The newspaper trick works really well on weeds but I'm concerned about those
pesky 2' deep roots that some grasses put out. If you decide to use
newspaper it needs to be 10-15 pages thick and covered with something (
mulch, humus, rocks) to keep the newspapers in place and damp. A couple of
months should do it. You will have to dig over the plot anyway to add your
"fixings", so you'll find those roots that didn't die off.
As to the Hydrangea, suggest you carefully dig towards it. When you notice
the rootlets of the plant in the soil, you've dug close enough. Hand pull
any grass or weeds near the plant.
Planting corn won't get you much in the way of produce. The plants take a
lot of room to produce a small amount of ears ( 2-4 per plant). Suggest what
was once called "intensive gardening". Plant a root veggie next to a leaf
veggie and alternate the rows ( eg; radishes then lettuce, then carrots,
then chard, beets then cukes, etc) It uses less space to grow the veggies.
The veggies can be changed the next year to keep down pests and disease If
you can access the plot from both sides, you won't need a walkway between
rows, so that again saves valuable planting space.
--
Jayel
"DigitalVinyl" wrote in message
...
My landlords have offered for me to use a 5x12 square of lawn at th
eedge of my patio for next year's gardening. This year was a definite
success.

The area has a gentle slope (about 4" in elevation) and is covered in
grass and weedy bits. I have a hole in th center which I have seen
chipmunks dart into but I don't think it is their home. There is a
large hydrangea (5' round) at one end, open grass at the other. The
north and south edges are defined by the patio and a rock retaining
wall down to the gravel and grass of the next level down.

I'm contemplating what I would need to do to prep the grassy area into
a garden.
How far should I stay away from the Hydrangea? I don't want to dig and
damage its root.
I would probably want to turn up the top 6" or more and add
fertilizer, peat, perlite, humus, manure. Also bring it more level so
I don't get runoff and puddles.
Do I need to strip/throw away the sod, or can I turn it under and
maybe black plastic it to kill the grass?
I seem to recall reading about a treatment of heavy newspaper for a
few months.
Should I do it now before winter?

I'm not concerned with it looking like a mix of grass and vegetables,
although weeding would be the big issue. I'm trying to judge how much
work vs. what I would grow there. I can probably grow 2' tall plants
without shading the containers at the edge of the patio. I can always
move those around. I'm tempted to try a square of corn.


DiGiTAL ViNYL (no email)
Zone 6b/7, Westchester Co, NY, 1 mile off L.I.Sound
1st Year Gardener