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Pebble stream
Rekusu
Posts: 125
What ho one and all,
Another glorious day in paradise!
When we built the house, part of the drainge plan was a shallow ditch, meandering to a pond at the back of the garden. This would be a 'Japanese style' dry gravel 'stream' but would take water from one section of the roof when it rains.
As such, it does what it is supposed to do. However, over the intervening years, the 'stream' has filled with earth and other organic debris to the extent that now weeds an moss are happily growing.
I don't want to dispose of the gravel but what would be the best (easiest) way to clean it and try to reduce the amount of soil that has accumulated?
Toodle pip and thanks
Rex
0
Posts
Thanks for your reply. I have thought about a pressure washer too, but figure that it will project pebbles all over the place.
I figure there is quite a build-up of organic material now and I don't think a pressure washer will shift it all.
SWMBO (who has the green fingers; I am just programmed to do the grunt work) suggests another layer of pebbles, but in my opinion, that is just hiding the issue and it will only build up again to the new level.
The 'stream' is only about 18" wide and probably less than 6" deep, so not so many pebbles.
It would be a long job but maybe you could do it in sections, scoop a section of the stones, debris etc into a plastic sieve beside the stream then hose it off before putting it back into the liner. Just work your way along bit by bit. It won't make it pristine clean but it should get most of it off.
Pretty much what I thought. Have tried doing that on a small section and did not look forward to spending the whole summer washing the 'dry stream.'
Call me lazy? But I guess that is how it will have to be. I know that SWMBO will find other things to interrupt the progress and then tell me that is is not worth the effort.
but now that the garden is more established on both sides, I figure that by cleaning, it will not clog up so quickly because there is not so much loose soil to wash down. But what do I know?
Could you dam up the bottom end, fill it with water and then use a stiff brush or the pressure hose to create a washing machine effect. Then when all the dirt is loose, break the dam and let it all flow out. May be fun!
That's a plan but I'm not so sure about the pressure washer.
They are only regular, garden centre purchased pebbles and a pressure washer will fire them all over the place.
Think I will just have to make it this year's project, along with two gates, make a pergola, reposition whatever plants SWMBO wants repositioning, etc, etc, etc. By which time it will be autumn and leaf collecting time and the 'dry stream' will still be full of soil.
What about scooping out the top layer and washing it in a wheel barrow.. before you put each section back you put down a layer of water permeable weed suppressing cloth, then dump the stones back over that. It will still let the water flow down through fine, AND will make the next cleaning a whole lot easier, as the cloth will trap the dirt/leaves/etc.
Might be a bit pricey, but if you added larger pebbles, around 10 - 15mm diamater on top, I think they'd be too "open" to allow the moss to build up.
Otherwise, it's the , start at one end, and wash the lot, option.