Before you start, some questions ...

[Ahmed]

Very well! There will be two of us at the stake!

Yeah! Like that, we will keep warm!
It is true that the case exposed by our friend is really delicate ...

[sicetaitsimple]

It is true that the case exposed by our friend is really delicate ...

It's certain!

Well, as my case is desperate and you will accompany me jointly on the stake, this is what I would do if I were in the same case:

- remove as many laurels as possible (depending on the subdivision regulations, the desire to be isolated from the view of neighbors or passers-by, etc.)
- beak everything while removing as many roots as possible
- make a significant contribution of compost (perhaps not easy to get some in the 93?) to be able to start the following year with the best chances of success, and then see what cover to bring as the seasons and local availability (leaves, mowing, ..) without worrying about standard type "20cm". The "20cm" the main interest is the fight against weeds, on 10m2 the fight against weeds is not is not a problem, it's a pleasure!
- And do not forget every year to lay down the roots of the laurels that would have remained in place, which will only have one idea, that of going to get food and drink in the beautiful inn that is built for them a few dozen cm.

[olivier75]

I have matches.
Tillage does not change anything, the roots go up with or without, one or more cutting lines with the spade lowered as low as possible is enough. Even if you are right about the fact that there will be at least sharing of the elements, the uprooting is not compulsory. Laurels, in 2 or XNUMX years can be folded down in almost any shape.
Olivier.

[phil53]

Tilling the soil will be useless. It is necessary to cut (if it is your will) then to crush the whole on the grass and the rest of trunk.
Little by little the soil will work on its own.
Add as much as you can of dry grass, hay, even your vegetable waste.
At home I did like that on hard ground like stone under my shrubs. I used hay from the crushed wood, a little of everything. 2 years later I can dig practically by hand.
In another corner I had a peach tree, I cut it and add BRF on it then plant strawberries. It grows, the peach tree trunk does not interfere with strawberries at all

[sicetaitsimple]

Tilling the soil will be useless.

I may have misspoken, but it's not "working the soil" that I recommend. This is "pulling out the roots in the cultivated area", which is a bit complicated to do without actually moving the soil extensively.

[phil53]

Before knowing Didier's reasoning, I would have thought like you, now I am convinced that the people on the ground will do the job.
You cut the little trees, you cover everything and you plant across, avoiding the trunks and it works.
The peach tree trunk exists but it does not prevent the strawberries from growing very well and in 3 or 4 years it will be returned to the land without doing anything.

[sicetaitsimple]

Before knowing Didier's reasoning, I would have thought like you, now I am convinced that the people on the ground will do the job.
You cut the little trees, you cover everything and you plant across, avoiding the trunks and it works.
The peach tree trunk exists but it does not prevent the strawberries from growing very well and in 3 or 4 years it will be returned to the land without doing anything.

Misunderstanding again, but we will get there! I placed myself in a hypothesis (reread my post) where the laurels were not all cut. It will therefore be necessary to check the progression of the roots of those who remain.

In addition, but there I do not know too much about the laurels, does a laurel cut whose stump and roots are left in place burst on the spot and do not reject, I do not know.

Last point: it would surprise me very much that this garden has a high natural fertility and that it is the Eden of earthworms. It is not a meadow .... A reset with a significant contribution of compost (therefore on 10m2, it is not a semi-trailer!), 'Is in my opinion a good way to start.

[Ahmed]

Laurels have excellent rejection ability, so when cutting for elimination, it makes sense to cut the trunks below the collar. This procedure does not prevent any regrowth, but weakens the shrub; then simply remove the rejections as you go (if I remember correctly, the laurel does not suck).

[Did67]

Ah! You still jumped into the water !!! It was that or the woodshed, so you made the right choice ...

[sicetaitsimple]

Ah! You still jumped into the water !!! It was that or the woodshed, so you made the right choice ...

Yes, but the writings remain! Nothing says that in a few years, when you become dictator, we will not come back to fetch us with Ahmed!

Well, more seriously, it's a bit of my creed, 10m2, 50m2, 200m2, 500m2 or more, depending on where we are and the possibilities of supplying organic matter, it must naturally lead to technical solutions different even if they are all inspired by the main principles on which I have no doubt we agree!