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how to bulk up soil?
gardeninglily1
Posts: 424
How do I bulk up soil that used to be lawn without spending a fortune on topsoil? I took everyone's advice and in the middle of making a path to add more interest to the garden. Thank you
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Mulching with home made garden compost
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Oh I dont have a compost bin/heap
- I did have a go a few years ago but it never rotted down. I was obviously using the wrong mix. Have you noticed the picket fence has gone ?haha
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Ah! I remember your garden gardeninglily - with the lovely aconitum. I meant to ask what the pink flowers were near it but don't think I did
I haven't got a good answer for your question - I tend to use spent compost, manure or one of my clay heaps for hole filling depending on what I'm up to.
You should put a full pic on when you're finished for before and after comparisons
I got rid of all my lawn last year, laying the clods face-to-face in two heaps at the end of my garden. No special treatment but both are now ready for returning to the borders as soil.
Also, whenever you buy a plant in a pot, the hole you dig will leave an excess. Obviously, it depends on the size of plant pots and how many plants you buy, but given time, the soil will level out.
I've found the best compost mix is 70-30 carbon and nitrogen but others swear by 50-50 mix. Keep it moist and turn in regularly. Obviously, the smaller the parts are to begin with, the quicker the process
Good idea about using the clouds for future compost. Hi Victoria Sponge - the pink flower is Sidalcea 'Party Girl'. Very easy to grow and no trouble - just comes up to dance every summer!
I will definitely post some pics when I've finished - give me about another month -unless we get any snow brr - it could still happen!
Oh, I have that Sidalcea - yours looks a much nicer colour than mine
Bees really like it too so I invested in Elsie Heugh and have a beady eye on another- I'm after an exact shade of pink
Look forward to seeing your pics
You can pretty much put in any organic matter to bulk up your soil, leaves are good if you can collect enough locally. You could just let them rot down in plastic bags with some holes poked in the with a fork rather than compost. You can't really beat a good compost heap though to get the soil in condition, we have clay with barely any topsoil, the compost makes so so much difference to it.
Hi gemma, I've tried the leaves in bags (from wisteria) but ended up just chucking them coz they were still the same after 12 months. I really need to get myself a corner for these sods to rot down...erm...now where is the question.....
You can buy cheap compost to improve the soil. Or ask a farmer or riding stables if they have any well rotted manure.
The leaves in bags need to be moist to rot, with air holes punched in the bags with a fork, but it takes about a year.