NEW BEGINNINGS...
ThornyHedges
Posts: 14
Hello, we moved into our home last August and the previous owners (bought house new 17 years ago), just put turf on the slight slope at the back. It's a south facing back garden, so I'm very excited about setting up a brand new garden with wildlife friendly plants. I'm getting rid of the very thin moss/turf layer but as with all newer houses, the developer sold the top soil. Beneath this (soon to be removed) thin layer of turf/moss is dry, hard soil. I want to improve the condition before I plant anything. However, I've never had to do this before and am wondering what will work best. Most advice relies on compost/well-rotted manure etc being dug in to improve the condition. The deepest that I can stick my garden fork in the current soil is about 3 inches at the most....Ideas would be appreciated. Thanks
Posts
Thanks. I've got an aerator, so I'll use that (to save my aching muscles!) and hopefully it'll improve before too long. I'm not expecting to be able to plant much this year with there being so much to do first.
Consider which plants you intend to plant or sow for wild life because a lot of wild flowers dislike rich soil and will probably do better on unimproved parts of your garden.
Thanks for that Invicta2. I'll bear that in mind too.
One thing I have noticed is that there are very few worms...I've only seen one so far. A neighbour told me that all hers died during that long winter in 2010 when there was snow for months.
Hi Souperwoman.
Don't worry, as they say..the worms will come.
I moved into a neglected garden too, not a new build but mainly weeds and grass on flint/chalk (poor soil) and clay like in other bits.
I'm in year 3 of doing it up and I think every year I see more and more worms. I dug it over, added some topsoil and compost and now this year bark, and it all helps improve it. This year I'm expecting them to do my job and take the soil and bark down into the soil, so no more digging for me I hope! I only dug in the first year.
Good luck.
8000wildflowers, it's good to know that I'm not the only one who has this type of garden. I dream of the quality soil that I see on Gardeners World!
Yes! Monty's soil...he has had about 20+ years to get to that, and I think he's more attentive to it than the rest of us!
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I've learnt the hard way to do a little bit of work on the soil before planting, it's worth it.
But we're never going to get Monty's soil...!
I'm adding wildlife friendly plants to attract insects, birds, bats etc. I did wonder with the soil being so poor if I would have to introduce worms, but it seems that, thanks to all you lovely people, I will just have to wait and they'll come into my garden when the soil begins to improve.