Trying to restart garden, but the weeds love it

ridingthewindsofdestiny

Hi, I'm a beginner gardener looking to restart my mom's old garden (she used it a couple years ago and then didn't have time to do it again). However, I've waited until summer break to start because of school work and in the meantime, the weeds are choking out the little area so badly I don't even know where to begin.

Is it worth trying to save the little patch there (and if so, where do I even start?) or should I start a new one? I was considering doing box planters as well. 

hogweed

First of all cut the grass. It will look much better then. The beds look as though they have some mature plants in them so well worth saving. Its a case of weeding them all. By hand! Once they are all weeded you can put down a mulch that will help keep them almost weed free for the next year. 

Topsoiled

Cutting the grass will make a big difference as well as making sure you have nice tidy edges- easy to do and gives you a sense of achievement. Then start the weeding. It won't be as bad as it looks - as the weeds will have lots of top growth and when you take one out should make a difference. Then start planning what you want to do in terms of design- thats always the fun bit for me. Good luck, bit by bit and you'll soon be on top of it. Just think about what you are aiming for.

Dovefromabove

Hi RTWOD (great name  hope you don't mind abbreviation tho' or I'll be here all day )

I agree with Topsoiled and Hogweed ... cut the grass and edge the beds ... it will then look like a garden .

Then water the beds one evening, giving them a good soaking.  The next day get a small hand fork and something to kneel on and weed the beds (the roots will be easier to get out as you've watered the night before).  Wear a sunhat and sunscreen and treat the whole operation as a sort of Zen experience,  meditative and contemplative ... something to be done methodically and thoroughly and not rushed.

When you've done that stand back and take pride in what a difference you've made and take some photos to show us ... then you can start to plan for the next steps ... will you want a total redesign or just some replanting?