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Clearing an Overgrown Garden

GroundElder300If you have just bought a home with an overgrown garden this article is for you.

We are going to explain how to quickly and safely clear the overgrown area and prepare it to be transformed into your own little piece of paradise.

Safety first

The first thing we are going to talk about is safety.

In an overgrown garden, you really have no idea of what is hidden in the weeds. It is never a good idea to wade through tall grass or weeds. The last thing you want to do is to step on broken glass or a rusty rake. In an overgrown garden, you could quite easily find yourself stumbling across a rat’s nest or a foxes den, so care should be taken.

You should ensure that you’re wearing sturdy footwear and make sure that your arms and legs are covered. It is also worth investing in a good pair of gauntlets.

Safety goggles should be worn when using a strimmer or scythe. To be extra safe it is worth wearing a hardhat that protects the temples. That way if a stone or piece of metal or glass is thrown up and hits you it cannot cause a head injury.

To inspect the garden we suggest that you clear paths through the undergrowth. That way you will not have to wade through an area without being able to see what is underfoot.

Hire a skip

Sometimes it can be tempting to pile up the weeds and burn them. This is usually not a good idea.

A big bonfire can be deemed as a nuisance and it is difficult to keep it under control. It is far safer and more convenient to hire a skip. You can find a list of local skip hire companies on a website site like SkipandBin.com  which can help you to quickly find the cheapest skip hire in your area.

Hiring a skip is also a good idea because you do not know what other rubbish you will find in an overgrown garden. Often there will be old electrical goods, pots, bikes, ornaments, building materials and garden furniture. Having a skip allows you to put most of it in there, which is the quickest and easiest way to get rid of it.

Some skip hire firms participate in re-cycling schemes. If re-cycling is important to you look for a firm that does so. They will normally provide you with a way of separating green rubbish that can be composted from the other rubbish.

Be methodical

With an overgrown space, the best approach is to clear from the front to the back. That way you are not walking over tough terrain. Try to do the clearing when the weeds are dry, so keep an eye on the weather forecast.

Use the right equipment

Clearing overgrown land is tough work. It is important to use good quality tools and to have the right equipment for trimming hedges and bushes available.

If necessary, hire this equipment. Doing so will turn a tough job into a more manageable one.

Stopping the weeds from coming back

Once you have cleared the weeds you need to make sure that the weeds do not come back. The best way to do this is to use a good quality all-purpose weed killer that will kill seedlings and, very importantly, kill the seeds too.

Using these tips clearing an overgrown garden will be far easier.