class: center, middle # Ground prep 🌱 _Clear the ground to plant your plants_ [](/) by Jake Rayson [@ForestGdnWales](https://twitter.com/ForestGdnWales) [forestgarden.wales/course/ground-prep](https://www.forestgarden.wales/course/ground-prep/) ###### **Press `P` to see notes and credits**<br>Work licensed under [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/), embedded work may have other licenses. --- # What we’ll learn 1. Timing 2. Choose method 3. Sheet mulch 4. Cardboard mulch 4. Deturf  <h6 class="breadcrumb">Timing – Method — Sheet mulch — Cardboard — Deturf</h6> ??? * THINGS WILL GROW --- # 1. Timing * Clear in sections 👈 * 3-5 plants per square metre * 400 plants for 10m x 10m! * Embrace the grass  <h6 class="breadcrumb"><span class="u-underline">Timing</span> – Method — Sheet mulch — Cardboard — Deturf</h6> ??? * Consider clearing in sections * If you leave it, grass will come * Approx 1 tonne bark mulch per 100m² --- # 1. Timing * Clear in sections * 3-5 plants per square metre 👈 * 400 plants for 10m x 10m! * Embrace the grass  <h6 class="breadcrumb"><span class="u-underline">Timing</span> – Method — Sheet mulch — Cardboard — Deturf</h6> --- # 1. Timing * Clear in sections * 3-5 plants per square metre * 400 plants for 10m x 10m! 👈 * Embrace the grass  <h6 class="breadcrumb"><span class="u-underline">Timing</span> – Method — Sheet mulch — Cardboard — Deturf</h6> ??? * Only approx 150 Vinca minor plants in foreground! --- # 1. Timing * Clear in sections * 3-5 plants per square metre * 400 plants for 10m x 10m! * Embrace the grass 👈  <h6 class="breadcrumb"><span class="u-underline">Timing</span> – Method — Sheet mulch — Cardboard — Deturf</h6> ??? * Photo shows Ornamental Forest Garden, canopy planted in grass, mown once a year. Docks an issue. --- # 2. Choose method * Cardboard mulch 👈 * Plastic woven sheet mulch * Deturf: manually, turf cutter, digger  <h6 class="breadcrumb">Timing – <span class="u-underline">Method</span> — Sheet mulch — Cardboard — Deturf</h6> --- # 2. Choose method * Cardboard mulch * Plastic woven sheet mulch 👈 * Deturf: manually, turf cutter, digger  <h6 class="breadcrumb">Timing – <span class="u-underline">Method</span> — Sheet mulch — Cardboard — Deturf</h6> --- # 2. Choose method * Cardboard mulch * Plastic woven sheet mulch * Deturf: manually, turf cutter, digger 👈  <h6 class="breadcrumb">Timing – <span class="u-underline">Method</span> — Sheet mulch — Cardboard — Deturf</h6> --- # 2. Choose method 1. Small: cardboard or manual deturf 👈 2. Medium: cardboard, turf cutter or sheet mulch 3. Large: sheet mulch or deturf with digger  <h6 class="breadcrumb">Timing – <span class="u-underline">Method</span> — Sheet mulch — Cardboard — Deturf</h6> --- # 2. Choose method 1. Small: cardboard or manual deturf 2. Medium: cardboard, turf cutter or sheet mulch 👈 3. Large: sheet mulch or deturf with digger  <h6 class="breadcrumb">Timing – <span class="u-underline">Method</span> — Sheet mulch — Cardboard — Deturf</h6> ??? * Cardboard in _sections_, over time --- # 2. Choose method 1. Small: cardboard or manual deturf 2. Medium: cardboard, turf cutter or sheet mulch 3. Large: sheet mulch or deturf with digger 👈  <h6 class="breadcrumb">Timing – <span class="u-underline">Method</span> — Sheet mulch — Cardboard — Deturf</h6> --- # 3. Sheet mulch * Plastic! 👈 * Buy quality, re-use sections * Use metal pegs * Weigh it down  <h6 class="breadcrumb">Timing – Method — <span class="u-underline">Sheet mulch</span> — Cardboard — Deturf</h6> ??? * Quality brands include [PhormiSol](https://www.phormium.com/en/applications/horticulture/black-ground-covers) or [Mypex](https://www.donlow.co.uk/gb/en/products/mypex/) --- # 3. Sheet mulch * Plastic! * Buy quality, re-use sections 👈 * Use metal pegs * Weigh it down  <h6 class="breadcrumb">Timing – Method — <span class="u-underline">Sheet mulch</span> — Cardboard — Deturf</h6> --- # 3. Sheet mulch * Plastic! * Buy quality, re-use sections * Use [metal pegs](https://duckduckgo.com/?q=landscape+fabric+metal+pegs) 👈 * Weigh it down  <h6 class="breadcrumb">Timing – Method — <span class="u-underline">Sheet mulch</span> — Cardboard — Deturf</h6> --- # 3. Sheet mulch * Plastic! * Buy quality, re-use sections * Use metal pegs * Weigh it down 👈  <h6 class="breadcrumb">Timing – Method — <span class="u-underline">Sheet mulch</span> — Cardboard — Deturf</h6> --- # 4. Cardboard mulch * Decomposes in few months * Remove plastic * Boxes from bicycle shops * Weight it down!  <h6 class="breadcrumb">Timing – Method — Sheet mulch — <span class="u-underline">Cardboard</span> — Deturf</h6> ??? * Double thickness if you can --- # 5. Deturf * Deturf manually 👈 * Hire turf cutter * Hire mini-digger  <h6 class="breadcrumb">Timing – Method — Sheet mulch — Cardboard — <span class="u-underline">Deturf</span></h6> ??? * Hard work! * Slow * Only suitable small spaces --- # 5. Deturf * Deturf manually * Hire turf cutter 👈 * Hire mini-digger  <h6 class="breadcrumb">Timing – Method — Sheet mulch — Cardboard — <span class="u-underline">Deturf</span></h6> ??? * Expensive approx £60 per day * Only works with relatively good quality turf! --- # 5. Deturf * Deturf manually * Hire turf cutter * Hire mini-digger 👈  <h6 class="breadcrumb">Timing – Method — Sheet mulch — Cardboard — <span class="u-underline">Deturf</span></h6> ??? * Better for bigger areas * Need to have lots of plants & bark mulch ready! * Removes nutrients from top layer, though can compost & return As of 2020 in UK, approx prices GBP * Mini-digger 1 day hire £100 * Digger drive 1 day £100 * Diesel £20 --- # Forest garden takeaways * Choose according to situation * Reduce your footprint * Take your time  --- class: middle, center # The End _Ground cleared to plant your plants_ 🌱