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Help, first time garden owner :)
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Help, first time garden owner :)


Hi all! I’m starting from scratch with this place and I have no idea where to begin.
I was thinking raised beds around the edges(the fence lines will be replaced) and then mainly lawn in the middle. I have two big dogs that loooooove to run around and play rough. So having the space for them is a big reason we got this place.
Any advice and suggestions is greatly appreciated! I want to keep updating as the process goes along.

So, what should I do first? [after the fence is repaired]
My thoughts were to go through and spray with a weed killer. Till the ground and the level it. Add a layer of top soil/compost mix. Then seed and water until I get grass. I feel like I’m missing a lot 😅

by crazyfunhun99

2 Comments

  1. msmaynards

    Don’t remove the perimeter shrub/trees unless you ID them and they are poisonous and attractive to dogs or invasive species. They are beautiful and very likely screening you from unpleasant views. Dogs also tend to patrol fence lines so fancy new plantings would be in danger.

    Seems you are in a dry area? Lawn is expensive in every sense of the word in arid places and when you add dogs in you’ll be managing lawn like you are the groundskeeper for a soccer field. If you must have lawn then keep it small and out of the way in the hope that dogs will chase and wrestle where they won’t destroy grass and plantings.

    Here’s an alternate plan to poke holes in. What about leaving the perimeter shrubs, give the dogs a 10-20′ deep mulched racetrack around perimeter, putting up an ornamental fence too high for them to want to jump more or less in the middle of the yard and using the interior for raised beds, maybe a small lawn and so on? If the fig tree[?] makes the cut they wouldn’t be able to gorge on them and it could be the centerpiece of the enclosed space. You could add additional super tough shrubs/trees to the dog area and protect with rings of wire/fences until large enough they won’t get trampled by the dogs. The fence could be covered with vines and be any shape you like. Have a couple gates and one could have an arbor over it.

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