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mfrickn_gw

New home owner and new to gardening

mfrickn
9 years ago

Hi there! We are first time home owners in New Orleans with lots of overgrown areas on our property. We purchased in February, but with a teething toddler I found no time to tackle some of the gardening/ landscaping and I'm totally ignorant to what to do or how I should even begin.

This morning I decided to tackle an area next to our side entrance. I was able to identify an overgrown/partially dead schefflera. It was laying along the ground and growing up the side of the house. I cut away the dead parts and the parts that were on the house. Should I just dig the whole thing up? Also, there's some old tattered plastic under the weeds. Should I leave it and work on top of it or rip up what I can? There's monkey grass too. I hate it and would love to get rid of it.

I'm thinking I would really like some giant elephant ears in this area instead of the schefflera.

Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated:) book suggestions too:) thanks

Comment (1)

  • lisanti07028
    9 years ago

    It would be best if you can get the plastic up; I'm still finding some in my yard, and I've never figured out the reason it was there in the first place.

    If you don't like the schleffera and monkey grass, take them out! It's your house now, and you can grow whatever you want to wherever you want it.

    The people in the forum for your geographical region can give you the best advice for what will grow best for you.

    There are probably books about gardening in the south that can help you learn, and I recommend that you get a good overall gardening book, like the one at the link. Reader's Digest used to have a really good one, and you might still be able to find it in a used book store. I'd guess you'd be wise to start with your local library and see what they have, then buy the one that's the most helpful.

    Good luck with all of it!

    Here is a link that might be useful: garden book

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