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Reviving ground under chippings...

jackrich01jackrich01 Posts: 2
in Garden design
Hi all, moved into our property about a year ago and have gradually been removing chippings which are/were in place around garden perimeter. Want to restore beds in places and extend lawn in others. Chip stones have sunk into ground, and obviously ground is very very dry too. Question is what should I do after removing as many chippings as possible? I’m an amateur, so any help gratefully received...


Posts

  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    What kind of soil and how big are the chippings?  I'm thinking if the soil is heavy clay and the chippings are small, you could mix some of them in to open up the soil a bit.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    The easiest and possibly best thing you can do is to break up the surface as much as possible by inserting you garden fork and wiggling it back and forth to aerate.   Then, without walking on it too much, mark out any beds you wish to plant up and then pour sharp sand over the area to be grassed, rake or sweep it in and apply some general fertiliser and sow some grass seed.   Lots of choice of seed for different uses and situations so read the packets.  Do this asap as April and September are the best times for sowing new grass seed.

    For areas which are to become ornamental, try, if you can, to loosen the soil even more by lifting forkfuls and then add as much compost and well-rotted manure as you can over what is to become flower and/or shrub beds.  Several inches thick.  Rake it level and leave it to the worms to work it in over the coming months and then, come autumn you will have much better soil and the ideal time for planting any spring bulbs, roses or shrubs and adding another good layer of mulch.   In the meantime, just fill it with colourful bedding plants or perennials according to your taste.  
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • jackrich01jackrich01 Posts: 2
    Obelixx said:
    The easiest and possibly best thing you can do is to break up the surface as much as possible by inserting you garden fork and wiggling it back and forth to aerate.   Then, without walking on it too much, mark out any beds you wish to plant up and then pour sharp sand over the area to be grassed, rake or sweep it in and apply some general fertiliser and sow some grass seed.   Lots of choice of seed for different uses and situations so read the packets.  Do this asap as April and September are the best times for sowing new grass seed.

    For areas which are to become ornamental, try, if you can, to loosen the soil even more by lifting forkfuls and then add as much compost and well-rotted manure as you can over what is to become flower and/or shrub beds.  Several inches thick.  Rake it level and leave it to the worms to work it in over the coming months and then, come autumn you will have much better soil and the ideal time for planting any spring bulbs, roses or shrubs and adding another good layer of mulch.   In the meantime, just fill it with colourful bedding plants or perennials according to your taste.  
    Really helpful! Thank you. 
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