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[00:00.40] What is the best way to repair an overgrown garden?

[00:07.58] Garden expert for the Associated Press Jessica Damiano believes she knows the answer.

[00:15.81] Here are some of her suggestions for making big improvements.

[00:21.12] Planning in the autumn and winter months can help you see something much more beautiful next winter:

[00:27.76] First, take a notebook with you and walk around the garden.

[00:32.54] Look carefully at each part.

[00:35.47] Try to decide which plants can be saved, which to throw away, and which ones require attention.

[00:44.76] Make a list as soon as you can.

[00:48.22] Dead plants, weeds and invasive plants should be first to go.

[00:54.58] If the weather permits, dig them out, removing as much of their root systems as possible.

[01:02.29] Otherwise, wait until spring to do this before planting.

[01:07.08] Next, remove and give away healthy plants that you do not want.

[01:12.92] Online groups and neighborhood web pages are places to find people to receive the plants.

[01:20.36] Many people will even be willing to do the digging if it means getting a free plant.

[01:27.00] If the garden is full of plants, shrubs, trees and vines that have grown wild, you might need to use a chainsaw or heavy machine.

[01:37.62] If there are a lot of weeds or if you want to create new garden beds, you can cover the existing vegetation rather than dig it up.

[01:47.98] Decide the size and shape of the area you want to make into a new bed.

[01:53.83] Cover that area with cardboard or lots of newspaper.

[01:59.13] Put about seven centimeters of compost and five centimeters of mulch on top of it.

[02:07.37] You can start in the autumn and leave it there over the winter until planting time in the spring.

[02:15.07] When it is time to plant, cut holes in the cardboard or paper big enough for the roots of your plants.

[02:23.30] The covering over the ground will keep most weeds from growing.

[02:28.09] Some weeds may break through and require pulling or more cardboard, Damiano said.

[02:35.25] Healthy but overgrown or unproductive deciduous shrubs can be brought back to life by pruning.

[02:44.29] “Deciduous” means that the plants lose their leaves during the winter season.

[02:50.39] The best time to prune many plants is when their branches are bare in late winter.

[02:58.64] Choosing a pruning method will require weighing appearance against the time it will take to recover.

[03:04.48] The fastest and most severe method would be to cut the whole plant down just above ground level.

[03:11.91] Although extreme, many shrubs can deal with this form of pruning and will bounce back stronger.