In article ,
"David Hare-Scott" wrote:

themusicman9 wrote:
Ive just started on my garden which is has been very neglected over
the years by the person who lived here last. Its a decent size so sems
stupid to just leave it unnattended. Ive managed to cut throguh the
over grown grass which was very long, and well its not green, its hay
like in appearance. Is this to it being so long and it not getting
the sunlight on it??

Yes in part. Many grasses also tend to turn rank and brown after they seed.


And is there anything I can do to remedy this problem.


Yes cut it. You don't need to fart about doing it every week unless you
want to use up much time and resources but something like 3 to 5 times a
year would avoid the problem. Don't cut it too short (at least) initially.
If you are leaving a heavy windrow some raking would help avoid stunting
underneath until you get it down to a manageable level. Use the cut grass
in compost or as mulch on the garden . Otherwise mulch up the cuttings and
leave them on the grass to rot and to improve the organic content of the
soil. Consider in the long term if you could find a better use for the space
or a less resource intensive cover.

Or lasagna garden, by laying newspaper, or cardboard over the grass
(having previously added any amendments that you may think is
necessary), then cover newspaper/cardboard with mulch. Hose it all down.
Wait 2 weeks, and plant.

The other problem i have is that there are brambles (i think), that
have grown out of control and even have bedded in the grass itself.
When i say brambles, i mean long windy brances with thorms on them,
which seem to have burrowed under the grass. Is there anything i can
do get rid ot them with a special lawn treatment??? Without damaging
the grass???


It depends on what the 'brambles' actually are. If it is blackberry or one
of its relatives regular mowing will keep them down. The roots will
eventually die if you keep cutting the tops off. Once you have got rid of
them you can reduce the frequency of mowing. This is likely to leave dried
stems in the grass with thorns which may not be nice to walk on in a traffic
area so digging them out by hand may be hard work but worth it. There may
be selective sprays around (I don't know) but you still have to get rid of
the dead stems. If it is something else other treatment might be better.

David
Cut at ground level with a shovel and/or pull them out.
--
- Billy
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the
merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arn3lF5XSUg
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