Garden Siding Help

[s0me0nesmind1]

Hey folks,

Since I'm currently not working at the moment I thought it would be nice to get some crap done on my to-do list. One of those is fixing up our garden to make it look nice.

My foremost concern is to fix the siding. As you can see in the pictures, it's falling over.

Open questions
1) What is the best way to fix the siding? I see a few options such as reinforcing the wood stakes somehow (not sure the best way) - or do something like place cement blocks against the fence maybe? Or cement blocks within the garden to prevent the dirt from pushing against the fence? Any expert opinion here would be appreciated.

2) I have a very annoying weed problem - and simply spraying it with weed killer is not something I want to do long term. Is there a better way to prevent weeds? My thoughts are lay some weed-blocker (newspaper, netting, etc..) and then put mulch over it. Good enough - or is there more I should do?



Pics:

 

[herm0016]

I think i would get trex from the local second hand building materials place and use metal posts of some kind. you could get T posts and cut them up, or the garden spikes with holes in them. just have to figure out how to attach the trex to the posts. if you want to use wood posts, use 2x4s or 2x2s and make sure they go down a foot or so.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

I think i would get trex from the local second hand building materials place and use metal posts of some kind. you could get T posts and cut them up, or the garden spikes with holes in them. just have to figure out how to attach the trex to the posts. if you want to use wood posts, use 2x4s or 2x2s and make sure they go down a foot or so.

Sorry, do you mind elaborating on what you mean?

When you say trex, what product are you referring to here? https://www.homedepot.com/b/Lumber-Composites-Decking/Trex/N-5yc1vZbqmgZ2vy

But yeah, something tells me I have to move all the dirt away from the fencing, prop the fence back up, and then put some more sturdy posts in and screw the siding into the post(s). That sound correct?

 

[herm0016]

Sorry, do you mind elaborating on what you mean?

When you say trex, what product are you referring to here? https://www.homedepot.com/b/Lumber-Composites-Decking/Trex/N-5yc1vZbqmgZ2vy

refer to any plastic decking material i think will work for the job from a 2nd hand source.

But yeah, something tells me I have to move all the dirt away from the fencing, prop the fence back up, and then put some more sturdy posts in and screw the siding into the post(s). That sound correct?

Yes. pull the dirt back and at a minimum replace the stakes. you could angle it in for more stability. so the top angles towards the filled side. this should prevent the problem you have now.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

refer to any plastic decking material i think will work for the job from a 2nd hand source.

Yes. pull the dirt back and at a minimum replace the stakes. you could angle it in for more stability. so the top angles towards the filled side. this should prevent the problem you have now.

I'll be honest, I'm thinking just getting some VERY sturdy square wood and utilizing that on the inside of the fencing and screwing them to eachother. Something like this 4x4 and I can cut them into multiple stakes: https://www.homedepot.com/p/4-in-x-4-in-x-12-ft-2-Pressure-Treated-Timber-4230254/100073070

My problem with plastic or metal is that I'm just not quite sure how I would attach it effectively to the siding?

Thoughts? Mind providing some pics of what other better alternatives you might be referring to? Because I'm having a hard time imagining what else would work.

 

[NutBucket]

You could also use cinder block. It's reasonably priced and would last a long time. The main goal is to keep the dirt away from the fence.

For the weeds, use landscape fabric and mulch on top of that. It'll help with weeds, look better and you'll have to water less often.

 

[007ELmO]

For weeds, use Preen every 2-3 months. I don't use landscaping fabric anymore, mulch falls off, stubborn weeds grow through. Preen has an extra strength 6 month variety too.

 

[Thrashard]

I have desert landscape and those chemicals are worthless. Over 10 years wasted trying every method. Even tried a Blow Torch method that appears to be perfectly legal but very dangerous.

Ends up, I just needed this stupid $15 tool and a total blessing.

 

[paperfist]

I guess I'm the only one that doesn't get why he's calling it siding?

Similar to what herm said you can get PVC 'wood' from Home Depot https://www.homedepot.com/p/Veranda...rsible-Cellular-PVC-Fascia-H120WWS2/203733425

It's thinner and would fit in place of the wood you have now. That's just an example they have different sizes and brands there.

Mesh and mulch works well unless you have squirrels. Those varmints always buried tons of nuts in my flower beds and weeds just coming back. I switched to mesh and stone and now weeds are history going on year 4.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

I guess I'm the only one that doesn't get why he's calling it siding?

What would you call the backside of the garden I guess? Doesn't matter to me what we call it as long as it's understood as the wall that separates the garden from the fence

Similar to what herm said you can get PVC 'wood' from Home Depot https://www.homedepot.com/p/Veranda...rsible-Cellular-PVC-Fascia-H120WWS2/203733425

It's thinner and would fit in place of the wood you have now. That's just an example they have different sizes and brands there.

How is thinner wood supposed to hold up the wall better? I guess I'm saying - our problem isn't with the wall - it's just with holding the wall up because the dirt is pushing it over.

That's why I was thinking of having some more sturdy posts that I can attach the siding to would be in order: https://www.homedepot.com/p/4-in-x-4-in-x-12-ft-2-Pressure-Treated-Timber-4230254/100073070

 

[FeuerFrei]

If you could figure out what product cell tower-operators use to control growth around tower installations ...
It sure is effective. Nothing but deadness. (Of course I don't know the reapplication frequency.)

 

[paperfist]

What would you call the backside of the garden I guess? Doesn't matter to me what we call it as long as it's understood as the wall that separates the garden from the fence



How is thinner wood supposed to hold up the wall better? I guess I'm saying - our problem isn't with the wall - it's just with holding the wall up because the dirt is pushing it over.

That's why I was thinking of having some more sturdy posts that I can attach the siding to would be in order: https://www.homedepot.com/p/4-in-x-4-in-x-12-ft-2-Pressure-Treated-Timber-4230254/100073070

I felt left out of your thread so I chimed in anyway.

I was expecting a shed with siding you were working on

I saw those slabs at the bottom separating the dirt from the fence and figured you meant that as siding cause it's sort of fit the description best from those pictures.

Yeah, you need 4x4 fence posts like in your link to support the fence. I didn't catch in the pics you had none. I wouldn't buy them from Lowes or Home Depot though, they are junk and split and crack like a 102 year old persons hands.

How far down do those 4x4 stubs you have now against the fence go?

 

[007ELmO]

I still suggest Preen for weed prevention (vs. other comments). It's not a chemical. You do need to water or rake it in. I have not seen anyone say it doesn't work before, don't knock it till you try it - gardener's motto. There's a lot stronger/more potent/deadly stuff that I wouldn't use near a garden with vegetables or with any wildlife. I have every animal thriving in my yard, including snakes, and I use Preen everywhere (it works great in rock beds too). I had 5ft tall thistle weeds, you have to pull weeds out fully, Preen does not stop current growth. Blow torch does nothing, you have to kill the root or stop germination (Preen does the latter).

You will still get minor grass blade growth in the beds where you preen but nothing like you would have without it. It's part of the weekly chore of mowing to pull them. Take it from someone who plants 500+ flowers a year in his yard. Gardening is about making mistakes.

"Preen Vegetable Garden Organic Weed Preventer is made from 100 percent corn gluten and it prevents more than 200 types of weed seeds from germinating. "

I use weed paper in rock beds in addition to Preen, since rocks don't have a tendency to move or deteriorate like good mulch (or in my case, sweet peat manure which needs a place to deteriorate).

Here are some of my Preen beds, I use the 6 month version now, probably stays like this for 4 months if you overdo the application. All my flower bed pictures are not easily accessible since I got off Facebook, but this should give you an idea of what to expect.

 

[Thrashard]

That looks beautiful landscape. It depends on part of country and USDA zone for weed treatment. My experience and actually quoting someone else I saw with same issue, very few methods work.

The Post Office by my house gave up, it seems they only clean ever few years. It looks horrible and UN-maintained.

Here is my landscape, I designed and built it all by myself. I completely nuked the front yard, removing almost everything and just had company plant new trees and did the rest. My backyard is a mess, but I have some Desert Tortises, and they loved eating everything back there.

 

[turtile]

If you want any type of wall to hold up long term, you will need to add sharp base gravel (used under roads etc.) to allow water movement but trap soil particles. The pressure form the wet soil will knock down anything over time.

For weed control, remove the current weeds and apply Freehand pre-emergent herbicide. Cover with mulch. Landscape fabric will not work long term. Certain weeds such as bermuda grass can grow right through it right after application. When attempting to pull out the weed, you'll pull up the fabric and make a mess. Placing mulch on top will lead to composted mulch in which weed seed will thrive.

 

[Thrashard]

I forget how I built the wall, but was an interesting project. Based on the depth it did not need drainage but deeper it would. My desert area has exactly that - sharp based gravel, with gazillion rocks and it's orange clay dirt. The deeper you dig you run into what is called Caliche and that is a nightmare. The orange clay dirt is fortified with calcium and it's like cement. A total nightmare to dig but this wall is solid and cemented with the Caliche.

Nature does some interesting things. There are 2 Willow trees planted behind the Cactus garden and they sprouted tons of new growth all over the place. It's like brand new extra trees. One of the sprouts traveled 10 feet under the Cactus garden and poking out of the center wall at bottom. It may crack the wall over time but going to leave it alone and see what happens.