Help! new garden/fall prep

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

Hello! I’m a total novice who just inherited a messy garden (zone 5/6). I think it’s too late for any new planting now, but what should I do to prep it for spring? I’m hoping to totally redo it next spring. Currently I am simply doing as much weeding and pruning / perennial transplanting as possible. It’s mostly dirt and rocks right now - I’m planning to add mulch, but should that be done now or in spring? You can see the dry dirt and rocks in the photo. Also wondering if I should add fresh soil before the mulch. Anything else that can be done in advance? Thank you!

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beesneeds

6 years ago

Those very well might not be Fulva lilies. They could be a whole lotta other daylilies that come in many different colors and kinds of blooms. Unless you have seen them in bloom, don't assume they are common orange.

Same goes for what your app is saying about the iris and blue flag iris- unless you have seen them in bloom, don't assume- those leaf habits also come in many other colors. And blue flag prefers wet environments like marshes and wet meadows, so are less than likely to be what you have in a dry garden bed.

I have dozens of colors of lilies with leaf growth habits similar or the same as fulvas, and dozens of colors and kinds of irises of various species. If you haven't seen them in bloom, don't trust an app to just ID the foliage.

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Comments (11)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
6 years ago
I’m hoping to totally redo it next spring.

==>>>

welcome...

big city name.. will let us know where you are ...

what do you mean when you say redo??? .. thinking about removing the pine?? .. evrything??? ... .. are you doing the other side also.. how about a pic of that.. etc ...

do you have any idea whether there are spring bulbs in there???

lets try to figure out your plan ... your goals .. then we can figure out how to get there ...

fall prep is a great idea...

ken
deanna in ME Barely zone 6a, more like 5b
6 years ago
Not too late for new planting! Many plants prefer being divided and planted in fall. The cool fall temps trigger the plant to grow roots and not top foliage. Fall is idea! You said you are doing transplanting, so you seem to have a handle on that. But, we do need more info per Ken's advice. What you wish to do with the area soil-wise? Does "re-do" mean add soil amendments like compost and peat, or just plant new things as soil is right now?
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callirhoe123
6 years ago
Do you know the names of the plants you have? If not, post them here, one or two at a time and we can help with IDs.
HU-224590036
Original Author
6 years ago
Hello! According to my app, I believe there are currently orange ditch lilies, and a couple iris varieties including blue flag irises in the front. In the back are rose of sharons and plantain lilies. there are 'Jerusalem artichokes' throughout. I think I would like to leave the pines in place for now, and pull out all of the Jerusalem artichokes. I am thinking about moving some of the ditch lilies and irises to the sides and tossing the rest, to clear that front area. In the front, area I am thinking about removing all rocks, and planting some annuals. But was also thinking about phlox and purple black eyes susans. That front area is likley where i would add new soil and mulch. Does that seem like a doable plan? Thank you! And I am in the Toronto area!
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
6 years ago
Have you lived there through a full growing season? If not, I would be reluctant to do anything more than some weeding and minor clearing. Who knows what spring bulbs and ephemerals or early season perennials now dormant might be present that you could disrupt or damage by too much clearing out.

For a front garden. I'd expect something a bit more permanent than annuals. They are okay to accent but not as the primary ingredient :-)
HU-224590036
Original Author
6 years ago
the day lilies and irises are perennials and grow back every year with mixed results! aka sometimes it's 90% dry messy leaves and 10% blooms :p
callirhoe123
6 years ago
Both the ditch lily and the Jerusalem artichoke are rapid spreaders, so beware!
HU-224590036
Original Author
6 years ago
@callirhoe123 oh im aware!!! i want to pull out all the jerusalem artichokes and kind of want to pull out all the ditch lilies too. i dont know why but i feel kind of bad though? which is why i was considering tossing some of the lilies and simply transplanting some others off to a side somewhere rather than smack dab in the middle!
HU-224590036
Original Author
6 years ago
i have seen them in bloom! they are indeed orange day lilies and blue irises and jerusealem artichokes!
WeedHater
6 years ago
If you know what you currently have and want to clear out the area, one thing you can do (in fact I am doing it right now myself ) - lay down cardboard over area you want to redo. Top with three inches of compost and then three inches of mulch. Leave until spring. The way the soil gets improved and weeds get smothered. I normally pull as many weeds as I can prior to smothering, especially tap rooted weeds so that I can be assured they will actually be dead.