Finally ready to tackle my back yard on new-ish house. it’s about 400 ft x 400ft of land that looks like it has been growing in for 20 years – a mix of trees, prickers, vines, boulders. I got a quote for $5k to clear, grade and seed but wondering if there are other options. seems like a waste because there are a ton of wild life that call it home. I’m not opposed to getting my hands dirty. might be fun to rent a bobcat or brush hog.
by jkwon7
25 Comments
In northeast
Clear out what you need for an actual backyard and then leave the rest alone.
Are you planning on doing something with the area, or do you just want it cleared?
Good luck, you’ll spend thousands putting in landscaping, and Mother Nature always has a card up her sleeve. Or you can spend thousands every other year trying to chase her down and get your money back.
Learn your local native vegetation and target invasives.
Doesn’t do you any good to clearcut the area without a plan and then having to play catch-up as weeds take back over.
Focus on low lying vegetation and any invasives. In the NE you can add mountain laurel, azaleas, and rhododendrons for winter interest without breaking the bank.
I’d start with cardio
Before you start anything figure out your drainage. Where does the water flow from/to? People always underestimate drainage. Then figure out your sun cycle exposure, prevailing wind direction, soil health, views, hard scaping ideas, then trees.
Figure out what is what. Get rid of poisons (ivy, etc) and the invasives plants. Get the property lines surveyed and start working in from there.
Would be perfect for a nice curated woodsy area. Make a plan for a couple of islands of luxury, maybe a summer deck, a rock garden, a fairy house. I wouldn’t clear the whole thing. Just small spots here and there.
Only 5k?
First consider having a plan with the area before you rip up everything.
First figure out where the body is buried.
Easy. Whack down-use a saw blade on a weed whacker all greenery to the ground. Cover w/ cardboard, newspaper, shredded paper. Top w/ leaves, yard clippings, free wood chips, etc. Keep layering for a year, more you can do, more compost/ topsoil! After 1 year, you will have a good idea about Sun movement, shade conditions ( do you need to create a season only shaded area- plant a temporary trellis of bamboo, stabilized w/ metal fence posts? Place between the sun lover & the shade lover!Plant a perennial, a sun lover, get it going, then! While waiting for it to grow, Grow Morning Glories, Holly hocks on the trellis for 2 to 3 seasons, to shade the sun lover- planting a full sun perennial you plant small to grow BIG to semi shade the plant needing 1/2 day of shade. Collect used coffee grounds, tea bags, loose tea. Can rake side of the road for free. In season, collect bags/ piles of leaves. Do it for years. You can plan & plant as you wish, making healthy rich soil as you go, weed free, no chemicals, no machinery!
$5k to clear out is nuts cheap.
I’d clear vines and see what you can keep until you work out what you want.
We had a similar area and I bought a wood chipper and made trails that the kids used power wheels then dirt bikes on
More good ideas!!! Contact Local Master Gardeners. They (&other cluds/ garden orgs) will be having shows, conferences, meetings. And ! Your County Extension Agent too! Lots of free stuff out there- or for cheap- Master Gardeners may have a plant sale happening!
Love that you’re talking about protecting wildlife habitat.
Where you start depends on where you want to end. Are you trying to cultivate the land as it is, and preserve the trees and shrubs, or are you trying to level and grade it for a wider back yard? The strategies are going to be different, and the means are going to change depending on if you want a “managed wild” kind of yard, or if you’re gonna be doing plain grass or any kind of agriculture/animal husbandry.
The clearning price you got is cheap, does that include hauling off and removing all the debris? I might go for that if it’s the case and start with more of a blank slate.
Keep the boulders, whatever you do.
Consider making the area into trails, camping area first. Maybe get your feed wet by doing that first. Get a nice back yard setup up to the shed and then trails into the woods. Long term, I would consider a major clearing, keeping the boulders and having a POND dug out and filled
a lot of this you could do as you suggest.
This would allow you to be more
discriminating, leaving small islands of brush around larger trees for the animals which could all change in 5 years as your ideas develop.
I’d go through and clear out as much dead stuff with loppers and a rake just to get rid of any fire fuel and maybe do a burnpit if you can in your area. I’d clear out some trails between the trees and bushes and make yourself some different spots you can wander around and enjoy in your yard. As time goes on you can make little structures and alcoves for your friends and family to explore and enjoy as well. I wouldn’t pay anyone to clear that for me, and I’d wait to get some bigger equipment until I got some ideas from wandering and working the property first.
I always start with deadfall. I use what I can as fill to breakdown and throw in holes or areas I want levelled. Larger logs will need to be burned or taken away
I also always identify the trees I want to help foster and grow, typically the hardwoods
Call me crazy but the woods look kinda nice – try to work around it?
Walk the property with the idea of a trail that takes you to different views and find the natural little hang out spots. The north side of thicker growth for heat of summer. Eastern exposure to catch some sun when needed. Scalp the trail keeping the organic layer in place. Don’t go down to mineral soil. Now as you walk it, the beds begin to reveal themselves. Think years of unfolding, revealing beauty and experience. Don’t be too attached to plants that don’t thrive. An artist is fearless when reworking a canvas. The first entryway could either be hidden or inviting.
I’d keep the trees and clear the brush. If the ground isn’t walkable I’d try to flatten it out. Then keep your wild stuff there. Grow patches of wild flowers or native plants. Let that be where critters can go instead of your nicer yard.
56 cypress trees will cover all that up!