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Unwanted soil

BigladBiglad Posts: 3,265
in Problem solving
It appears that when my house was built, the back garden was used as a tip  :o As a result I have clay soil with a large volume of stones of all sizes within it. Additionally, I find the odd piece of metal or plastic buried. I want to get rid of as much of this as possible and replace with a medium that I can grow fruit and veg in. As COVID 19 has reduced my income but given me unlimited time, I'd like to get rid for nothing in the most environmentally friendly way possible. The first border I'm looking at is probably 24 cubic feet. Any suggestions folks?
East Lancs

Posts

  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    Do you really mean cubic feet?
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited July 2020
    Clay soil can be turned into some of the most productive land there is ... eg the fertile wheatlands of High Suffolk which were very heavy clay, however with the application of generous amounts of manure, that region is now some of the most productive land in the country.  

    Remove the large stones, metal and plastic by all means ......... then apply manure and garden compost ... improve what you've got ... that's the best, cheapest and most environmentally sound course of action. 

    This tells you how 
    http://www.sussexcountrygardener.co.uk/section.php/59/1/clay-soils

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • FlyDragonFlyDragon Posts: 834
    I agree with dove, don't dismiss clay soil!  With regular mulching and a good population of worms it can be absolutely fine. 
  • BigladBiglad Posts: 3,265
    B3 said:
    Do you really mean cubic feet?
    I think so - it's only a small portion of a border I'm looking at for now.
    East Lancs
  • GemmaJFGemmaJF Posts: 2,286
    I'm on clay also. The previous house owner was a car mechanic, he buried unwanted parts all over the garden! How times change, imagine if someone did that today. So I had to dig them all out, rubble, all sorts.

    I complain constantly about my soil being clay. But with plenty of organics it grows great veg and is improving each year, it almost resembles soil sometimes.

    An alternative on clay is to go no-dig for veg, check out Charles Dowding on YouTube. I'm thinking seriously of converting now I'm a little older, our traditional veg plot is a lot of work each year, made no better by being on clay.
  • josusa47josusa47 Posts: 3,530
    The cheapest way to get stuff taken away is to find someone who wants it!  There are always people wanting large stones to build a wall or a rockery, and people wanting broken bricks, concrete etc to use as hardcore, or to fill the bottom of raised beds.  Register with Next Door, Freecycle and/or Freegle.
  • BigladBiglad Posts: 3,265
    I'll try that @josusa47. Thanks.

    In the meantime, some of it has gone into the compost bin.
    East Lancs
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