Anonymous wrote:
“Mowing is also reasonable, if you don't mind having your yard a "lawn." Mow the ivy, bindweed, vinca, crabgrass, etc. and it will over time turn into something that looks lawn-like.“

Not OP but I would love to do that. But won’t the weed bits in the mower blades end up distributing the problem to the rest of the lawn?

Most weeds don’t spread that way; they have grow from seeds or runners.

Anonymous wrote:I can't imagine this would work on invasive bamboo, though. It wouldn't be such a hellish monster of a plant if it could be controlled that easily.

Cardboard does not work on bamboo.

“Mowing is also reasonable, if you don't mind having your yard a "lawn." Mow the ivy, bindweed, vinca, crabgrass, etc. and it will over time turn into something that looks lawn-like.“

Not OP but I would love to do that. But won’t the weed bits in the mower blades end up distributing the problem to the rest of the lawn?

Please don’t use herbicide on your lawn or on the unwanted growth. For English ivy it is beat to just be patient and tenacious and pull it by hand. You don’t have to get it all at once; just do some whenever you have the energy and eventually you WILL eradicate it.

I can't imagine this would work on invasive bamboo, though. It wouldn't be such a hellish monster of a plant if it could be controlled that easily.

Anonymous wrote:Thank you - With regards to the invasive vines, we do plan on using a combination of cutting them back and using an herbicide to kill them.
I saw another post that recommended putting the end of a vine in a coke bottle with herbicide so it takes it back to the root system in a targeted manner without damaging nearby plants.

Is cardboard + straw or mulch, good enough to snuff the lawn out and prepare for spring?

I had to be away from my garden all summer so I used black trash bags--cut them open lay them down, put heavy stones on them to hold them in place. Worked like a charm. Now that I'm back I may plant a cover crop or not--maybe just wait til next spring and just till everything.

On the English ivy thread someone recommended a way to dip a part of the vine into a cup of roundup so it took up a fatal dose. I would probably try that in conjunction with the cardboard. And you’re doing layers, right? Cardboard, straw then compost (at least; that’s the simplest method).

Anonymous wrote:We purchased a house with a neglected yard in 2020. We tried the cardboard method in the fall to combat the English Ivy which was everywhere. The cardboard worked for us but only because we aggressively pulled as much ivy as we could by hand. A couple of tips: Don't weed wack the poison ivy... the oils go flying and can be a disaster. The cardboard worked well for general weeds but some ivy survived. Fun fact: the 17 year cicadas drilled through several layers of cardboard on their way out of the ground!

ugh

We purchased a house with a neglected yard in 2020. We tried the cardboard method in the fall to combat the English Ivy which was everywhere. The cardboard worked for us but only because we aggressively pulled as much ivy as we could by hand. A couple of tips: Don't weed wack the poison ivy... the oils go flying and can be a disaster. The cardboard worked well for general weeds but some ivy survived. Fun fact: the 17 year cicadas drilled through several layers of cardboard on their way out of the ground!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:your neighbors will hate you

For cleaning up the weeds and neglected landscaping?? Mkay

For cardboard that will inevitably start to rot strewn about their yard

Why do such clueless people bother to comment?

I would do it once you close

Did something like that on part of my weedy loan that I converted to flower bed - wacked everything to the ground, and covered with at least 3 inches of wood chips.
Planted some shrubs and perennials about month later (Oct-Nov).
All looks good this year, had to weed couple of times here and there, but overall I'd say it was a success.

Do not wait until spring. fall is the best time for turf growth.

use selective herbicides on the turf to eradicate the nasties and the plan on aeration and overseed

stay away from the county provided free stuff. you will not be happy and you will be importing more weeds back to your property.

rather than a coke bottle. put on a rubber glove, and then put on a cotton glove overtop of the rubber glove or use a sponge and wipe the herbicide on the vines and such that are close to the desirable shrubs with minimal damage.

if its as bad as you say it is. id just spray and think about replacing the entire landscape anyhow...

the shrubs you try to save might not be worth saving once you get things cleared up.

don't waste time with the cardboard.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I did this to convert lawn and it worked great. Put a layer of leaf-gro under the cardboard and a layer of mulch on top.

A lot of perennial weeds will survive but they will also blow in on the wind. Probably spring to fall would be more effective.

Or do it right now when you get the benefit of another month or so of solarization (heat).

OP here - sadly, we don't close on the property until mid-september! I was hoping that I could at least do something in the meantime.

Anonymous wrote:I did this to convert lawn and it worked great. Put a layer of leaf-gro under the cardboard and a layer of mulch on top.

A lot of perennial weeds will survive but they will also blow in on the wind. Probably spring to fall would be more effective.

Or do it right now when you get the benefit of another month or so of solarization (heat).

I did this to convert lawn and it worked great. Put a layer of leaf-gro under the cardboard and a layer of mulch on top.

A lot of perennial weeds will survive but they will also blow in on the wind. Probably spring to fall would be more effective.