Help me garden my garden
I keep seeing that clover is a good alternative to grass, as it's lower maintenance, doesn't really grow tall and is good for the environment yadayadayada
I'm wondering if I should just spread clover seed all over my garden?? My grass never grows, my garden is like a giant swamp, would clover work well instead? Has anyone here done it instead?
Comments
-
clover lawns can work very well one thing to be mindful is it can grow rather tall if not kept short we used to grow it on the farms for its high protein content and lack of needing nitrogen i would use a a short variety like kent wild white
2 -
I've never liked clover myself. Would prefer a wildflower lawn if moving away from conventional grass. (Not that my preference should sway your decision! 🙂 )
Grass is pretty tough though. If even that won't grow, maybe there's a problem with the soil? Poor water draining? Not enough sun? Thick clay?
0 -
Yeah I think it's the soil, the water doesn't drain properly (new build and it's all just giant rocks and concrete and rubble under the grass and clay), from what I can see from my window most the gardens around me look like they've ended up replacing with astro turf instead.
But I really wanted a garden and real grass because being out in it makes me feel better, especially with me not getting out much aside from that
Thanks @michael57 that's helpful to have a type to look at!!
1 -
DDepending On the type of clay to get a half decent lawn you would need to add a lot of organic material to eventually break up the fine particials of clay that bind together fake lawns and flowers are a yukky in my opinion
2 -
The bees wouldn't be all that keen on plastic either!
2 -
Not just the bees chap all the micro plastics would have a devastating affect on all of nature above and below ground
2 -
That is why I don't like strimmers.
0 -
Can't beat a pair of nice clippers for edging it's like most things in life nowadays no time or patience
1 -
Wait what's wrong with strimmers?? I feel like I know nothing 😅
0 -
Ask a young gardener who wants a fast outcome for whatever reason and an old school gardener who likes the personal touch neither one is right or wrong but as you are finding with your garden the fast way is not always better in the long run
0 -
All the tiny pieces of plastic being scattered all over a fragile ecosystem! My grass cutter uses a strimmer with a steel blade, not awful plastic string.
1 -
In all honesty speaking from a professional perspective, as I’m an ex Private and Public Sector Gardener in Lancashire.
With heavy clay in the ground, the PH will be influenced by factors such as location, rainfall and native materials. If there is a lot of rainfall and it holds onto the moisture it can make the soil have an Acidic PH which would need to be corrected by adding lime to make it more alkaline and neutral. However if the area is quite dry that would mean it is more alkaline.
It’s also not surprising that there are loads of rocks and waste material just left behind by the builders as they don’t tend to care about doing a thorough clean up and carry out proper landscaping, they rather prefer the slap it together and it will look fine.I’m always in the corner of against artificial turf, due to it taking away from the biodiversity of the area that native plants, animals and other species need to survive and thrive. Slapping Astro Turf over what the builders have done to the ground is just in essence like sticking a tarp over the area with a sign saying “Nothing to See Here”
If you wanted to do a wildflower lawn with a grass seed mixture to create a meadow. You would probable have to do a thorough clean up of rocks and other debris, then introduce a top soil into the garden which would bring nutrients into the soil and clay base already there. After this I’d hazard to say it would need either a thorough turning over with a Garden fork, or a rotator to break down the heavy clumps of clay and existing soil all the while mixing the new top soil deep together with the existing materials. It would need to be raked with a soil rake until a fine tilth. This would give a good solid foundation to aid drainage.
If the clay holds a lot of water I’d dig a couple of trenches to install a French Drain, couple of perforated plastic pipes with gravel with it sloping away from the affected area to aid drainage.
2 -
Well put Mr Zippy!
1 -
Well this all sounds very complicated 🤣 who knew gardens were so difficult!!
0 -
Haha there only as difficult as you make them I would personally rough dig then cover with chopped leaves and a good layer of well rotted fym redig it all together in the spring prepare it and lay turf or whatever you prefer but I am old school
1 -
You would probably grow hundreds of dahlias, if your better half didn't restrain you!
1 -
Nothing wrong with one or two dahlias young man gotta help feed the bees
1 -
Ornamental cabbage or i go home.
0 -
Next year barring ##### and accidents if you stop harping chap
1
Categories
- All Categories
- 15.6K Start here and say hello!
- 7.4K Coffee lounge
- 103 Games den
- 1.7K People power
- 149 Announcements and information
- 24.6K Talk about life
- 6K Everyday life
- 462 Current affairs
- 2.5K Families and carers
- 886 Education and skills
- 1.9K Work
- 553 Money and bills
- 3.7K Housing and independent living
- 1.1K Transport and travel
- 630 Relationships
- 1.5K Mental health and wellbeing
- 2.5K Talk about your impairment
- 873 Rare, invisible, and undiagnosed conditions
- 934 Neurological impairments and pain
- 2.2K Cerebral Palsy Network
- 1.2K Autism and neurodiversity
- 40.8K Talk about your benefits
- 6.1K Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- 20K PIP, DLA, ADP and AA
- 8.9K Universal Credit (UC)
- 5.8K Benefits and income