Front garden bed restoration

[Psilo]

Hi,

Here's another project I intend to take on. This garden bed is in need of restoration. The garden edging has come off or some of the wooden pegs are now rotten.

I have pulled out a large amount of weeds from it last weekend by hand, trying to get the roots but I'm pretty sure that some roots are still in there.

It also needs a new layer of mulch and I feel like some of plants are in need of care but my knowledge and experience is quite limited.

I was thinking of replacing the edging with the Tuscan Path Roman stone edging.

The issue is that one end of the bed is on a very slight slope (on the opposite side of the driveway, hard to see on the photos), how can I make it level before installing the new edging or should I look into a different type of edging?

My other questions are :

- what sort of mulch would be recommended for this garden bed? Should I do anything else against weeds before putting mulch?

- some of the plants are covered in some kind of cobwebs, it's difficult to see on the photos. I'm not sure what kind of pest it is and what would be the best way to deal with them?

- I feel like some of the plants in the bed are quite close from each other after they have grown a bit. Would the be an issue and would you recommend to pull some out?

Thanks in advance for the replies!

 

 

 

 

[Jewelleryrescue]

Hi @Psilo 

Merry  Xmas

Going down your pointlist.

The best mulch will go along  way to feed you garden and keep  plant roots  protected from hot and cold but only the strongest will get through it and  when they do pull the survivors  out ASAP  Best mulch worth a  couple dollars more

Neutrog Whoflungdung Mulch  I/N: 0057433  $21^.95

https://www.bunnings.com.au/neutrog-whoflungdung-mulch_p0057433

Runners  up sugarcane mulch.

Those  tuscan  pavers will be easy to install and look good last  for a ton of years. And probably paintable any time you wanted to sharpen up its colors.

I would  use n outdoor insectacide on those webs around all those plants and leave it for  a week I had a nasty run in with recent white tail spider bite to graphic to put on this post.  Still taking antibiotics to try clear the secondary infection

Your plants  look  health  for now  those Yucca looking  ones will grow  higher though  so maybe  thin every 3rd or 4th one but its  your call.

Nice  project  fixing the edging.

[MitchellMc]

Hi @Psilo,

Your plants look perfectly healthy. 

For the sloped area of the garden bed, you could either raise the soil level to create a flat base for the edging or bed the edging into poured concrete for extra stability. Adding soil to the lower areas and compacting it can help stabilise the slope, while concrete bedding ensures the edging stays level and secure, especially on steeper inclines.

When it comes to mulch, an organic option like pine bark or wood chips would work well. Before applying the mulch, consider laying down weed matting around the plants to suppress future weed growth. This will make maintenance much easier and keep your garden bed looking tidy. A layer of mulch 5–7 cm thick will also help retain soil moisture and improve the overall appearance of the bed. 

Regarding the cobweb-like material on your plants, it’s possible that this is caused by spider mites, which are tiny pests that can weave fine webbing around leaves and stems. Alternatively, it could be harmless spider webs. To determine the cause, check for tiny moving specks on the underside of leaves—these would indicate spider mites. If they are the culprits, you can treat the plants by spraying them with a strong jet of water to dislodge the pests or applying a insecticidal soap. If they are just regular spiders, they are usually beneficial to the garden and can be left alone unless they become a nuisance.

Please let us know if you have further questions.

Mitchell