I've often had to garden on rubbishy ground. As long as there's enough depth of soil for whatever you want to plant, it's usually fine. If you've got established planting which would be very hard work to remove completely, the best thing is to mulch well with decent compost regularly, which will gradually raise the depth of soil. If it's possible to remove the planting, but you want to leave the rubble, you can increase the planting depth by making more of a raised bed with brick,stone or timber edging, and then adding more soil/compost etc. to fill it up before replanting.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
From my point of view, it's a new wall I've had built to establish some extra planting as a raised bed. As Dove Above says, it's to save buying in gravel for drainage and to spend less on topsoil.
Appreciate comments fro Fairygirl about depth of soil and compost replenishment.
Hi Jude - I directed my reply mainly to DE which is why I mentioned the raised beds, but you've already got those in place! Concrete can be more of an issue than general rock or stone, as Dove has said, but providing there's enough soil I don't think it will be a major problem. I've sometimes put landscape fabric over rubble before adding soil. It helps to stop all the soil washing down through it, but it's a good idea to add a bit of finer gravel or stone to fill the gaps in first. I did that last year on some of my new raised beds - for the same reason as you!
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Hi rich - I think you're replying to the OP about his patio, from last year.
The recent poster has raised beds and is using rubble to take up a bit of space at the bottom to save on soil and compost etc. I'm like you though - I try to dig out concrete whenever possible but sometimes it's not feasible, and if there's enough soil coverage it doesn't cause major issues. I've dug lots of concrete blocks out of this garden over the last year as well as big lumps of it - usually in exactly the spot I want to make a new planting area
It's amazing what builders and workmen just cover up!
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Posts
Id get rid of it all if you can. I think you would only be storing trouble up for later.
But if he's using rubble rather than buying in shingle, gravel etc for drainage at the bottom of a deep raised bed ...?
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I've often had to garden on rubbishy ground. As long as there's enough depth of soil for whatever you want to plant, it's usually fine. If you've got established planting which would be very hard work to remove completely, the best thing is to mulch well with decent compost regularly, which will gradually raise the depth of soil. If it's possible to remove the planting, but you want to leave the rubble, you can increase the planting depth by making more of a raised bed with brick,stone or timber edging, and then adding more soil/compost etc. to fill it up before replanting.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
From my point of view, it's a new wall I've had built to establish some extra planting as a raised bed. As Dove Above says, it's to save buying in gravel for drainage and to spend less on topsoil.
Appreciate comments fro Fairygirl about depth of soil and compost replenishment.
Jude14 as in female Jude, by the way
Hi Jude - I directed my reply mainly to DE which is why I mentioned the raised beds, but you've already got those in place! Concrete can be more of an issue than general rock or stone, as Dove has said, but providing there's enough soil I don't think it will be a major problem. I've sometimes put landscape fabric over rubble before adding soil. It helps to stop all the soil washing down through it, but it's a good idea to add a bit of finer gravel or stone to fill the gaps in first. I did that last year on some of my new raised beds - for the same reason as you!
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
The bricks have to come out as the grass will go yellow
In 3 years I bet I've taken 3 tones of rubble out of the garden.
Hi rich - I think you're replying to the OP about his patio, from last year.
The recent poster has raised beds and is using rubble to take up a bit of space at the bottom to save on soil and compost etc. I'm like you though - I try to dig out concrete whenever possible but sometimes it's not feasible, and if there's enough soil coverage it doesn't cause major issues. I've dug lots of concrete blocks out of this garden over the last year as well as big lumps of it - usually in exactly the spot I want to make a new planting area
It's amazing what builders and workmen just cover up!
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I have lot of builder's sand and rubble made of small stones in the garden. Are they plant friendly? Can I just dig them in?