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I’m seeking advice to improve my struggling garden bed. Here’s the situation:
1) Grass in garden bed: I am trying to make it better by plucking almost daily, planting ground cover like Dichondra silver fall and making mulch layer thicker. Some Dichondra plants die within a day while others survive. My plant app suggests I might be overwatering, but I’m not entirely sure. It’s been very hot recently.
2) Every time I dig to plant something, I find grub-like insects in the soil. Here’s a video:
I’m not sure if they’re damaging the plants or if they’re harmless.
Could the Dichondra be dying due to overwatering, the heat, or something else? Are these grubs harmful, and should I take steps to remove them? If so, how can I deal with them without harming beneficial soil life? Any other tips for reviving my garden bed and ensuring my plants thrive?
Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @amanm. It's terrific to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about garden care.
It looks like you might be dealing with some common issues affecting your garden, but let's break it down and address your concerns. First, regarding the overwatering, your garden bed appears quite wet, which could be contributing to your plant struggles. Overwatering is a common cause of plant problems, including the death of your Dichondra. When the soil remains too moist, it can lead to root rot and other complications. To resolve this, it's important to only water your plants when the soil begins to dry out. If the soil is still damp, it’s best to avoid watering, as consistently wet conditions can harm your plants. The thicker mulch layer you’ve added can help retain moisture but might also trap too much, leading to excessive moisture in the soil. Be sure that the mulch isn’t too thick and allows airflow to the soil underneath.
Regarding the grubs (or worms), the creatures you’re seeing in the video are worms, which are harmless and beneficial for your garden. Worms help aerate the soil, break down organic matter, and improve soil health, so they’re not causing any harm to your plants.
The main takeaway here is to ensure you’re managing your watering practices carefully and not allowing the soil to stay too wet.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mitchell
You might want to try painting the grass blades with a herbicide instead of just pulling them @amanm. This approach ensures that the herbicide reaches the roots, effectively killing them off. It’s likely that there's a seed bank within the soil that’s causing the grass to regenerate, so with continued treatment, you should gradually get on top of it.
Alternatively, if you’re looking for a more physical solution, you could remove the existing mulch, lay down weed matting, and then replace the mulch on top. The weed matting will act as a barrier to prevent the grass from regrowing, while still allowing water and air to reach the soil. This method may require a bit more effort upfront but can help in the long run to reduce grass regrowth.
Mitchell
