padraig.od

Hi,

We have a patch of land that is quiet overgrown with rough tall grass, weeds, nettles and briars etc. I hope to reset the entire area back to topsoil and start fresh.

The area can be split into two sub-areas. One half is mostly flat with tall, rough grass and nettles. The other half is bordered by a stream, there are some lovely trees (which I want to keep), rough bushes, more nettles. Just an overgrown mess. There are also tall mounds of earth and stones upon which rough grass has grown.

So ... what are my options? I want to keep price down obviously and will be physically able to do a lot of manual work. One option I am considering is to cover the area with something, think black plastic maybe? and let nature take its course over the winter.

Has anyone any experience with a project like this?

jezko

Cheapest and I think the most effective thing is to cut out as much as you can now and over the winter, if possible before cutting get a good nettle/Perennial weed killer now before the foliage dies back. (Might weaken the plant somewhat but I doubt kill it completely)

And Come Spring, allow nettles to regrow and Spray off again.

Reseed with grass and over the following year keep cutting back with lawn mower/strimmer.
Nettles and most perennials can't survive being cut back over long period of time.

In my option Covering with Black plastic now will not achieve much, as most plants will not be growing over the winter depending how mild a winter we have.

If you are against using Pesticides/Weedkillers, then place plastic over the Perennial weeds and keep covered for the following year.

But Plastic can be expensive

magicbastarder

what's the intended endgame for the land? lawn?

padraig.od

jezko wrote: »

Cheapest and I think the most effective thing is to cut out as much as you can now and over the winter, if possible before cutting get a good nettle/Perennial weed killer now before the foliage dies back. (Might weaken the plant somewhat but I doubt kill it completely)

And Come Spring, allow nettles to regrow and Spray off again.

Reseed with grass and over the following year keep cutting back with lawn mower/strimmer.
Nettles and most perennials can't survive being cut back over long period of time.

In my option Covering with Black plastic now will not achieve much, as most plants will not be growing over the winter depending how mild a winter we have.

If you are against using Pesticides/Weedkillers, then place plastic over the Perennial weeds and keep covered for the following year.

But Plastic can be expensive

Thanks for the reply.

My plan would be to cut out what I can over the coming weeks and leave to rot over the winter. I'm just afraid it will come to naught, as by next spring growth will return and undo my hard work. The area itself is far too big and uneven for a lawnmower, so I was thinking the cover option would kill grass, stop weeds.

I want to reset and leave until I'm ready for the next stage (which could be spring 2015 before I'm planting and looking to make use of the area).

Would the cost of covering it up be more that the weedkiller option?

padraig.od

magicbastarder wrote: »

what's the intended endgame for the land? lawn?

Some lawn, veggie patch, general outdoor area.

I want to "unwild" it and leave it in a position where I can get through next spring/summer without further growth and start with a empty site in spring 2015.

redser7

I'd start with a pen and paper and try to map out your design early days. There's no point tackling weeds etc that might end up being covered with slabs for a patio area. You might also go for raised beds in your veg patch. Maybe a tunnel or greenhouse? A composting area, storage sheds, a pond, play area for kids with bark mulch, flower beds. You might spread a few tons of manure over an area where you will grow veg.
You can cover the land with any number of scrounged materials. Cardboard and carpet are often used. Granted a 1/4 acre is quite large
So maybe refine your plan just a little first.