Eric Hughes

Rich pastor best answer.
Weeds aren't a problem when they are also food. Eat it ! Or let your horses eat it but I don't blame you if I heard about something that could kill my horses I would do everything I could to prevent it. The corn gluten meal would be a quick environmentally friendly solution but the best would be feeding the soil. Let the Dandys do what they came there to do and speed the process along with a little om(organic matter). 2 inches of compost and plug aerate. You'll be feelin dandy for dandelions in no time!

Eric Daniel Hughes
Student of landscape architecture

Seeing how there is now a hole on the northeast side of the property where all that cold winter wind can sneak through, I would create banks like alder burns said. With the contours so you can create a terrace like effect. Burying or stake them in and grow something pretty and hardy in its place, trees, either what is naturally there already or something interesting that can serve as a reminder of that very unique day. Block those winds! It's cold enough up there already!

Eric Daniel Hughes
Student of Landscape Architecture

Soil test soil test soil test. Always should be the first thing you do. Its hard to compete with what a professional lab can tell you. It's been known that limestone will balance out an acidic soil but in a couple of years time the soil will return to its original state which then causes the gardener to want to lime their soil again...which is bad! Once your soil has been over limed it becomes to alkaline and it will not return to its original state causing the gardener to have to build on top of the soil with organic matter (compost). Best advice go with organic matter from the start. Spend your money wisely and go for the long term. Quick solutions are too good to be true and more importantly environmentally incorrect. Nature doesn't lime its soil. It builds on top of it. Mimic nature and make it work in your favor.

Good Luck! I hope your garden grows into a paradise

Eric Daniel Hughes
Student of Landscape Architecture

I would love to see someone blowing leaves with a lawnmower haha! How long did that take?

The black plastic is not for composting, it literally just kills everything underneath it down to microorganism level if left long enough. It's a method used for killing weeds. Some people do it before starting a garden bed but honestly the best method is not to kill but to feed. Weeds occupy bare soil. They exist to fill certain niches in the biology of the soil. For example a lot of weeds are nitrogen fixing plants. If you have weeds in your yard it is because your soil is deficient in something.

As for composting, leaves are the easiest and cheapest material to build a lot of compost fast. If you don't plan on having a garden just chop them up where they fall. That's what would happen anyway if you weren't there. Nature knows what it is doing. If you plan on gardening, collect those suckers and make them benefit you. I'd go with the lawn mower bag method.

Ericdanielhughes
Student of landscape architecture