How can I remove a long narrow strip of over-growth (weeds, grass, etc.)?

Question

I have a long patch of over-growth in my back yard along my driveway. It is about 2 feet wide and runs the entire length of my back yard, around 100 feet. Half of it is right next to my detached garage. Also it is right next to a chain link fence.

I want to get rid of it all and replace it with mulch, pea gravel, or something like that I am open to ideas. What our my options? I am able to do manual labor and I would like to stay away from chemicals, I don't want to ruin my neighbors yard that is right next to this section of over-growth.

Lastly how to I get rid of the yard waste? I am able to just put it all in lawn bags and have the city take it away like the grass clippings?

Answer 1

Get out your shovel and go to it. This isn't a complex task but requires some fortitude.

You'll want to remove material to about 2" below the driveway surface over the entire area. Ideally you'll load it into a trailer or pickup as you work so you don't have move it twice. Create a nice flat, uniform cavity, with the corners and edges squared out well. A spade will cut better, but a square shovel will give you a flatter grade. You could also use a garden (hard-tined) rake to finish.

Now lay landscape fabric and your gravel topping. The removed material can be taken to a local landfill. Check with your community governance or look for private need on services such as CraigsList.

Answer 2

Your city's web site should tell you what to do with garden waste. Some cities treat it as trash, some have compostable recycling, some have different rules for grass, leaves, branches, and other things and some have different rules at different times of year. The only way to answer that part of the question is to ask your city or look at their web site.

You could use a cheap weed whacker to cut the strip down, then lay gravel or mulch on top to cover it. New weeds will grow through and you can use a focused weed spray or flame thrower on the small plants to kill them off but they will keep growing back. For a more permanent solution you need to dig them up roots and all, lay down landscape fabric under the gravel. Lots of tutorials on that on youtube.

Answer 3

Start by mowing or weed-whacking it. Just doing that regularly will "magically" turn it back into "not overgrowth, just somewhat weedy lawn."

Then pile about 8" of mulch (wood chips or similar, not chopped up used tires) on top and call it a day unless you are into excess work. Rake and add new mulch as needed over time.

Digging it out is not needed if you use enough mulch.

Pea gravel (and that tire mulch junk) looks nice for 6 months and then starts to be a weedy mess, or needs lots of maintenance, because dust and weed seeds accumulate in the voids and start growing. Alleged "weed block" fabric is useless for that reason and generally worse than useless, period.

You'll have to check with your city regarding whether they take dirt along with lawn clippings if you insist on digging it out.

The best way to ensure you don't need to weed it long-term is to have something "not a weed" growing there that shades out the weeds. Plant 100 daffodils and 33-50 large-type Hosta on your 100 by 2 foot strip, and it will take care of itself after the first couple of years.